WHARTON LAW
KENDRA WHARTON
FOUNDER & MANAGING ATTORNEY
Kendra Wharton is an accomplished defense attorney with extensive experience representing multinational corporations and executives in a wide range of criminal and civil matters.
She has represented both companies and individuals in connection with complex investigations and litigation by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and various United States Attorneys' Offices, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). She also has extensive experience managing corporate internal investigations and compliance initiatives, as well as responses to congressional inquiries and requests for congressional testimony.
Kendra was included in the 2021-2024 editions of The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch in recognition of her work in Criminal Defense: White-Collar. She is also Global Co-Chair of the Young Professionals Committee of the Women’s White Collar Defense Association (WWCDA) and a member of the Florida chapter.
Kendra most recently served as Special Counsel in the Washington D.C. office of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, a leading international law firm, and one of the oldest continuously operating legal practices in the United States. There she was a member of the White Collar Defense & Investigations Practice for close to a decade and an active member of the WWCDA's D.C. chapter.
Kendra received her J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center. She is admitted to practice in the State of Florida, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Virginia. She is also admitted to the U.S. District Courts for the Southern District of Florida and the District of Columbia.
Prior to practicing law, Kendra served on the legislative staff of Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, covering federal tax, banking, and financial services policy.
EDUCATION
J.D., Georgetown University Law Center
B.S., magna cum laude, University of Louisville
ADMISSIONS
State of Florida
District of Columbia
Commonwealth of Virginia
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
PRACTICE AREAS
Litigation
White Collar & Criminal Defense
SEC Enforcement
Congressional Investigations
Internal Investigations
FCPA Enforcement and Compliance
False Claims Act and Health Care Fraud
Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, and Digital Assets
REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS
Represented executives of multinational cryptocurrency platforms in connection with federal and state investigations
Represented an executive of a publicly traded utility in federal and state criminal prosecutions and SEC litigation
Represented a multinational biotech company in parallel DOJ and SEC investigations
Represented a publicly traded company in an SEC investigation into allegations of whistleblower retaliation
Represented a publicly traded company and its CEO in connection with a high-profile congressional investigation and public hearing by the U.S. House Oversight Committee
Represented a Commodity Trading Advisor in CFTC litigation and related investigations
Represented an international Fintech provider in a high-stakes CFPB investigation
Conducted numerous internal investigations and compliance reviews for life sciences companies, federal contractors, and financial services providers
Represented numerous public companies, financial services providers, and executives in responding to subpoenas and civil investigative demands
Kendra Wharton
Founder & Managing Attorney