Herbert Smith Freehills recruits former assistant US Attorney John J.O'Donnell as a partner in New York

Herbert Smith Freehills is pleased to announce that John J. O'Donnell, a former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and former branch chief of the Division of Enforcement at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has joined the firm as a partner in the New York office.  John will focus his practice on white-collar criminal defence, regulatory enforcement proceedings, internal investigations, securities litigation and complex commercial litigation.

John joins the firm after spending ten years as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Criminal Division of the Southern District of New York, five of which were in the securities fraud unit.  In this role, John was involved in over one hundred investigations and prosecutions, many of which involved securities and commodities fraud including accounting fraud, insider trading, ponzi schemes and market manipulation, as well as RICO, money laundering, mail and wire fraud and other violations of federal law.  John acted as counsel in 17 jury trials, conducted numerous hearings and arguments in federal court and argued over a dozen appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Prior to joining the US Attorney's Office, John served for five years in the SEC's Division of Enforcement, where he served as a branch chief. During his tenure at the SEC, John supervised a team of attorneys, conducted investigations and litigated matters involving violations of the federal securities laws. John oversaw matters involving accounting fraud, market manipulation, insider trading and fraudulent securities offerings.

Before entering public service, John was in private practice at Morgan Lewis & Bockius, where he represented U.S. and international companies and individuals with respect to commercial litigation involving securities law, bankruptcy proceedings, intellectual property and other business transactions.

John served as a Law Clerk for U.S. District Court Judge John E. Sprizzo in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York from 1989-1991.  He graduated from Fordham University School of Law in 1989 with a J.D. (cum laude) and was an Associate Editor of the Fordham Law Review.  He obtained a B.A. in History from Fordham College in 1986.

John will work with Scott Balber, head of investigations and financial services litigation for the US, in order to further expand this practice. As part of the firm's global corporate crime and investigations practice, they will also work with partners across the network to service clients involved in cross-border investigations.

Thomas Riley, managing partner of Herbert Smith Freehills' New York office, comments: "John's expertise in high-stakes financial litigation and regulatory investigations is a great addition to our New York office and we are very pleased to welcome him to the firm. His experience in the Southern District of New York - one of the US's leading federal prosecutor's offices - as well as in a regulatory environment at the Securities and Exchange Commission, will enable us to provide clients with an added dimension in this strategically important and dynamic market."

Justin D'Agostino, head of Herbert Smith Freehills' global disputes practice, adds: "Our corporate crime and investigations capability is a key growth area for the global disputes practice and a cornerstone of our US strategy. With an international arbitration team led by Larry Shore, a cross-border litigation team led by Thomas Riley, and an investigations and financial services litigation team led by Scott Balber, the New York office has become an important part of Herbert Smith Freehills' international network since opening for business in September 2012 and we look forward to continuing its development with John on board."

Kyle Wombolt, global head of the corporate crime and investigations practice, adds: "The increase in governmental regulation means that businesses frequently find themselves under investigation by authorities in multiple jurisdictions at the same time. With specialist partners in London, New York, Hong Kong, Paris and Australia, Herbert Smith Freehills is one of the few firms that is able to provide clients with joined-up representation in all of the key regulatory centres, and given the global reach of US-based prosecutors and regulators John's arrival significantly enhances our capability in the crucial New York market."