Seven years ago, I launched FCPA Professor with this simple mission statement.
“After a decade-long private practice legal career focused on the FCPA, I am pleased to launch FCPA Professor in connection with my new academic career. To be sure, there are other websites and blogs which cover FCPA topics. However, FCPA Professor seeks to inject a much-needed scholarly voice into FCPA issues. Thus, in addition to covering the “who, what, and where” of FCPA enforcement actions, news, and legislative initiatives, this blog will also explore the more analytical “why” questions increasingly present in this current era of aggressive FCPA enforcement. The goal of this blog is thus to foster a forum for critical analysis and discussion of the FCPA (and related topics) among FCPA practitioners, business and compliance professionals, scholars and students, and other interested persons.”
Seven years and 1,798 posts later, FCPA Professor is still here and the mission remains the same.
An FBI agent recently wrote to me:
“Dear Mr. Koehler, just wanted to thank you for all that you have done in the FCPA arena. I really enjoy reading your blog site. Your material and insight has really helped me develop a better understanding of FCPA. Greatly appreciate your efforts. Thanks.”
Because of these and many other comments, I continue to plug away, inform and educate, and force readers to confront facts and legal authority, and not just mere narratives, relevant to the FCPA and related topics.
What started out in 2009 as a “blog” has turned into a comprehensive website that has been described as “the Wall Street Journal concerning all things FCPA-related,” and “the most authoritative source for those seeking to understand and apply the FCPA.” Along the way FCPA Professor has been named a Top Law Blog for in-house counsel by Corporate Counsel, a Top 25 Business Law Blog by LexisNexis, and a top 100 Legal Blog by the American Bar Association.
Doing anything every day for seven years straight has its ups and downs and the surprises, rewards and struggles are similar to those described in this 6th anniversary post.
In short, running FCPA Professor takes time, money, and substantial effort, yet the content on FCPA Professor is provided free to readers (hundreds of thousands of readers each year from around the world).
If I may ask one thing of readers on this occasion, it is to make this “relationship” more of a two-way street.
Thus, if FCPA Professor adds value to your practice or business or otherwise enlightens your day and causes you to contemplate the issues in a more sophisticated way, please consider a donation to FCPA Professor to help celebrate this 7th anniversary. Yearly subscriptions to other legal publications or sources of information can serve as an appropriate guide for a donation amount. To donate click here.
