Nekia S. Hackworth

Nekia Hackworth has two decades of experience providing strategic legal advice and litigating high-stakes matters for businesses and government agencies. As a former Deputy Director of Enforcement (Southeast) at the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), federal prosecutor and policy advisor at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and litigation partner at an Am Law 100 firm, Nekia has managed large cross-functional teams, advised on compliance strategies and operational issues, and led high-profile, complex, and sensitive criminal and civil government and internal investigations in the health care, financial technology, financial services, and higher education industries.

Nekia is both industry savvy and courtroom ready. While at the SEC, Nekia supervised more than 250 Enforcement professionals in Washington, D.C., Atlanta, and Miami responsible for identifying securities fraud schemes, detecting compliance failures, and prosecuting bad actors in violation of federal securities laws such as market manipulation and insider trading.

As a former Assistant U.S. Attorney and Associate Deputy Attorney General, Nekia has substantial federal district court trial experience and a deep understanding of federal criminal practice, having tried almost a dozen criminal cases in both jury and bench trials. She also has argued three appeals in the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

Nekia uses her trial experience and understanding of government inquiries to help clients navigate parallel or successive litigation from multiple federal or state agencies. She has defended or prosecuted hundreds of individuals and corporations in matters involving False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Statute violations; health care fraud; securities, bank, and other financial fraud; and public corruption.