Mr. James H. Freis, Jr.
Counsel, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
Former Director, U.S. Treasury Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN)
Mr. James H. Freis, Jr. works as Counsel at the international banking and financial institutions practice of
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP. Mr. Freis is an expert in the development and enforcement of
regulations combating financial crimes. He has over 10 years of experience working with the Federal
Reserve Bank of New York and the U.S. Department of Treasury in financial regulatory and enforcement
matters.
Mr. Freis led the development and enforcement of regulations combating money laundering, terrorist
financing, fraud, and other financial crimes as Director of FinCEN from 2007 to 2012. During his tenure,
Mr. Freis also supported U.S. Department of Justice and other federal and state law enforcement
investigations and prosecutions related to financial crimes domestically as well as globally through
FinCEN’s role as the country’s financial intelligence unit (FIU).
Prior to his appointment, Mr. Freis served as Deputy Assistant General Counsel at Treasury, where he
provided legal counsel to Treasury’s Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, and supervised
lawyers to FinCEN and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Mr. Fries also served as lead
negotiator on behalf of the United States in discussions with foreign governments and private parties on
sensitive counter-terrorism and national security matters.
Freis received his bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University in 1992 and his J.D. from Harvard,
graduating with honors at both institutions.
www.uscc.gov/sites/default/files/....%20Freis%2C%20Jr_Bio.pdf