Eric Olshan, former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania and a veteran federal prosecutor, will join McGuireWoods’ nationally recognized Government Investigations & White Collar Litigation Department as a partner in Pittsburgh.
Olshan served as U.S. Attorney from 2023 until Jan. 19, 2025, leading an office of 130 criminal prosecutors, civil litigators, and professional staff, and overseeing high-profile criminal prosecutions and civil enforcement matters with national and international significance.
As U.S. Attorney, Olshan led the three-month capital trial of the shooter who murdered 11 worshipers at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue in 2018, the worst antisemitic mass shooting in U.S. history. He also oversaw the multiagency criminal investigation of the 2024 assassination attempt on then-presidential candidate Donald J. Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. Under his leadership, Olshan’s office worked with domestic and international law enforcement partners on path-breaking cyber enforcement matters, including the disruption of a Russia-based cybercrime enterprise involving more than 40,000 spoofed websites and the illicit collection of personal information of more than a million victims.
During his tenure, Olshan served on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC), a select group of U.S. Attorneys who advise Department of Justice (DOJ) senior leadership on national policy issues. He was a member of AGAC subcommittees focused on white collar enforcement, terrorism and national security, civil rights, and environmental justice.
Before his confirmation as U.S. Attorney, Olshan spent over 15 years as a white collar prosecutor, including 10 years as a Trial Attorney and Deputy Chief in the DOJ Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section in Washington, D.C., and over five years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and Chief of the Economic/Cyber/National Security Crimes Section in the Western District of Pennsylvania. During that time, he focused on investigating and prosecuting a broad array of criminal offenses, including mail and wire fraud schemes, money laundering, complex healthcare fraud, violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, criminal environmental violations, domestic public corruption, securities and accounting fraud, insider trading, obstruction of justice, and tax crimes.
Olshan is a seasoned litigator, having practiced in over a dozen federal district courts and tried more than two dozen cases to verdict, including eleven federal white collar trials. A skilled appellate advocate, Olshan has handled successful appeals in the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Eleventh Circuits.
Among his accolades, Olshan received the Attorney General’s David Margolis Award for Exceptional Service, DOJ’s highest honor; and the Attorney General’s John Marshall Award for Trial of Litigation, DOJ’s highest recognition for trial practice. Olshan began his government service through the Attorney General’s Honors Program after completing a clerkship on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
At McGuireWoods, Olshan will leverage his experience to counsel clients on internal investigations, white collar defense, commercial litigation, and cybersecurity matters.
“After over 17 years of public service, I am excited for the opportunity to join one of the nation’s premier litigation practices at McGuireWoods,” Olshan said. “I look forward to drawing from a well of practical experience inside and outside the courtroom to help clients navigate their most complex legal matters.”
Olshan joins a long roster of former federal and state prosecutors and senior enforcement officials from across the political spectrum in McGuireWoods’ litigation practices.
“Eric served with distinction as a U.S. Attorney and federal prosecutor through multiple administrations,” said Noreen Kelly, McGuireWoods’ deputy managing partner for litigation. “He has a keen understanding of the decision-making processes and policy considerations at all levels of the Justice Department. His strategic insight will provide immediate value to our clients.”
McGuireWoods’ government investigations and white collar lawyers have represented Fortune 100 companies and financial institutions in some of the most notable and complicated criminal, regulatory, and investigative matters of the past decade.
“Eric has battle-tested skills that are rare in today’s legal market,” said Jason Cowley, chair of the firm’s Government Investigations & White Collar Litigation Department. “He has conducted historic investigations and prosecutions and thrived under intense pressure, earning the respect of his peers and the public. His unique perspective and sound judgment will make our national practice even stronger.”
Olshan is one of three former U.S. Attorneys who will join the firm in the coming weeks. Ryan K. Buchanan will join McGuireWoods in Atlanta after serving as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. Michael F. Easley Jr., former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, will join the firm in Raleigh.
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