Experience

• Defending Companies, Municipalities and Executives

  • The City of New York in a high-profile investigation of wide-ranging allegations that Mayor Bill de Blasio and his associates solicited contributions from donors seeking favors from the City. Prosecutors announced they would not bring criminal charges against de Blasio or his aides following the lengthy investigation.
  • Toyota Motor Sales USA in various state and federal investigations relating to vehicle acceleration issues. These included 29 state attorney general investigations, congressional inquiries, SEC investigations, and Department of Justice (DOJ) investigations, all of which settled without any criminal convictions for the company.
  • Siemens’ Audit Committee in a worldwide investigation into possible corrupt payments to government officials leading to an early settlement with the U.S. and German authorities.
  • Navigant Consulting in its full exoneration of allegations raised by the Moreland Commission on Utility Storm Preparation & Response in the Commission's investigation of the Long Island Power Authority relating to Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
  • An executive of a major European media company in the Department of Justice’s investigation of FIFA.
  • Universal Music Group and its Island Def Jam label in a criminal prosecution by the Nassau County District Attorney, relating to an incident arising from a Justin Bieber promotional event.
  • Universal Music Group in the New York State Attorney General’s investigation of radio promotion practices.
  • Universal Music Group and its Island Def Jam division in a Department of Justice investigation of money laundering in the rap music business.
  • Founder of PokerStars, the World’s largest online poker cardroom, in his defense of criminal charges in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

• Defending Financial Institutions

  • A major global financial institution in federal and state regulatory investigations relating to auction-rate securities.
  • ACE INA in the New York State Attorney General’s investigation of the insurance industry.
  • An international insurance company in a joint investigation by the Department of Justice and the United States Attorney for the District of New Hampshire regarding the financing of life insurance premiums and related STOLI issues.
  • The Bank of New York in the negotiation of a non-prosecution agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District and Eastern District of New York and a regulatory agreement with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
  • A managing director at Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in the Enron Task Force investigation of off balance sheet transactions and related civil litigation.
  • Israel Discount Bank in the successful motion to dismiss third party complaint in Alien Tort Act/Anti-Terrorism Act case.

• Defending Law Firms and Executives

  • An international law firm in a DOJ investigation into certain financial products sold by a leading global financial institution.
  • O'Melveny & Myers in the successful motion to dismiss Judiciary Act claims arising from O’Melveny’s representation of Poly Prep, a Brooklyn private school, in a federal case that involved allegations of sexual abuse by former students.
  • The former General Counsel of Computer Associates in Department of Justice and SEC investigations of accounting irregularities.

• Selected Trials and Hearings

  • Alavi Foundation in simultaneous asset forfeiture jury trial and TRIA/FSIA turnover bench trial.
  • Rosie O’Donnell in the trial of a $100 million lawsuit brought by the former publishers of Rosie magazine, in which the judge awarded zero damages.
  • Jury trial in an SEC insider trading enforcement action involving application of the Second Circuit’s Newman decision to a remote tippee.
  • Disney, NBC Universal, CBS Broadcasting and other broadcasters in copyright litigation challenging Aereo’s sale of access to mini-antennas as a mechanism for instantly streaming broadcast television programs over the Internet.