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Overview
Josh Christensen is Of Counsel in the Compliance & Regulatory Counseling practice of Paul Hastings and is based in the firm's Washington, D.C. office.
Josh counsels clients regarding compliance programs, risk assessments, conducting due diligence on third parties and in connection with acquisitions, and internal investigations. He has worked as part of corporate monitor teams as well as preparing clients for independent and self-monitorships. In addition to his years in private practice, Josh also worked as in-house counsel to a global engineering and manufacturing company.
Josh received his law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 2010, where he served as a vice president of the Moot Court Board and Articles Editor of the Wisconsin Law Review. Josh also served for 12 years in the U.S. Army Reserve. He is admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Wisconsin.
Accolades
Education
- University of Wisconsin Law School, J.D., 2010
- University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, B.S., 2006
Representations
- A global investment bank and financial services firm in the enhancement and testing of its anti-money laundering, anti-fraud, anti-corruption, and securities disclosure compliance programs as part of its post-resolution reporting requirements to the DOJ and SEC
- A global technology company in connection with the enhancement and testing of its anti-corruption compliance program and post-resolution reporting requirements to the DOJ and SEC
- A global artificial intelligence company in the review and enhancement of its trade controls, ESG, data privacy, and anti-corruption compliance programs
- A global chemicals and mining company in connection with a risk assessment, enhancement of its anti-corruption compliance program, and selection of and relationship with an independent compliance monitor
- Represented, and was seconded to, a global engineering and construction company during its independent compliance monitorship, World Bank monitorship, and enhancement of its global anti-corruption program
- A global aerospace and defense company during its independent compliance monitorship and enhancement of its global anti-corruption program
- A global petrochemical company during its independent compliance monitorship and enhancement of its global anti-corruption program
- Advised multinational financial services organization with over $1 trillion in assets under management on the development of its anti-corruption compliance program
- Advised a US-based cryptocurrency and technology company in the design and execution of an anti-corruption risk assessment
- Advised numerous private equity firms in reviewing potential acquisition targets and assessing corruption risk, as well as the design of anti-corruption compliance programs for the firms and their portfolio companies
- A Fortune Global 500 pharmaceutical corporation in connection with a corruption-related investigation by multiple national enforcement agencies in various jurisdictions in the Middle East and Asia
- A Fortune 500 private equity firm in connection with the post-acquisition integration of anti-corruption programs of Asia-based healthcare companies
- A Fortune 150 defense contractor in connection with third-party due diligence in various jurisdictions
- A global telecommunications company in connection with a corruption-related internal investigation of its operations in Asia, development and implementation of its anti-corruption compliance program, and third-party due diligence in various jurisdictions
Insights
- DOJ’s M&A Safe Harbor Highlights Importance of Post-Close Due Diligence and Integration - June 30th, 2025
- Safe Harbor in the Coming Enforcement Storm? DOJ Announces New M&A Policy to Encourage Compliance - October 10th, 2023
- Recent Whistleblower Activity Increases Pressure on Internal Reporting and Investigation Mechanisms - August 15th, 2023
- New Enforcement Policies Signal an Important Shift in DOJ’s Approach to Corporate Prosecutions - September 20th, 2022
- Proposed DOJ Certification Requirements Signal Increased Post-Resolution Compliance Program Scrutiny - April 6th, 2022
Engagement & Publications
- Co-author, "Safe Harbor in the Coming Enforcement Storm? DOJ Announces New M&A Policy to Encourage Compliance", October 10, 2023
- Co-author, "Recent Whistleblower Activity Increases Pressure on Internal Reporting and Investigation Mechanisms", August 15, 2023
- Co-author, “Wall Street Sweep: Handling Personal Devices, Ephemeral Messaging and Privacy Rights,” New York Law Journal, November 10, 2022
- Co-author, "New Enforcement Policies Signal an Important Shift in DOJ’s Approach to Corporate Prosecutions", September 20. 2022
- Co-author, "Proposed DOJ Certification Requirements Signal Increased Post-Resolution Compliance Program Scrutiny", April 6, 2022
- Co-author, "Recent DPA Breaches Reflect Increased DOJ Oversight and Scrutiny", March 23, 2022
- Co-author, "The OECD Issues Updated Good Practice Guidance on Internal Controls, Ethics and Compliance," January 12, 2022
- Co-author, Chapter 93 (Monitorships), Business and Commercial Litigation in Federal Court (5th ed. 2021), edited-in-chief by Robert L. Haig
- Co-author, "COVID-19 and Corruption-Related Risks: High on the International Agenda", May 21, 2020
- Co-author, The United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, chapter in Anti-corruption Laws and Regulations: A Global Guide, August 2018
- Co-author, Reassessing Your Compliance Program, Practising Law Institute’s White Collar Crime 2011: Prosecutors and Regulators Speak course handbook, October 2011
- Facilitate and co-teach the International Law Institute’s annual Government Anti-Corruption Methods course, May 2017 to present
Involvement
- Co-Chair, ABA International Anti-Corruption Committee, 2022-present
- Vice Chair of Communications and Technology, ABA International Anti-Corruption Committee, 2020-2022
- Paul Hastings Pro Bono Committee, 2017-present
- Supervising pro bono attorney, University of Michigan International Transactions Clinic, 2011-2013