Ed Papantonio is the founder and managing partner of Empire State Ethics and Compliance, LLC, a client-focused consultancy dedicated to creating compliance solutions tailored to clients’ needs. Ed brings over 40 years’ experience both in private legal practice and in-house positions in the investment banking, compliance and regulatory functions.  

Ed has been a dedicated team leader and advisor who treasures and mentors colleagues. His multi-cultural background facilitates understanding complex issues; his deep legal and compliance experience helps clients and colleagues stay ahead of the curve on controlling risk, managing conflicts of interest, solving anti-bribery and corruption, political law and business operational issues. He delivers concise, comprehensive and correct advice.

He has helped a financial institution establish its anti-bribery and corruption program and guided businesses in meeting their compliance and risk management mandates. He has advised ethics departments in approving interactions with government offices, and advised corporate centers and business units on political contributions, lobbying, government ethics, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, sanctions and anti-money laundering issues. He was counsel to political action committees and has worked on the resolution plan for a non-bank systemically important financial institution.

Ed is an adjunct professor at Fordham Law School, serves on the board of an environmental center, is active in bar association activities and has spoken on financial regulation both in Asia and the United States. He attended Fordham Law School (J.D., Dean’s List), the University of Michigan (A.M. in Japanese Literature, Foreign Language Fellow and Japan Foundation Fellow) and Georgetown University (B.A. cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa). Ed served as a Lieutenant with the US Naval Reserve and speaks and reads Japanese, as well as several romance languages.