Ethan Hougah is a partner in the firm’s Litigation Department and White Collar and Government Investigations practice group, where he represents clients in criminal and civil investigations, internal investigations, and regulatory issues. Ethan has represented global corporations, regional companies, executives, and individuals in healthcare fraud, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the False Claims Act, and other matters. Leveraging his experience in complex civil litigation, Ethan has helped clients under government investigation navigate and manage the risk of collateral consequences in high-stakes, sensitive matters implicating state and federal enforcement agencies and regulatory bodies.
In his civil practice, Ethan has represented companies and individuals in a wide range of litigation, including products liability actions, catastrophic injury, maritime, fiduciary litigation, and commercial contract disputes. Ethan has significant complex commercial litigation and third-party practice experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants in insurance coverage disputes involving specialty lines, fidelity bonds, and contractual indemnification agreements. With his broad litigation background and familiarity with New Jersey federal practice and procedure, Ethan has served as local counsel in a wide variety of matters pending before the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.
Before joining Montgomery McCracken, Ethan practiced complex commercial litigation at another major New Jersey law firm. Prior to entering private practice, Ethan served as a law clerk to the Hon. Karen M. Williams and the Hon. Steven C. Mannion in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.
Ethan received his Juris Doctor from Boston College Law School and his Bachelor of Arts, with honors, from Rutgers University. During law school, Ethan worked as a student attorney, representing indigent clients before the Massachusetts Superior Court.
Ethan sits on the Board of Trustees for the Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey.
RELATED Practices
Commercial Litigation
Montgomery McCracken’s Commercial Litigation Practice has a long and illustrious history. We handle a wide range of individual and corporate disputes involving virtually every area of personal and business endeavors […]
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Business Litigation
Montgomery McCracken’s Business Litigation Practice represents corporations and unincorporated business entities, their officers, directors, partners and managers, their financial advisors, and their shareholders and creditors in a wide array of […]
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Litigation
Montgomery McCracken’s Litigation Department offers a deep bench of skilled and experienced litigators whose practice areas encompass a broad array of industries and substantive legal disciplines. Our clients include individuals, […]
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Business
Montgomery McCracken’s Business Department works proactively and collaboratively with our clients to advise on the full array of corporate and business issues, ranging from finance and regulatory matters to mergers […]
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White Collar and Government Investigations
Maritime and Transportation
Cannabis
Our Cannabis Law Practice Group is dedicated to providing our clients with a comprehensive understanding of the laws and regulations surrounding the cannabis industry. Our attorneys have experience working with […]
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1 of 7 Credentials
Selected Representations Ethan has represented companies and individuals in a variety of government investigations and regulatory matters. A sampling of his government investigation engagements include:
- Represented a senior executive in a federal healthcare fraud investigation.
- Represented an individual in a federal political corruption investigation.
- Represented a company in a federal healthcare fraud investigation and parallel civil False Claims Act proceedings.
- Represented a senior executive in a high-profile Foreign Corrupt Practices Act investigation.
- Represented a healthcare company in negotiations for a deferred prosecution agreement with the United States Attorney’s Office.
- Represented a healthcare company in civil settlement negotiations with the United States Attorney’s Office.
- Experience conducting internal investigations.
Ethan also has significant complex civil litigation experience, ranging from counseling clients in anticipation of litigation to representing clients on appeal following trial. A sampling of his civil litigation engagements include:
- Represented a public university board member in high-profile federal civil litigation related to athletics department staff misconduct.
- Represented a national insurance carrier in fidelity bond litigation relating to a high-profile multi-billion-dollar Ponzi scheme.
- Represented a company in a federal products liability action.
- Represented a national intermodal transportation company in a catastrophic personal injury action and related third-party insurance coverage dispute. Following significant motion practice, successfully obtained reimbursement and recovery of nearly all settlement costs and attorney’s fees incurred by the client in years-long underlying litigation.
- Represented defendant public utilities company in a successful appeal and reversal of a seven-figure jury verdict for the plaintiff following trial of a catastrophic injury matter conducted by other counsel.
- Represented defendant hospital in trial court and appellate proceedings in an employment action related to the refusal of vaccination policies. Successfully obtained dismissal of all the plaintiff’s claims on summary judgment, followed by successful representation in appellate proceedings where the trial court’s dismissal was affirmed.
- Represented defendant global technology company in the successful defeat of an application for an injunction filed by a business competitor related to a multi-million-dollar international government contract.
- Represented defendant national insurance carrier in federal and state flood insurance coverage actions related to Hurricane Sandy. Successfully obtained dismissal of the federal action on a motion for summary judgment.
- Represented defendant national insurance carrier in multiple coverage actions arising out of a catastrophic residential gas explosion in consolidated civil litigation and global settlement negotiations with policyholders, utility companies, and other insurance carriers.
- Represented a foreign shipping company in a U.S. Coast Guard investigation related to a maritime incident.
- Represented a foreign shipping company in a federal catastrophic injury action brought pursuant to the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act.
- Represented a regional construction company in a public authority bid protest.
- Represented a senior executive in employment contract litigation.
- Represented defendant national insurance carrier in D&O insurance coverage litigation involving claims relating to RICO allegations. Successfully obtained a dismissal of the lawsuit prior to the commencement of discovery.
- Represented a national construction company in civil litigation and AAA arbitration matters.
- Extensive settlement negotiation experience.
- Extensive experience serving as local counsel in a wide variety of federal civil litigation matters before the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.
Selected Speaking Engagements - Guest Speaker, United States Naturalization Ceremony, United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, April 2024
- Moderator, “New Jersey Federal Court Practice,” Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey, February 2023
- Presenter, “Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Email and Smartphone Evidence: The Ultimate Guide,” National Business Institute CLE, June 2018
Professional Activities - Trustee, Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey
- Director, Boston College Law School Philadelphia Alumni Chapter
Education Law School
- Boston College Law School
Undergraduate School
