A&O Shearman is recognized for its securities litigation and regulatory investigations work, defending clients before the SEC, the FDIC, as well as European regulatory authorities. The firm represents a range of financial institutions including Citibank and Bank of America. Senior partner Adam Hakki, based in New York, is best known for his work in securities and internal investigations. He is regularly involved in multijurisdictional matters and has extensive trial experience. Hakki co-heads the New York practice with Richard Schwed. New York-based Grace Lee is another notable name in the group and is involved in regulatory investigations, commercial litigation, and cross-border disputes. The practice also benefits from the expertise of Katherine Stoller, based in New York, who specializes in cross-border financial crime. Mark Lanpher, based in Washington DC, is experienced working on matters before the CFTC, DOJ, and IRS. Former partner Patrick Robbins departed in July 2023 to work for the DOJ.

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Key clients

  • Danske Bank
  • Bank of Montreal
  • BNP
  • UniCredit
  • Bank of America
  • DraftKings
  • ICE LIBOR
  • Gemini
  • Waitr
  • SoftBank
  • SVB Underwriters
  • Morgan Stanley
  • Citigroup
  • TD Bank
  • Nikko Asset
  • Citibank

Work highlights

  • Represented Danske Bank in investigations by DOJ, the SEC, and Danish criminal authorities concerning financial crime allegations at the Bank’s former Estonian branch.
  • Achieved a victory for Citigroup in a multi-billion dollar RICO and fraud action.
  • Represented Bank of Montreal and other financial services companies in connection with off-platform communications investigations by the SEC and CFTC.

Lawyers

Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Adam Hakki, Richard Schwed

Other key lawyers

Grace Lee, Katherine Stoller, Patrick Hein, Mark Lanpher