Timothy J. Heaphy​

Over the course of his career, Mr. Heaphy has worked for several international law firms in Washington, D.C., and Virginia. He was a partner and chair of White Collar Defense and Internal Investigations practices at prominent law firms in Washington, D.C., and Virginia. Immediately prior to founding HSHW in 2026, Mr. Heaphy chaired the investigations and enforcement team at an AmLaw 50 firm in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Heaphy’s most recent government service was as Chief Investigative Counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol. As the leader of the committee’s investigative team, he created the plan for comprehensive evaluation of the facts and circumstances surrounding the attack, supervised dozens of lawyers and investigative staff professionals, and personally conducted numerous committee interviews and depositions, and ultimately contributed to the committee’s hearings and final report.

Immediately prior to his service on the Select Committee, Mr. Heaphy served as University Counsel to the University of Virginia. As chief legal officer to a major public research university, Mr. Heaphy advised the university’s leadership and Board of Directors on a wide array of legal issues across the academic division and health system.

From 2009 to 2014, Mr. Heaphy served as the presidentially-appointed U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, where he led a team of attorneys and staff in a broad range of significant investigations and cases involving national security, financial and health care fraud, public corruption, money laundering, civil rights and other matters.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Heaphy served for 12 years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in both the District of Columbia and the Western District of Virginia. He began his legal career as a law clerk to Judge John A. Terry of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.

Mr. Heaphy is currently an adjunct professor at the University of Virginia School of Law, where he has taught since 2003. His courses have included Federal Criminal Practice; Congress, Oversight, and the Separation of Powers; Trial Advocacy; and Law and Riots. He is the author of Harbingers: What January 6 and Charlottesville Reveal About Rising Threats to American Democracy, published by Steerforth Press in 2025.

In 2016, Mr. Heaphy founded a nonprofit organization, The Fountain Fund, which provides low-interest loans to formerly incarcerated men and women around the country. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of that organization.

Higher and K-12 Education Counseling

Mr. Heaphy manages the firm’s education practice and works for colleges, universities, and local school districts on a variety of matters. Specifically, he has been engaged in the following matters:

• Represented a large public research university in a Title VI investigation by the Department of Education involving allegations of anti-semitism on campus, resulting in a negotiated resolution agreement and substantial compliance improvements.
  
• Conducted an independent review of a private university’s decision to arm campus police officers, resulting in the issuance of a report with specific advice for improving campus safety.
  
• Currently representing two large public school districts in Virginia in a Department of Education investigation of their restroom and locker room access policies.
  
• Conducting a review of the appropriate management of information involving student-athlete and athletic staff involvement in online gaming for the NCAA.
  
• Conducted an investigation of allegations of unfair competition by student athletes on behalf of an NCAA athletic conference.
  
• Initiated litigation regarding the confirmation of public university trustees on behalf of the Senate of Virginia.
  
• Advised an athletic conference regarding the proposed withdrawal of a member institution.
  

Mr. Heaphy also previously served as chief legal officer to the University of Virginia. During his tenure as University Counsel, Mr. Heaphy:

• Conducted a proactive internal review of the University’s process for admission of student athletes to ensure integrity after the announcement of “Varsity Blues”—the largest college admissions-related investigation pursued by the DOJ to date—which resulted in internal process improvements despite complete lack of involvement in the DOJ’s criminal investigation.
  
• Reviewed evidence of violation of University policies resulting in August 2017 “Unite the Right” protest, resulting in the issuance of multiple no-trespass orders to involved individuals.
  
• Facilitated self-reports to NCAA compliance officials and supervised investigations of potential violations.
  
• Reviewed and modified rules and processes of the University’s investigations of sexual misconduct pursuant to Title IX in light of U.S. Department of Education guidance.
  
• Provided daily counsel to UVA Health, the University’s academic medical center, which included advising health system leadership on transactions, employment, research and benefits issues, and defending against malpractice claims.
  
• Served as a core member of the University leadership team managing operations throughout the global COVID-19 pandemic.
  

White Collar Defense and Government Investigations

In his previous capacity as a partner at two international law firms, Mr. Heaphy conducted numerous internal investigations, provided compliance counseling, and oversaw numerous white collar defense matters for public and private clients across a wide range of industries and civic sectors. Most notably, he has represented:

• The City of Charlottesville, Virginia, after being retained to conduct an independent review of the City’s preparation for and response to the “Unite the Right” mass demonstration event in August 2017, which included leading the investigative team that conducted hundreds of interviews, reviewed documents, images and video from the event; produced a fulsome report with detailed findings of fact and multiple recommendations for improved handling of future events; and presented findings to the local community and nationwide audience and managed media strategy throughout the engagement.
  
• An alternative energy company in an internal investigation of impairment announcements regarding offshore wind projects.
  
• A pharmaceutical manufacturer in a Department of Justice off-label marketing investigation.
  
• Several employees of a communications firm in a Department of Justice investigation of the sale of counterfeit pharmaceuticals.
  
• A global consulting company and several individuals in securing the favorable resolution of a FARA investigation conducted by Special Counsel, resulting in the Company not being charged after the retroactive FARA filing and one of the individuals being fully prepared when appearing at trial.
  
• A domestic port logistics company in securing the declination to intervene in a False Claims Act investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office involving logistics expenses in international ports.
  
• A food production company in securing the favorable civil resolution of an environmental crimes investigation involving chemical release at a processing facility.
  
• A defense contractor in an investigation of a fatal accident caused by a defective airplane part.
  
• A disaster relief contractor in securing a full acquittal in a federal two-week jury trial alleging bribery of local officials.
  
• A luxury travel service operator in securing a full acquittal in a federal three-week jury trial alleging Lacey Act violations for alleged importation of illegally-obtained animal parts.
  

State Attorneys General Matters
‍
In 2025 and early 2026, Mr. Heaphy served on the transition team of the Attorney General-elect of Virginia, advising on ongoing and potential litigation, personnel decisions and policy positions. He previously served as Senior Assistant Attorney General of Virginia. As a member of the Attorney General’s senior staff, Mr. Heaphy worked with the State’s Solicitor General, senior subject matter experts within Virginia’s Office of Attorney General, Virginia State legislators, and State executive branch officials on a wide range of matters. He also represented the Virginia Attorney General and several State agencies while in private practice, including:

• The Virginia Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Fund in a False Claims Act investigation regarding the prioritization of Medicaid claims.
  
• The Virginia Department of Social Services in a DOJ investigation regarding the faulty reporting of SNAP benefit error rates.
  
• A Virginia public university and several student-athletes in a civil litigation involving hazing allegations.
  
• A telecommunications company in a multi-state Attorney General investigation into the contractual provision of insurance coverage for cellular customers.
  

Congressional Investigations
‍
As Chief Investigative Counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol, Mr. Heaphy led the day-to-day investigative work of the committee. His role on the Select Committee was predicated on his prior experience both representing clients in congressional investigations and testifying before Congress himself. Some notable Congressional regulatory representations include:

• Several nonprofit organizations providing immigration-related services regarding their receipt and use of federal funds.
  
• A social media company executive in a House Judiciary Committee investigation regarding the platform’s restriction of COVID misinformation.
  
• A global transportation firm in an investigation of security threats posed by Chinese manufacture of critical infrastructure equipment.
  
• A tenured faculty member at an American university and an executive branch official in an investigation of research grants regarding the online proliferation of disinformation.
  
• A real estate executive in the impeachment inquiry of President Biden.
  
• A defense contractor in a U.S. House of Representatives investigation into the provision of food services for U.S. troops in Iraq.
  
• A Member of Congress in an Ethics Committee investigation into the improper use of staff for personal business.
  
• A Member of Congress in an investigation of political influence in the firing of United States Attorneys.
  
• An academic medical center in a U.S. Senate inquiry into cost reimbursement and submission of claims to Medicaid.
  

Enforcement Experience
‍
As a presidentially-appointed U.S. Attorney, Mr. Heaphy supervised numerous criminal investigations and resolved civil complaints brought against the United States. Some of his notable matters included:

• Negotiating a billion-dollar resolution of a False Claims Act investigation against one of the largest U.S.-based multinational medical device and health care companies involving off-label marketing of an anti-psychotic medication to senior citizens.
  
• Negotiating the million-dollar resolution of an investigation of a major U.S.-based home mortgage loans and services company regarding its failure to distribute mortgage relief funds.
  
• Serving as a prosecutor in a 13-month racketeering trial in which defendants were convicted of multiple homicides and other violent crimes.