Shamis Beckley

Shamis focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation, white collar criminal defense, government investigations and appellate matters. Shamis represents companies in highly regulated industries in government investigations, including Department of Justice (DOJ), Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and state attorneys general investigations. She also regularly manages whistleblower investigations. She helps clients successfully navigate regulatory and litigation risk and advises clients on all aspects of civil and criminal investigations, including managing broad civil investigative demands and subpoenas. In addition, Shamis has broad experience managing civil litigation at the trial level and on appeal. She has a strong track record of representing clients in cases concerning product safety, consumer protection, child safety and data privacy, and in cases arising under the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) and False Claims Act (FCA).

Shamis also maintains an active pro bono practice. She works on civil rights and criminal justice matters, including habeas petitions for defendants facing capital punishment, and with the New England Innocence Project. She previously represented a single mother accused of violating Section 5 of the Securities Act of 1933 for selling unregistered securities, advocated on behalf of two children fleeing gang violence in El Salvador, and represented a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of survivors of human trafficking and sex slavery. In addition, she has successfully represented clients in Hague Convention child custody cases at trial and on appeal. 

Before joining Cooley, Shamis served as law clerk for US Circuit Judge O. Rogeriee Thompson of the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and US District Judge Denise Casper of the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

Shamis is a board member for the Harvard Law School Association Black Alumni Network. She served previously on the Advisory Committee on Rules for the First Circuit.

Shamis’ representative matters include:

• Obtaining a favorable resolution for a former chief science officer in a DOJ FCA investigation
• Representing a global social media company in nationwide investigations by more than 40 state attorneys general in relation to potential violations of consumer protection laws
• Representing an online video game platform in connection with multi-state civil investigative demands and parallel state attorneys general investigations
• Obtaining a favorable resolution for a consumer product company in a DOJ/CPSC litigation in the District of Massachusetts
• Obtaining a favorable resolution for a mortgage company in an FCA litigation in the US District Court for the Middle District of Georgia

Defending a molecular diagnostics company in connection with a DOJ/ Department of Health and Human Services investigation into potential violations of the AKS and FCA

• Defending a national security innovation company in connection to a DOJ civil investigative demand relating to potential violations by a subcontractor of certain information safeguarding statutes and the FCA
• Obtaining a favorable resolution in federal court for a putative class action alleging violation of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act*
• Successfully advocating on behalf of numerous clients to persuade prosecutors and enforcement agencies to decline to intervene or bring charges*
• Defending numerous qui tam cases on behalf of manufacturers, providers and health systems*
• Successfully resolving all claims against a publicly traded bank that was sued under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act for providing banking services to a medical marijuana dispensary*

* Transaction handled before joining Cooley