Frank E. Schall

Frank E. Schall is an experienced attorney recognized for his strategic insight and pragmatic approach to white-collar defense, internal investigations, and regulatory enforcement matters. With experience in public service, in-house global investigations, and private practice, Frank offers clients a unique perspective, never losing sight of how the case may impact business objectives from a global perspective. Frank’s legal career includes serving as a prosecutor and working in-house in Hong Kong with a company’s regulatory inquiries group. These roles have equipped him to navigate and respond effectively to complex cross-border legal challenges and regulatory requirements. Frank has an unwavering dedication to achieving justice in every matter.

Frank advises both individual and corporate clients, leading investigative responses to whistleblower allegations and civil investigative demands, regulatory inquiries, and enforcement actions from agencies such as the DOJ, SEC, FinCEN, CFTC, and U.S. Attorney’s offices. He helps organizations manage enforcement risks and strengthen compliance frameworks. Frank has managed internal investigations and compliance reviews across the globe, including in the U.S., Asia, South America, and Europe, addressing matters including Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), False Claims Act (FCA), financial crimes, anti-money laundering (AML), Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), Know Your Customer (KYC), Customer Identification Program (CIP) requirements, and public corruption.

Representative Experience

Frank’s representative matters include:

• Trial defense of a CEO against Sherman Act criminal charges in a national price-fixing case
• Trial defense of a business owner in a 30-count federal indictment alleging international money laundering
• Representation of U.S. and international financial institutions in matters involving allegations of corruption, market manipulation, and KYC/CIP investigations
• Development of FCPA and compliance programs for global corporations
• Successful resolution of SEC and DOJ inquiries related to a $50 million Ponzi scheme

Notable

• Chambers USA - North Carolina, Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations, 2025-2026
• Legal 500 US, National Corporate Investigations White-Collar Criminal Defense, 2024-2025
• Named to Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Litigators in America list, 2025-2026

• Best Lawyers In America, Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy), “Lawyer of the Year,” 2026

• Best Lawyers in America, Criminal Defense: White-Collar, 2021-2026; Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy), 2023-2026
• LPL Financial - Outside Counsel Community Impact Award Winner, 2025
• Law360's “Rising Stars”, White Collar, 2022
• Benchmark Litigation “40 & Under List," 2018-2024, "Future Star," 2024-2026
• Business North Carolina Legal Elite, Litigation, 2024
• Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation, 2023
• North Carolina Super Lawyers, "Rising Stars," Criminal Defense: White Collar, 2018-2019; Super Lawyers, Criminal Defense: White Collar, 2026
• North Carolina Pro Bono Honor Society, 2017-2020, 2022-2023
• FPC Schools, Board of Directors, 2020-present
• JazzArts Charlotte, Board of Directors, 2019-present

• Arts & Science Council’s Cultural Leadership Training, Class of 2018

• Member, Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society
  • Member, Bylaws Committee, 2010-2012
• Presenter, 2015 Mecklenburg County Bar "Professionalism for New Attorneys" CLE

News

Affiliations

• Charlotte Symphony Orchestra Board of Trustees, 2025-present
• The Fellows of the American Bar Foundation
• Charlotte Metropolitan Human Trafficking Task Force - MVA Representative Member, 2019-present
• American Bar Association
  • White Collar Crime Committee
  • International Criminal Law Committee
• North Carolina Bar Association
• Mecklenburg County Bar Association

Public Engagements

• Contributor to Moore & Van Allen's MVA White Collar Defense, Investigations, and Regulatory Advice Blog , keeping clients up to date on the constantly evolving regulatory environment and serving as a thought leader as regulations and enforcement policy continue to develop
• Panelist, Globalaw Webinar, "Cross-Border and Multi-Jurisdictional Investigations and Enforcement: Challenges and Best Practices", February 2022
• Presenter, Antitrust 2021: Update and Forecast, Association of Corporate Counsel – Charlotte Chapter, June 2021
• Presenter on Ethics and Confidentiality for Charlotte Metropolitan Human Trafficking Task Force Standards Training
• Co-author, "After SEC v. Graham, Have the Courts Limited the Foreign Corrupt Practice Act’s Reach?", The Westlaw Journal of Securities Litigation & Regulation, November 2016

Civil Litigation

Having spent time as a prosecutor, Frank brings a breadth of trial experience to his practice. His experience includes handling complex commercial disputes, securities class actions, shareholder derivative suits, Sarbanes-Oxley litigation, and allegations of unfair or deceptive trade practices. While always trial-ready, Frank analyzes each individual case’s circumstances to prepare a practical, yet tactile, approach, keeping in mind the overall goal is to achieve the maximum result at a reasonable expense.

Even if not directly engaged in litigation, many of Frank’s clients reach out at the onset of potential issues to request assistance with navigating narrowed responses to civil litigation subpoenas and civil investigative demands pertaining to matters to include class actions, antitrust matters, healthcare litigation, and other complex litigation.

Frank’s clients range from individuals and local privately held companies to multi-national companies, including a NC-based commodities trading company, a NC-based steel recycling company, a national group purchasing organization, a wholesale medical services provider, a global electrical distributor, a national steel manufacturer, a national conglomerate of companies managing various industry portfolios, and Fortune 100 companies and financial institutions.

Representative Experience

• Represented a communications technology firm in obtaining a successful and complete grant of summary judgment in federal court relating to allegations of a breach of contract claim in the amount of approximately $205,000. 7M Securities, LLC v. Digi International, Inc., Western District of North Carolina 3:18-CV-159, May 2019
• Assisted in the representation of a minority shareholder in the prosecution of breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract litigation to a successful verdict of over $4 million. Blythe v. Bell, N.C. Superior Court 11-CVS-933/N.C. Business Court 2012 NCBC 42, July 2012
• Assisted in successful representation of the independent directors of Reynolds American, Inc. (RAI) with MVA as lead counsel in defense of a shareholder class action attacking RAI’s $27.4 billion purchase of Lorillard, Inc. Corwin v. British American Tobacco, PLC, et al., 796 S.E.2d 324, N.C. App. 2016
• Represented a national pharmacy and other wholesale medical services provider in response to government inquiries related to a multi-company investigation of claims pursuant to the False Claims Act, Anti-Kickback Statute, and Controlled Substance Act
• Successful settlement of litigation for a local real estate asset management company