Internal Investigations and Corporate Compliance: Managing Organizational Risk from Complaint to Resolution

Michael S. Gulland, Partner | Gentry Locke

Michael S. Gulland is a Partner in Gentry Locke’s Government and Regulatory Affairs and White-Collar Defense, Investigations & Compliance practice groups, based in the firm’s Norfolk office. He counsels clients facing government investigations and regulatory enforcement actions, guides internal compliance reviews and risk-management strategies, and handles litigation and data privacy matters, including advising organizations in the aftermath of cybersecurity incidents. He came to private practice after nearly 14 years with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, where he served as both a legal advisor and a Special Agent.

• Education & Credentials

Mr. Gulland earned his J.D., cum laude, from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law and his B.A. from the University of Virginia. He is admitted to the Virginia State Bar and the Illinois State Bar, as well as the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia and the Northern District of Illinois, and the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and the D.C. Circuit.

• Recognition & Leadership

During his FBI career, Mr. Gulland rose to serve as Chief Legal Counsel and Supervisory Special Agent for the FBI’s Norfolk Division, where he was responsible for all of the division’s legal matters and additionally served as its Privacy, Ethics, and Policy Officer and as a member of its Compliance Council. He also completed temporary-duty assignments as Chief Legal Counsel for the FBI’s Washington Field and Anchorage Field Offices.

• Professional Involvement

From 2021 to 2025, Mr. Gulland served as an adjunct professor in Old Dominion University’s Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, where he taught an undergraduate cyber law course covering topics such as ransomware, spyware, social engineering, and DDoS techniques.

• Experience

Mr. Gulland spent nearly 14 years with the FBI. As Chief Legal Counsel and Supervisory Special Agent for the Norfolk Division, he handled the division’s operational, intelligence, policy, and ethical legal issues; advised on cyber breach investigations and remediation strategies; worked alongside investigators and federal prosecutors on white collar and public corruption cases; and defended the federal government in civil litigation, including Federal Tort Claims Act, Touhy, and EEOC matters. He earlier served as Associate Legal Counsel for the FBI’s Chicago Division and began his Bureau career as a Special Agent in Chicago, investigating complex criminal enterprises and violent gangs in partnership with federal and state prosecutors. In private practice before and alongside his government service, Mr. Gulland handled complex civil litigation at firms in Chicago and Washington, D.C., including False Claims Act, breach of contract, products liability, employment discrimination, and insurance coverage matters, conducting trial examinations and depositions and arguing motions in state and federal courts.

John G. Danyluk, Partner | Gentry Locke

John G. Danyluk is a Partner in Gentry Locke’s Richmond office, practicing in the firm’s White-Collar Defense, Investigations & Compliance group, which is ranked Band 1 by Chambers USA. He represents corporate and individual clients through every phase of the criminal process and counsels government contractors, defense industrial base companies, healthcare and pharmaceutical firms, and critical infrastructure entities on internal investigations, compliance, and data privacy and cybersecurity matters, including federal procurement requirements under the FAR and DFARS (including CMMC) and ITAR compliance.

• Education & Credentials

Mr. Danyluk earned his J.D. from the University of Richmond School of Law, where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Richmond Journal of Law and Technology (2015–16), and his B.A. from the University of Richmond. He is a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/U.S.) through the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP). He is admitted to the Virginia State Bar and to the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia and the Western District of Texas and serves on the Criminal Justice Act Panel for the Eastern District of Virginia.

• Recognition & Leadership

Mr. Danyluk has been named to Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch” for Criminal Defense: White-Collar (2026) and recognized as an “Up & Coming” attorney by Chambers USA for Litigation: White Collar Investigations (2025–2026). He has been named a “Legal Elite” for Cybersecurity & Data Privacy Technology law by Virginia Business magazine (2024–2025), a Virginia Lawyers Weekly “Go To Lawyer” for Cybersecurity and Data Privacy (2025), a Virginia Super Lawyers “Rising Star” in Criminal Defense: White Collar (2025–2026), and a member of Virginia Lawyers Weekly’s “Up & Coming Lawyers” class of 2025.

• Professional Involvement

Mr. Danyluk serves as Chair-Elect of the Federal Bar Association’s Criminal Law Section and sits on the Judiciary Committee of the Richmond Bar Association. He is a member of the Virginia State Bar, the Virginia Bar Association, and the American Bar Association.

• Experience

Before joining Gentry Locke, Mr. Danyluk served more than four years in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps, including as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Western District of Texas, where he was a lead trial attorney and litigated more than 1,000 cases, including numerous federal jury trials. He also served in national security and administrative law roles, advising military commands on complex investigations and regulatory matters. At Gentry Locke, he brings extensive experience handling high-stakes matters involving cybersecurity incidents, CMMC compliance, internal investigations, healthcare fraud, Title IX investigations, and parallel civil and criminal federal investigations into procurement fraud.

SESSION 1 – Conducting Effective Internal Investigations | 12:00pm – 1:00pm

An effective internal investigation can help organizations identify legal risks, address misconduct, and demonstrate a strong culture of compliance before regulatory issues escalate. This session explores how legal and compliance teams should structure investigations, gather facts, preserve privileges, and implement corrective actions while managing business and reputational risks. Internal investigations play a critical role in helping organizations identify risks, address misconduct, and strengthen compliance before issues escalate. This session explores practical approaches to planning and conducting investigations while balancing legal obligations, business objectives, and organizational culture.

BREAK | 1:00pm – 1:10pm

SESSION 2 – Regulatory Readiness and Strengthening Corporate Compliance Programs | 1:10pm –2:10pm

Organizations must be prepared to respond effectively to regulatory inquiries while maintaining strong compliance programs that promote accountability and reduce organizational risk. This session examines practical strategies for managing regulatory interactions and continuously improving compliance frameworks.