Hecker Fink LLP > New York, United States > Firm Profile

Hecker Fink LLP Offices

Hecker Fink LLP
350 FIFTH AVENUE
SUITE 7110
NEW YORK
NY 10118
United States
Visit website +1 212 763-0883

Hecker Fink LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense Tier 2

Located in New York, Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP is a boutique firm that houses a seasoned team of white-collar defense lawyers. The firm frequently represents financial institutions, companies, and individuals facing criminal investigations and enforcement proceedings. Spearheading the team, Sean Hecker has an in-depth knowledge of antitrust laws, corruption, and tax violations, among other matters. With a focus on cybercrime and complex fraud cases, Mike Ferrara is another recommended source of advice within the team. Jenna Dabbs is a further standout individual in the team. As a seasoned trial lawyer, Dabbs has extensive experience handling investigations within both the public and private sectors.

Practice head(s):

Sean Hecker

Other key lawyers:

Mike Ferrara; Jenna Dabbs; Shawn Crowley; Kate Doniger

Testimonials

‘Kaplan Hecker is excellent. They provide expert advice in the white-collar space and always have insightful insights.’

‘Sean Hecker is an excellent lawyer.’

‘Their white-collar team is simply superb from top to bottom. They are able to handle the full range of white-collar matters from small to large across all substantive areas.’

‘Sean Hecker is a superstar lawyer. He is a superb counselor and an outstanding advocate and trial lawyer.’

Key clients

Democratic National Committee

Work highlights

  • Representing the Democratic National Committee in connection with the investigation into the origins of the FBI’s probe of possible ties between Trump’s presidential campaign and Russia.
  • Representing an individual in an action brought by the CFTC for allegedly manipulating the prices of U.S. dollar interest-rate swap spreads, among other allegations.
  • Represented a former employee of an NGO, in a FCPA case brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Industry focus > Education Tier 2

The lawyers at Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP‘s education practice are well-placed to represent educational institutions in employment, admissions, gender-based misconduct, and athletics-related Title IX matters. Assisting educational institutions with internal investigations into allegations of discrimination and misconduct constitutes an additional pillar of the practice. New York-based department lead Roberta Kaplan is routinely called upon by clients in the education, tech, and financial services segments for her contentious expertise. Also based in New York, Gabrielle Tenzer has significant experience litigating Title IX, student discipline, and COVID-related cases. Joshua Matz is the key contact in Washington DC – his areas of specialization include contract, fraud, and defamation disputes, as well as consumer protection and sex discrimination matters.

Practice head(s):

Roberta Kaplan

Other key lawyers:

Gabrielle Tenzer; Joshua Matz

Key clients

34 Black Women Law Scholars

New York University

Columbia University in Brittain v. Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York

Work highlights

  • Filed an amicus brief on behalf of 34 Black women law schools in Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College, No. 20-1199 in the U.S. Supreme Court, and Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. University of North Carolina et al., No. 21-707 in the U.S. Supreme Court.
  • Filed a complaint in SDNY, including Title IX claim for deliberate indifference & state law claims. John Doe plaintiff was Tisch undergrad whose name was included on a google spreadsheet “blacklist” accusing NYU students/faculty of sexual misconduct.
  • Defended Columbia University in a putative class action lawsuit filed in November 2020, demanding millions of dollars in tuition and fee reimbursement for graduate students who attended Columbia’s School of the Arts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense Tier 4

New York-based Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP is ‘a boutique firm that punches like a large firm‘. It continues to act for some of the country’s leading financial institutions and commercial businesses in SEC and DOJ enforcement proceedings, as well as complex litigation. Highly regarded white-collar lawyer Sean Hecker leads the practice. He and key partner Jenna Dabbs both represented former Iconix Brand Group CEO Neil Cole in a case alleging that he inflated Iconix’s revenue to hit financial targets. Dabbs and Mike Ferrara, who both served as members of the Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force, are among several former federal prosecutors who play key roles in both regulatory enforcement matters and securities litigation. Up-and-coming partner Shawn Crowley is frequently involved in the firm’s standout matters.

Practice head(s):

Sean Hecker

Other key lawyers:

Jenna Dabbs; Shawn Crowley

Testimonials

‘They’re a boutique firm that punches like a large firm.’

‘Sean Hecker and Jenna Dabbs are excellent. They combine experience, intelligence, and a human touch.’

Key clients

Neil Cole

Mustafa Abdel-Wadood

Neil Phillips

Catherine DeFrancesco, as well as two witnesses in SEC Enforcement Action

Patrick O’Connor

Work highlights

  • Represented former Iconix Brand Group CEO Neil Cole in his re-trial on securities fraud charges, alleging that he inflated Iconix’s revenue by $11 million in 2013 and 2014.
  • Representing a former executive of the Dubai private equity firm Abraaj Capital Ltd, Mustafa Abdel-Wadood, in a securities and wire fraud case pending in the Southern District of New York.
  • Representing Catherine DeFrancesco, one of five defendants in an SEC enforcement action, SEC v. Andrew DeFrancesco, et al., 21 Civ. 131 (SDNY) (JSR), alleging that Ms. DeFrancesco and others permitted stock in Cool Holdings, Inc. to be accumulated using various nominee entities in order to conceal the full ownership interest.

Industry focus > Sport Tier 5

High-profile athletes and professional sports leagues rely on Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP's strong track record of handling contentious issues in the sport space, including gender discrimination and sexual harassment claims. New York-based Roberta Kaplan heads the practice and is an expert on commercial and public interest litigation, while Julie Fink assists clients with the implementation of anti-harassment and retaliation policies. Gabrielle Tenzer focuses on complex civil claims, and Shawn Crowley is noted for her expertise in national security trials.

Practice head(s):

Roberta Kaplan

Other key lawyers:

Julie Fink; Gabrielle Tenzer; Shawn Crowley; Kate Doniger

Key clients

National Basketball Association

Tiger Woods

Work highlights

  • Representing the NBA in connection with a third-party subpoena issued to it in a Tennessee case.
  • Represented Tiger Woods in connection with a third-party subpoena in the matter of Klayman v. PGA Tour et al., which alleges violations of Florida’s antitrust and competition laws.

Dispute resolution > Appellate: courts of appeals / Appellate: supreme courts (states and federal)

Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP’s firm-wide focus on public interest matters is reflected in its diverse case roster, which spans civil rights, election law, and commercial cases, among other work.

Hecker Fink LLP > Firm Profile

Hecker Fink LLP is comprised of highly experienced litigators, trial lawyers, and operations professionals, including five former federal prosecutors, three former public defenders, six former U.S. Supreme Court clerks, and dozens of attorneys with experience clerking at all levels of state and federal courts. This uniquely talented pool of attorneys enables the Firm to consistently produce exceptional outcomes and value to our clients, and also earned us the recognition of being named “Boutique Firm of the Year” by Benchmark Litigation for four of the past five years.

Hecker Fink is recognized by Chambers and Legal 500 as having one of the country’s top white collar defense practices. Our commercial litigation, FCPA, nationwide corporate crime and investigations, employment, and higher education practices are similarly ranked by Chambers. In its profile of Hecker Fink, Chambers noted that the Firm is “recognized for its excellence across an array of litigation-related matters” and is “respected by the market for its ‘deep bench of heavy hitters with different backgrounds who are leaders in this area, and are smart, collaborative people.” Our lawyers have tried and won dozens of cases in state and federal courts across the country.

Hecker Fink lawyers are also recognized among the leading litigators in the country, consistently earning awards from legal media and professional organizations. Consistent with our Firm’s values, our lawyers hold leadership roles in public service organizations and are widely published on a variety of topics.

An anonymous peer noted to Benchmark Litigation that our lawyers “are unwaveringly committed to staring down injustice without blinking, and their work proves that. They are ambitious, feisty and fearless, especially tailor-made for these tumultuous times.” Another noted that “they are all pretty young, and are already superstars, so really, if they keep that model and all wind up staying together, the sky is the limit.”

We are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where lawyers and staff from diverse backgrounds feel valued, supported, and empowered to contribute, lead, and achieve their fullest potential. Hecker Fink clients can rely on receiving top-tier representation because we recruit and retain the most exceptional talent, irrespective of how they look, love, or pray. In today’s interconnected global economy, embracing diversity is not only a core value, but also a sound business practice. By cultivating diverse teams, we mirror the rich tapestry of our clients and ensure that our lawyers possess the multifaceted perspectives and experiences needed to adeptly address our clients’ challenges.

Hecker Fink holds membership in both Bloomberg Law’s DEI Framework group and the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD), highlighting our active engagement and commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion within the legal industry. In 2022, the firm received the LCLD Compass Award, and each year, we nominate diverse attorneys to participate in the council’s Fellow and Pathfinders programs. In 2023, the Firm was named “North American Firm of the Year” by Legal Media Group as part of its Women in Business Law North America Awards and shortlisted for both Crain’s New York’s “Diversity Champion” and Chambers’ “Diversity and Inclusion Outstanding Firm” awards.

The Firm has built a track record of impressive results in high-stakes litigation, fueled by a small team of litigators with extensive trial experience and wide-ranging subject matter expertise. Its practice focuses on the following areas:

Commercial litigation:  Hecker Fink lawyers are highly experienced commercial litigators with wide-ranging backgrounds. Clients range from large financial institutions and ratings agencies to Fortune 500 companies, tech companies and startups, and nationally prominent individuals. We are efficient, diverse, creative, collaborative, and focused on achieving the best possible results for our clients.

White-collar criminal defense: The Firm has extensive experience defending companies, boards of directors, and executives in criminal investigations and enforcement and regulatory proceedings across a range of areas. We have particular expertise in the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and anti-corruption, False Claims Act and whistleblower actions, anti-money laundering, and various kinds of financial fraud.

Cybersecurity and data privacy:  Hecker Fink lawyers have wide-ranging experience helping companies and executives navigate complex challenges involving cybersecurity, data privacy, and related regulatory compliance.

FCPA and anti-corruption:  Hecker Fink lawyers have significant expertise representing clients in which the FCPA and other anti-corruption issues arise – including in internal investigations, representing companies and individuals in government enforcement matters, and advising companies on anti-corruption compliance.

Employment, discrimination, and sexual misconduct: The Firm has extensive experience representing organizations in sensitive employment and discrimination matters, including with respect to Title VII and Title IX claims and independent contractor and Fair Labor Standards Act classification. KHF has particular expertise representing top academic institutions in their most important Title VII and Title IX matters.

Investigations and crisis management:  Hecker Fink helps its clients navigate every aspect of sensitive internal investigations: conducting the investigation, developing internal and external communications strategies, advising on public disclosures, and reviewing and revamping compliance structures.

Regulatory and securities matters and litigation: The Firm has represented some of the nation’s leading financial institutions and commercial businesses in regulatory proceedings, including securities enforcement proceedings and anti-money laundering investigations, helping clients navigate the ongoing challenges in relationships with regulators, investors, and shareholders that these proceedings can cause.

Public interest litigation:  Hecker Fink takes on some of the most pressing and groundbreaking public interest litigation in the country.

Appellate litigation: The firm’s appellate practice spans all areas of its work. Hecker Fink’s team of lawyers, which includes seven former Supreme Court clerks, have litigated cases in all levels of state and federal courts, including the US Supreme Court.

Main Contacts

Department Name Email Telephone
White Collar Criminal Defense Sean Hecker shecker@heckerfink.com (212) 763-0883
Commercial Litigation Julie E. Fink jfink@heckerfink.com (212) 763-0883
White Collar Criminal Defense Shawn G. Crowley scrowley@heckerfink.com (212) 763-0883
White Collar Criminal Defense Jenna M. Dabbs jdabbs@heckerfink.com (212) 763-0883
Commercial Litigation Kate L. Doniger kdoniger@heckerfink.com (212) 763-0883
White Collar Criminal Defense Mike Ferrara mferrara@heckerfink.com (212) 763-0883
White Collar Criminal Defense David Gopstein dgopstein@heckerfink.com (212) 763-0883
Appellate Litigation Joshua Matz jmatz@heckerfink.com (212) 763-0883
White Collar Criminal Defense David Patton dpatton@heckerfink.com (212) 763-0883
Commercial Litigation John C. Quinn jquinn@heckerfink.com (212) 763-0883
Education Gabrielle E. Tenzer gtenzer@heckerfink.com (212) 763-0883

Staff Figures

Attorneys : 48