Debevoise & Plimpton LLP litigation partner Helen Cantwell has been named a “Litigator of the Year” finalist by The American Lawyer. The award honors top litigators who have delivered novel solutions and the best results for their clients in the most high-stakes, high-profile cases on the docket. Ms. Cantwell is one of only eight lawyers across the United States to have been selected as a finalist this year. The honorees will be celebrated on December 2 in New York.

During the relevant submission period, Ms. Cantwell concluded a seven-year long Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) matter for Capital One and helped the bank achieve a $290 million settlement related to its now-defunct portfolio of check cashers. She also led and completed an cyber incident investigation for Capital One involving hundreds of interviews and millions of documents, which helped verify the strength of the bank’s cyber defense program and that the incident was not due to security deficiencies at the company. In another matter, Ms. Cantwell represented Toyota in allegations related to emissions reporting, in which she negotiated a reduced civil penalty after her investigation found that there was no malicious intent and or harm done.

Ms. Cantwell is a member of Debevoise’s award-winning White Collar & Regulatory Defense Group which is ranked as one of the world’s top practices by Global Investigations Review and as Band 1 by Chambers on both sides of the Atlantic for its complex representations of clients facing litigation and public policy crises. The Group has been involved in some of the most significant investigations and resolutions over the past few years, and offers international and domestic clients a depth of experience and global reach that allows for effective and strategic counsel, from defending against criminal prosecutions and civil enforcement actions, to conducting internal investigations, negotiating complex global settlements and facilitating cooperation with government regulators.