Alice S. Fisher

Education From 1985 to 1989, Fisher studied at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, where she completed her bachelor's degree. In 1989, she began her studies at the Columbus School of Law (CUA Law) of the Catholic University of America, in Washington, D.C. where she earned her J.D. in 1992.

Early career According to statements at her May 12, 2005 AAG nomination hearing, Fisher graduated from law school in 1992 and then worked for "several years as an associate at Sullivan and Cromwell". Her clients included "corporations in civil litigation". She also represented an inmate on death row in a "habeas corpus appeal". Fisher was Deputy United States Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division. By 2005 she had become a partner in Latham & Watkins in Washington, D.C. including: international criminal matters relating to alleged bribery under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and similar foreign laws; economic sanction and export control issues; and criminal matters such as healthcare fraud, accounting and securities fraud and procurement fraud.

Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division

From 2001 to 2003, Fisher was Deputy United States Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division. in a recess appointment on August 31, 2005, to head the Criminal Division in the Department of Justice. Fisher was confirmed by the Senate on September 19, 2006 in a 61–35 vote. She was confirmed by the senate on September 19, 2006.

According to an August 15, 2005 The New York Times article by Eric Lichtblau, Senate Democrats blocked Fisher's confirmation for about four months because of concerns over her "possible role in overseeing detention policies at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba". Fisher and the Justice Department say she never took part in such meetings."

In 2006, after a four-year investigation, federal prosecutors recommended to Fisher that three top Purdue Pharma executives be indicted on felony charges, including conspiracy to defraud the United States. According to a May 25, 2018 CNBC article, Rudolph W. Giuliani, who was representing Purdue Pharma at the time, held meetings with Fisher. Following these meetings, Fisher "chose not to pursue indictments against Purdue Pharma for their role in opioid abuse.

In Florida in 2008, during the tenure of Fisher as AAG, then U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta—who was federal prosecutor in Florida at that time—handled the "sex crimes case" of the multimillionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein who had pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution. The lawyers for Epstein's unsuccessfully lobbied Fisher and other DOJ officials to stop the sex crimes prosecution. Epstein's lawyer Ken Starr later sent Fisher a letter appealing the U.S. Attorney's stated intention to notify the victims of an appending plea deal. Starr suggested this appeal was instrumental in stopping the notifications. Fisher said her office did not make any decisions related to victim notification, a decision ultimately made by U.S. Attorney's office.

According to The Washington Post, Fisher's signature initiatives during her tenure included "a crackdown on corporate bribes and a new strategy to attack international organized crime."

Speaking and publications

Fisher has published articles and spoken on criminal law topics such as the Criminalization of Corporate Conduct, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, government investigations, other international compliance issues and the legal industry.