“White-collar crime is generally referred to a case in which there is no violent act. There is no drug act. It is a simply a crime where the basis of the crime is usually financially motivated. We have handled tax fraud cases, mortgage fraud cases, bank fraud cases, and as well as document stock manipulation and stock fraud cases. Admission to federal court is something that you do not get just because you become an attorney. You must make admission to the jurisdiction of the court in which the case is pending. I’m currently admitted in both the Eastern District and the Southern District, which would cover all of Long Island, all of Manhattan, and all of the Boroughs of Manhattan as well.
In terms of working with professionals, I think the representation has to take into account a lot of different things. Number one of course: any criminal punishment can be devastating to any individual, but when it comes to a professional, that can have some collateral consequences in terms of the loss of their license to practice their profession or, even if they retain their license, the reputation being so tarnished that their business is all but gone. So, it’s important in those cases to defend them as vigorously as you can and, if there is negative press, to try to do your best, to even that playing field so when you are successful in the case, they can go back to that professional relationship with the same degree of success as when they started.
Like the rest of the practice we’ve had, many of our clients in the federal court–including white collar crime–are just good, decent, hard-working people that are unfortunately involved in a very difficult situation or a very difficult allegation. The interesting thing about representing professionals in federal court, as well, is the fact that you do have to become extremely familiar with their profession and the manners of their business. One of the things that have been very rewarding for me is getting to know clients and professionals and getting to know their business and how they deal with it on a day-to-day basis.”