Jeff Wertkin
| Jeff Wertkin | |
| Nationality | American |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Lawyer, compliance executive |
| Title | Chief Compliance Officer, The Fortune Society |
| Known for | Chief Compliance Officer of The Fortune Society |
| Education | Georgetown University (J.D., Ph.D.) |
| Website | jeffwertkin.com |
Jeff Wertkin is an American lawyer and compliance executive who serves as Chief Compliance Officer of The Fortune Society, a New York nonprofit that supports people returning home from incarceration.[1][2] A former attorney with the Commercial Litigation branch of the United States Department of Justice, he began his career at an AmLaw 100 law firm and has more than twenty years of experience in legal and regulatory compliance.[2]
After his own journey through the criminal justice system, which included a year in federal prison, Wertkin rebuilt his career in compliance and reentry work.[2][1] Alongside his nonprofit role he is Managing Director of Strategic Development and Compliance at Asphalt Systems Inc., and he has spoken publicly about reintegrating into professional life after justice-system involvement, including as a 2024 panelist at the White Collar Conference.[1]
Early life and education
Wertkin grew up in New York and has been a Washington, D.C. resident since 1998.[2] He earned a Juris Doctor from Georgetown Law Center in 2002 and a Ph.D. in government from Georgetown University in 2008.[2] He played Division III college basketball.[2]
Career
Legal career
Wertkin began his career as an attorney at an AmLaw 100 law firm, handling all aspects of civil litigation.[2] He later served in the Commercial Litigation branch of the U.S. Department of Justice, acting as first chair in complex civil litigation trials.[2]
Compliance and reentry work
Following his year in federal prison, Wertkin rebuilt his professional life in compliance and reentry.[2][1] As Chief Compliance Officer of The Fortune Society — a roughly 600-person nonprofit that supports the successful reentry of formerly incarcerated people through housing, education, and employment services — he works at the intersection of organizational compliance and second-chance opportunities.[2][1]
He is also Managing Director of Strategic Development and Compliance at Asphalt Systems Inc., a construction and manufacturing firm that supplies asphalt pavement preservation and repair products to government agencies, airports, and contractors worldwide.[2]
Wertkin was a panelist at the 2024 White Collar Conference, appearing on the session "Careers and Reintegrating Into Society," which addressed how people rebuild professional lives after justice-system involvement.[1]
Personal life
Wertkin has been married for nearly twenty years and is the father of two children.[2] He has traveled to 49 countries across all seven continents, and during the COVID-19 pandemic he bought a laundromat serving the Petworth community in Washington, D.C., teaching himself appliance repair to keep it running.[2]
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