
Erek L. Barron
Member / Chair, Crisis Management and Strategic Response Practice
+1.202.434.7336
Erek L. Barron helps clients navigate high-stakes litigation, guides them through complex investigations, and helps them solve regulatory and policy challenges with strategic advice and trusted leadership.
Drawing on decades of experience in government and private practice, Erek provides clear, actionable guidance to corporations, public institutions, and public interest organizations facing complex legal and policy issues—contact him to discuss a confidential matter.
Before joining Mintz, Erek served as the United States Attorney for the District of Maryland from 2021 to 2025, where he led one of the nation’s most active federal offices. He oversaw major criminal and civil matters involving government procurement, healthcare fraud, securities fraud, cybersecurity, national security, civil rights, and public corruption.
As U.S. Attorney, Erek’s leadership included managing a large team of attorneys and staff, coordinating with federal and local law enforcement, and representing the United States in nationally significant cases—including one of the largest cryptocurrency fraud schemes in U.S. history and numerous high-impact False Claims Act matters.
Before his federal appointment, Erek was a litigation partner at a national law firm, representing clients in complex civil and criminal cases, internal investigations, and appellate litigation. He has argued constitutional issues before appellate courts and advised clients on matters involving due process, equal protection, and regulatory compliance.
Erek’s career also includes service as a state and federal prosecutor, counsel to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, and as a Maryland state legislator, where he helped shape bipartisan legislation at the intersection of healthcare, criminal justice, and civil rights. His unique blend of courtroom experience, policy acumen, and public service enables him to build trust across sectors and deliver results in high-pressure environments.
A recognized leader in the legal community, Erek has held leadership roles with the American Bar Association, Maryland Legal Aid, and the Maryland Pro Bono Resource Center. His contributions and passion for the rule of law have earned him the ABA’s Curtin-Maleng Minister of Justice Award and recognition as a Top Leader in the Law by The Daily Record. As an early beneficiary of public interest legal service, he is committed to mentoring the next generation of lawyers and strengthening access to justice.
Erek brings a collaborative, solutions-oriented approach to every engagement—whether advising a Fortune 500 company, improving a public institution, or supporting a nonprofit mission. To discuss a confidential matter, please contact Erek and the Crisis Management and Strategic Response Practice Group.
Erek L. Barron helps clients navigate high-stakes litigation, guides them through complex investigations, and helps them solve regulatory and policy challenges with strategic advice and trusted leadership.
Experience
- Oversaw the prosecution of one of the largest cryptocurrency fraud schemes in US history ($1.89 billion) as US Attorney for the District of Maryland.
- Brought insider trading charges against executives of publicly traded companies.
- Led a False Claims Act settlement with a national security contractor involving fake subcontractors and Anti-Kickback Act allegations.
- Led a False Claims Act settlement with universities for failure to disclose foreign influence on federally funded research.
- Led a False Claims Act and health care fraud settlement with a national drug testing laboratory for medically unnecessary billing to Medicare and Medicaid.
- Charged Russian military officers for cyberattacks on Ukraine and 27 NATO countries.
- Prosecuted administrators of the Phobos ransomware operation used in global attacks on infrastructure.
- Led the shutdown of 78 illegal piracy websites operating during the FIFA World Cup.
- Prosecuted individuals for violations of federal export control laws involving international weapons shipments.
- Represented Montgomery County in Pulte Home Corp. v. Montgomery County, a constitutional challenge to zoning laws affirmed by the Fourth Circuit.
- Represented Montgomery County in Canaan Christian Church v. Montgomery County, a RLUIPA and First Amendment challenge upheld on appeal.
- Secured reversal of a capital murder conviction and death sentence in McCoy v. State based on prosecutorial misconduct and voir dire errors.
- Secured vacated convictions in United States v. Garcia, due to improper dual-role expert testimony.
- Secured reversal of convictions in Brown v. United States following erroneous jury instructions and a dissenting juror poll.
viewpoints
DOJ Issues Subpoenas Targeting Transgender Care to Minors: What Health Care Providers Need to Know
July 11, 2025 | Blog | By Erek Barron, Karen Lovitch
In a brief press release published on July 9, 2025, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the issuance of more than 20 subpoenas to doctors and clinics as part of investigations into health care fraud, false statements, and related federal violations. The actions specifically target health care providers involved in transgender medical procedures for minors, representing a significant enforcement response that warrants careful analysis.
Webinar Recording: DOJ Enforcement in the Trump Administration: Priorities, Shifts, and Legal Impacts
June 18, 2025 | Webinar | By Eoin Beirne, Erek Barron, Karen Lovitch , Jennifer Rubin
This in-depth webinar examines DOJ’s enforcement priorities and topics such as recent False Claims Act settlements (which go beyond health care fraud), enforcement risks and best practices, and whistleblower risks and protections from an employment law perspective.
News & Press
The Baltimore Business Journal highlighted the addition of former US Attorney for the District of Maryland, Erek Barron, to Mintz’s White Collar Defense & Government Investigations Practice. Erek joins as a Member and Chair of the Crisis Management and Strategic Response Practice in the firm’s Washington, DC office.
Erek L. Barron, the former United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, has joined Mintz as Member in the firm’s White Collar Defense & Government Investigations Practice. He will also lead Mintz’s Crisis Management and Strategic Response team, and his practice will include complex civil, criminal, and regulatory matters. He will be resident in the Washington, DC office and in Maryland.
Erek Barron's arrival to Mintz as a Member in the firm’s Washington, DC office was featured in Maryland Matters. Erek joins Mintz’s White Collar Defense & Government Investigations Practice and will lead the firm’s Crisis Management and Strategic Response team.
The Daily Record covered the arrival of former US Attorney for the District of Maryland, Erek Barron, to Mintz as a White Collar Defense & Government Investigations Member in the firm’s Washington, DC office.
Law360 Pulse featured the addition of Erek Barron to the firm’s White Collar Defense & Government Investigations Practice as a Member in the Washington, DC office.
podcasts
Mintz On Air: Practical Policies – An Abridged Guide to Crisis Management
July 1, 2025 | Podcast | By Jennifer Rubin, Erek Barron
Member Jen Rubin and Crisis Management and Strategic Response Chair Erek Barron dive into the world of crisis management and discuss the myriad of considerations a business needs to make in a time of turmoil.
Erek L. Barron helps clients navigate high-stakes litigation, guides them through complex investigations, and helps them solve regulatory and policy challenges with strategic advice and trusted leadership.
Recognition & Awards
The Maryland Daily Record Top Leader in the Law Award (2024)
ABA Curtin-Maleng Minister of Justice Award (2023)
NAACP Prince George’s County Chapter President’s Award (2019)
International Municipal Lawyers Association Amicus Service Award (2019, 2016)
Maryland General Assembly Outstanding Community Leader Award (2013)
Prince George’s County Social Innovation Fund Forty Under Forty (2013)
National Bar Association Nation’s Best Advocates: Forty Under Forty (2012)
Maryland Equal Justice Associates’ Leadership Award (2010)
Erek L. Barron helps clients navigate high-stakes litigation, guides them through complex investigations, and helps them solve regulatory and policy challenges with strategic advice and trusted leadership.
Involvement
- Board of Governors, Maryland State Bar Association
- Member, Cole-Davidson Inn of Court
