Dino L. LaVerghetta

DINO LAVERGHETTA is a former White House official who counsels some of the country’s largest companies in complex regulatory, reputational, and government oversight matters. He also has a diverse litigation and international investigations practice and co-leads the firm’s First Amendment Law focus area.

Many of Dino’s clients are within the life sciences industry, including biotech, food, pharmaceutical, and medical device companies. On behalf of these clients, he regularly interacts with FDA, USDA, Congress, and DOJ. Dino also has broad experience representing clients in other industries, including energy, finance, and tech.

Dino served as a lawyer in the Office of White House Counsel during both of President Trump’s terms. During the first Trump Administration, Dino served in the White House for approximately three years, ultimately holding the titles of Senior Associate Counsel to the President and Special Assistant to the President. He was responsible for providing legal advice and guidance regarding the selection, nomination, and appointment of Supreme Court Justices, judges, Cabinet members, and other senior officials. Among other things, Dino provided legal oversight of the nominations of all Senate-confirmed nominees, including by managing the background investigation process, preparing nominees for congressional hearings, and coordinating with ethics counsel. Dino also served as White House lead for legal issues relating to the Department of Agriculture and the CFPB. As part of his work at the White House, Dino played a key role in shaping government policy related to agricultural biotechnology. For example, he provided advice regarding Executive Orders and rulemaking related to cutting-edge biotechnology issues, including cell-cultured meat and other bioengineered products.

Dino temporarily returned to the White House as a Special Government Employee at the beginning of the second Trump Administration, holding the title of Senior Counsel to the President. In that role, Dino again provided legal oversight of Senate-confirmed nominations and provided legal guidance regarding national security clearance and background investigation issues.

Dino’s experience includes:

• Government Strategies and Counseling: Dino regularly helps clients navigate the complex regulatory and political labyrinth in Washington, D.C.. Among other things, he advises clients in heavily-regulated industries on government oversight, regulatory compliance, legislation, rulemaking, and enforcement risks.
• Government Investigations: Dino has represented clients in a diverse array of government investigations and inquiries, including: Congressional investigations; DOJ investigations of potential FCPA, FCA, and FIRREA violations; enforcement actions brought by federal agencies, including the FDA and the CFPB; and, investigations by state attorneys general.
• Internal Investigations: Dino has conducted internal investigations on numerous topics, including investigations related to: potential cGMP violations, potential FCPA violations, UDAAP allegations, employment and fraud issues, and ESG issues.
• Litigation: Dino has represented companies in state and federal litigation across the country. His matters have included individual civil suits and class actions implicating, among other things: claims under the federal FCA and its state law equivalents, common law fraud claims, securities fraud claims, and common law and statutory tort claims.

Dino maintains an active pro bono practice. He has handled numerous matters related to First Amendment and religious liberties. For example:

• Dino successfully argued the appeal before the Third Circuit in Nunez v. Wolf (3rd Cir). In a unanimous published opinion, the court held that the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections failed to carry its burden under RLUIPA in denying a Muslim inmate’s requests for religious accommodations.
• Dino played a leading role in litigating Samuel A. Fryer Yavneh Academy et al v. Gavin Newsom (D.C. Cal.), a lawsuit brought by several religious schools challenging the constitutionality of California’s school closure order. Dino argued the preliminary injunction motion for the schools. The matter was soon thereafter resolved through a settlement that allowed the resumption of in-person education with appropriate safeguards.

Dino has also submitted amicus briefs related to the free exercise of religion in the United States Supreme Court and in the federal appellate courts. These briefs have been submitted in support of and/or on behalf of adherents of a diverse array of faiths, including Amish, Native American, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Wiccan, Catholic, and Christian faiths. Dino often submits these briefs as part of Sidley’s partnership with Yale Law School’s Free Exercise clinic. 

Dino has also drafted amicus briefs related to wrongful convictions, including briefs on behalf of the Innocence Project and the Innocence Network. Much of Dino’s work in this area has focused on the reliability of forensic tools. For example, Dino represented two world-renowned computer scientists in a groundbreaking case before a New Jersey appellate court relating to probabilistic genotyping technology. In addition to taking the lead on the amicus briefing, Dino gave oral argument before the court. In a case of “first impression,” the New Jersey Appellate Division in State v. Pickett held that an expert witness presenting evidence produced by TrueAllele, a black-box probabilistic genotyping program, had to disclose the source code and other proprietary materials to the defendant for scrutiny.

In 2015, Dino was the recipient of Sanctuary for Families’ Above & Beyond Award for Pro Bono Advocacy as a result of his representation of domestic violence victims.