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Kenneth R. Chadwell

Of Counsel
Kenneth R. Chadwell

Professional Experience

Kenneth R. Chadwell’s current practice includes white collar criminal defense, federal grand jury investigations, national security matters, attorney discipline complaints, corporate compliance and investigations, immigration litigation, and complex business trials and arbitrations.

Before joining the firm, Mr. Chadwell served as a trial and appellate attorney with the United States Department of Justice. Mr. Chadwell has been a prolific litigator in the United States District Court and the United States Court of Appeals for three decades. During his tenure as a federal prosecutor, Mr. Chadwell was recognized for his handling of the most complex matters litigated by the federal government when he received the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service; a Director’s Award for Terrorism Prevention and National Security Protection from the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys; the Department of Homeland Security’s Award for National Security Investigations; as well as commendations from the Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation; and numerous other awards.

Mr. Chadwell was one of five elite federal litigators chosen to be a counter-terrorism prosecutor following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He also served as Senior Litigation Counsel for the United States Attorney’s Office and concluded his DOJ career as Deputy Chief of National Security. He has lectured throughout the United States and overseas on national security and trial advocacy methodology. While with the DOJ, Mr. Chadwell conducted hundreds of grand jury investigations, supervised scores of federal agents involving virtually every type of federal criminal offense, oversaw wiretap and other sensitive investigative techniques, interacted with U.S. and foreign intelligence agencies including the CIA, FBI, NSA, RCMP, Canadian CSIS, Czech SIS, and Israeli Mossad, tried some 50 cases before federal juries as sole or lead counsel, and appeared as lead counsel before the U.S. Court of Appeals on more than 80 occasions. In addition to his DOJ duties, Mr. Chadwell volunteered for 23 years as a Hearing Panelist with the Michigan Attorney Discipline Board, the arm of the Michigan Supreme Court responsible for supervising and disciplining attorneys.

Prior to joining the Department of Justice, Mr. Chadwell clerked for U.S. District Judge James P. Churchill and worked as a litigation associate for a large Detroit law firm.

Publications and Presentations

Education

  • J.D. (magna cum laude), Wayne State University Law School, 1986
    • Graduated Top 10 of Class (Order of the Coif)
    • Articles Editor, The Wayne Law Review
    • Pepper Hamilton Scholarship
  • B.A., Cedarville College, 1983

Admissions

  • State Bar of Michigan
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
  • United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
  • United States District Court, Western District of Michigan
  • United States Immigration Court 

Awards and Recognitions

  • Leader in the Law, Michigan Lawyers Weekly (2020)
  • ICE Chief Counsel Award for National Security Prosecutions (2010)
  • Commendation from the Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation (2010)
  • Commendation from the Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation (2009)
  • Award for National Security Investigations, Department of Homeland Security (2008)
  • Distinguished Service Award, United States Attorney General (2008)
  • Executive Office for United States Attorneys Director’s Award for Terrorism Prevention and National Security Protection (2007)