Mr Andrew Ceresney > Debevoise & Plimpton LLP > New York, United States > Lawyer Profile

With a strong international presence, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP is a go-to firm for clients seeking guidance on complex cross-border investigations. The team has a broad range of experience advising on matters related to money laundering, tax violations, environmental crimes, and embezzlement, among others. The white-collar and regulatory defense team is co-led by David O’Neil in Washington DC and Helen Cantwell in New York. O’Neil stands out for his work defending individuals who are facing high-profile investigations, while Cantwell is especially recommended for sensitive investigations such as allegations of sexual misconduct in the workplace. Based in Washington DC, Kara Brockmeyer is another prominent member of the team who routinely advises on internal investigations and compliance matters. The firm also has a strong team located in New York, which includes Andrew Ceresney, Mary Jo White, and Bruce Yannett. In particular, Yannett is noted for his expertise in FCPA matters. Lisa Zornberg departed the New York office in August 2023.

Clients praise Debevoise & Plimpton LLP in New York for ‘willing to go the extra mile’. Acting for major corporations in high-stakes securities litigation in federal and state courts around the country, the firm frequently handles stock-drop class actions, derivative actions alleging breaches of fiduciary duty, and related federal and state regulatory investigations. The practice is led by experienced partners Maeve O’Connor in New York and Jonathan Tuttle in Washington DC, who is also involved in cutting-edge areas of litigation, notably cases concerning cryptocurrency assets. Mary Jo White and Andrew Ceresney are acting for Ripple Labs in a putative class action concerning the marketing and sale of the virtual currency XRP. O’Connor and  emerging partner talent Elliot Greenfield are currently acting for cloud infrastructure and digital workspace technology company VMWare in a class action and a derivative action, which faces allegations of breaching fiduciary duties, insider trading, and unjust enrichment. Another up-and-coming partner is Susan Reagan Gittes, who frequently acts for insurance companies.

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP provides representation in government enforcement and investigative matters for a range of financial institutions. The firm has extensive experience acting before the CFPB, NYDFS, and SEC and works alongside litigation, corporate, and regulatory attorneys to deliver multi-disciplinary representation in complex cases. The group also offers an advisory practice to support clients in developing strategies and proactive measures to avoid issues. Co-heads of the practice are Mary Beth Hogan and Andrew Ceresney; Ceresney is recognized for his expertise in prosecuting and defending white-collar criminal and civil cases and has been regularly involved in jury and non-jury trials, with experience representing public companies, asset management and accounting firms, financial institutions, as well as boards of directors and individuals. Other key members of the team are Maeve O’ Connor and Elliot Greenfield, both of whom specialize in securities litigation. All individuals mentioned are based in New York.

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP‘s litigation practice has extensive knowledge in various areas of litigation, with expertise in white-collar matters and regulatory defense, along with commercial litigation and international arbitration. Intellectual property is another mainstay of the practice that has a presence across the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. Andrew Ceresney is the head of the team, frequently representing public companies, financial institutions, asset management firms, and accounting firms, bringing experience from his time with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Mary Beth Hogan co-chairs the practice, with a focus on intricate investigations. Also of note is Catherine Amirfar, working on public international law and treaty arbitration, representing clients in federal and state courts, as well as before the ICJ and arbitration tribunals internationally. The experience of Andrew Levine  with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and David O’Neil with FCPA defense and congressional investigations, adds to the capabilities of the team. Bruce Yannett chairs the white-collar and regulatory defense part of the practice, with Ina C. Popova highly active in international litigation and arbitration. All members of the team are based in New York.