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Markus has represented clients in some of the most consequential and highly publicized cases in the United States and abroad.
Markus Funk has successfully tried dozens of federal and state civil and criminal jury cases, briefed and argued more than 20 federal appeals nationwide, directed more than 400 investigations, and argued more than 700 in-court evidentiary hearings and other contested proceedings. He is a former federal prosecutor who represents public company boards, audit committees, companies, and executives in complex commercial litigation matters and in anti-corruption, fraud, and related internal and government investigations.
Markus' clientele and cases reflect the high caliber of his work. He conducts sensitive internal investigations for a diverse range of U.S. and international institutions, from NFL franchises and Fortune 50 companies to nonprofits and higher education institutions. He is frequently sought after to lead complex litigation and business disputes for high-profile clients, including companies of all sizes, federal judges, Nobel laureates, corporate executives, A-list celebrities, diplomats, professors, audit committees and boards, U.S. and foreign politicians, and professional athletes.
During his public service, Markus and his team prosecuted Operation Family Secrets, a landmark investigation into organized crime activity in Chicago described by NPR as “one of the most important criminal investigations . . . in American history” (the defendants in the case were portrayed in the 1995 Martin Scorsese movie Casino). At the time of his departure from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the Chicago Sun-Times described Markus as a “street-smart prosecutor with an Oxford pedigree.”
One federal judge, commenting to a reporter, offered that Markus “has this unbelievable global perspective that is very rare in U.S. legal analysis.” Another, referencing Markus’ work as a federal prosecutor, commented that Markus “became a hero to the FBI and law enforcement agencies.”
A fellow of the American Law Institute, Markus received both the DOJ’s prestigious Attorney General’s Award for the nation’s top trial performance and the U.S. State Department’s Superior Honor Award for his two years of service as the DOJ Section Chief in post-conflict Kosovo.
Markus' influence extends beyond his legal practice. He is a recognized thought leader in criminal law, commercial disputes, compliance, and trial techniques. The author of 11 books and more than 200 articles, institutions including the U.S. Senate, the DOJ, Oxford University, the Vatican, Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, the University of Chicago, the New York City Office of the Mayor, the FBI, and the World Bank Group regularly invite Markus to speak on cutting-edge compliance, litigation, anti-bribery, and internal investigation issues.
Markus' background as a German-American dual national, coupled with his international experience, brings a distinct perspective to his legal practice. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy in law from Oxford University, where he began his career as a law lecturer and was a member of the varsity tennis team. Markus served as a law clerk to the Hon. Morris S. Arnold of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and to Judge Catherine Perry of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. Prior to his legal career, he worked as a ski tech and late-night clerk at the Super 8 Motel in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
He receives regular invitations from governments, institutions, and individuals, including the Department of Justice, the U.S. State Department, the World Bank, the mayor of New York City, the American Bar Association, the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, Georgetown University, Yale Law School, and Harvard University to speak on legal issues and address lay and professional audiences.
