Fraud Supervisor Exits Challenge DOJ White-Collar Office (1)

The Justice Department’s criminal fraud section, which has handled some of its most complex corporate enforcement cases, has experienced an exodus of supervisors as a tight budget climate makes replacing them difficult.

At least five managers announced their departures in September alone, following a handful of other veteran exits—mostly to law firms—earlier this year.

Such turnover isn’t necessarily significantly higher than in past years at an office that’s served as a talent pipeline for Big Law and in-house legal departments. Budget tightening and pre-election exits are affecting personnel headcounts at many DOJ offices.

But the loss of experienced trial lawyers ...