A news report that Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom could face government action over the work of onetime Skadden partner Gregory Craig has surprised some in the legal industry, with lawyers able to cite few similar cases in the past.

For any law firm to be named directly in a government action—as opposed to individual lawyers being targeted—the scope of the alleged conduct would most likely need to extend broadly and reach a firm’s upper levels, said Justin Danilewitz, a partner at Saul Ewing and a former federal prosecutor.