Markus Funk is the Firmwide Chair of Perkins Coie’s White Collar & Investigations practice. Prior to joining the firm, Markus served as a decorated federal prosecutor in Chicago, Section Chief with the U.S. State Department-Balkans, clerk with the federal court of appeals and district court, and law professor at Oxford University and the University of Chicago.
During his time in public service, Markus and his team prosecuted "Operation Family Secrets," which National Public Radio lauded as "one of the most important criminal investigations . . . in American history" (the 1995 movie “Casino” was based on the charged criminal activities). At the time of his departure from the Department of Justice, the Chicago Sun-Times described Markus as a "street-smart prosecutor with an Oxford pedigree."
Markus has successfully tried more than 25 federal and state civil and criminal jury cases, briefed and argued dozens of federal appeals throughout the country, directed more than 400 investigations, and regularly advises public and private entities and individuals on challenging ethics and compliance matters.
In private practice since 2010, Markus focuses on internal investigations, complex commercial litigation both at the trial and appellate levels, white collar criminal defense, corporate social responsibility and supply chain compliance, and corporate counseling. By way of example, Markus was selected to serve as a World Bank Group advisor and monitor to an Africa-based company seeking reinstatement following debarment, and he in the past year has counseled clients and conducted internal investigations and reviews throughout the world. Institutions diverse as the U.S. Senate, the Vatican, Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, New York Mayor’s Office, and the World Bank Group have invited Markus to speak on cutting-edge compliance, litigation, and internal investigation issues.
Markus has the unique distinction of having received both the Department of Justice's prestigious Attorney General's Award for Nation’s top trial performance and the State Department's Superior Honor Award for service to the country. Reflective of Markus's ongoing commitment to victims of crime, the American Bar Association in 2014 awarded Markus the Frank Carrington Crime Victim Attorney Award (awarded to one person per year who has “done the most” for victims of crime in the United States). Markus received his J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law and B.A. degree from the University of Illinois.