Holland & Knight has added leading anti-money laundering and tax controversy Partner Peter Hardy to its litigation practice in Philadelphia. Mr. Hardy previously was a partner with Ballard Spahr, where he was co-lead and founder of the firm's anti-money laundering and tax controversy teams.
"Peter is a highly respected lawyer, with a national practice and reputation whose wealth of experience in private practice and public service will be invaluable to our clients in Pennsylvania and across the country," said John Grugan, Holland & Knight's Philadelphia Litigation Practice Group Leader. "His practice immediately expands and deepens the depth and sophistication of the services we offer to financial institutions across the country, as well as to the many industries subject to Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money laundering requirements. Peter's tax controversy practice also is very significant for us, given the strength of our corporate practices. We are thrilled to welcome him to the Firm as we continue to identify strategic growth investments in Philadelphia."
Mr. Hardy advises corporations and individuals across a range of industries against allegations of financial fraud, including money laundering, tax fraud, mortgage fraud and lending law violations, securities fraud, public corruption, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations and other financial fraud. He also counsels financial institutions and businesses on their anti-money laundering obligations under the Bank Secrecy Act and other compliance requirements, including issues involving sanctions law, countering the financing of terrorism, money transmission, digital assets and cryptocurrency, cannabis and anti-corruption.
Before entering private practice, Mr. Hardy spent more than a decade as a federal prosecutor. He served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Philadelphia, where he focused on fraud and financial crime cases. He also served as a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice's Tax Division in Washington, D.C., where he tried criminal cases in a number of federal districts and helped write the department's Criminal Tax Manual.
"Holland & Knight's impressive platform and commitment to growth in Philadelphia and beyond presents an exciting opportunity for me to leverage my experience across a variety of industries," said Mr. Hardy. "I look forward to working with my new colleagues and successfully guiding our clients through their most complex legal challenges."
He also serves as the co-chair for the Practicing Law Institute's annual Anti-Money Laundering Program. He is consistently recognized as a leading litigation attorney for white collar crime and government investigations in Pennsylvania by Chambers USA.
Mr. Hardy received a J.D. degree from University of Michigan Law School and a B.A. degree from the University of Michigan. After graduating from Michigan Law, Mr. Hardy clerked on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
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