Nixon Peabody LLP is pleased to announce that Zachary A. Cunha, former United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island, has joined the law firm’s Providence office as partner in the Government Investigations & White-Collar Defense practice.
 
Based on his distinguished service with the DOJ and nearly a quarter-century of litigation experience, Zach brings a unique blend of experience to clients facing high-stakes government investigations, enforcement actions, and complex litigation matters. He has deep experience handling and supervising criminal and civil matters and investigations across multiple industries, including healthcare, defense, and construction contracting matters, as well as grand jury investigations, agency administrative inquiries, and civil investigative demands, among others. He also has extensive direct experience handling challenges to federal agency action, notably under the Administrative Procedure Act.
 
During his tenure as US Attorney, Zach was named to the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee, where he served alongside a small group of colleagues from across the nation who advised the DOJ’s senior leadership on policy matters. He also co-chaired the Steering Committee of the DOJ’s Opioid Epidemic Civil Litigation Task Force, where he helped devise and advance the DOJ’s strategy in multiple cases under the False Claims Act and Controlled Substances Act. Before being named US Attorney, Zach served as a member of the prosecution team that recovered the largest healthcare fraud recovery in US history at that time, and was recognized with the DOJ’s highest honor, the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service. 
 
Zach earned his JD from George Washington University Law School and his bachelor’s degree from Brown University.