New York

Firm overview

Levine Lee LLP is widely recognized as one of the most prominent litigation boutiques handling some of the nation’s most significant and contentious securities litigation, white collar criminal, and complex civil litigation matters. As highlighted by Benchmark Litigation, our firm “has made a distinct impression on the legal landscape – including much larger community peers,” with our lawyers being recognized as “tenacious” and “brilliant” tacticians.

Levine Lee, as profiled by Chambers USA, has “particular strength in securities litigation” and a “strong track record” in “high-stakes white collar and government investigations.” Chambers USA notes, with respect to these matters, “clients trust them,” “they learn their client’s business,” “they do outstanding work and offer sage counsel,” and “each attorney at Levine Lee is exceptionally knowledgeable and experienced.”

Chambers USA has also individually profiled the firm’s named partners. The publication describes Seth L. Levine as a “fierce trial lawyer,” an “outstanding litigator, advocate, and negotiator,” and a “passionate advocate for his clients,” and notes that Kenneth E. Lee “spearheads strategic decision making” and “always figures out a way to accomplish whatever needs to be done.”

Client-Focused, Steadfast Advocacy

We are committed to providing the highest levels of legal representation efficiently and with unparalleled attention to our clients’ objectives, as reflected in our accolades. Benchmark Litigation writes, for example: “They give you personal attention, they are willing to dig in against the government, and they give you smart and practical advice. You feel like a client, not a commodity.”

Our intense focus on each of our matters positions us to deliver the highest quality results for our clients. As Benchmark Litigation notes with respect to Seth L. Levine: “You feel like your problems are his. He fights for his clients, he is passionate, smart, and tenacious. You feel you could put your life, livelihood, and reputation in his hands.” And Chambers USA similarly notes that Kenneth E. Lee is “someone [you] can trust during a very delicate and very sensitive time frame for the company.”

In all of our representations, we endeavor to act as strategic advisor, looking beyond the engagement at hand to craft a comprehensive strategy – litigation, corporate, regulatory, public relations – to meet the client’s overall goals.

Recognition and Awards 

Numerous publications have profiled our firm’s outsized successes and have ranked our firm as one of the top litigation practices in the country. By way of recent examples:

• Law 360 honored us nationally in both 2022 and 2019 as a “White Collar Practice Group of the Year” – the only boutique firm to receive such recognition in recent history.
• Chambers USA (2024) once again ranks us as a leading firm for “Securities Litigation” (the only boutique firm in the country so honored) and as a leading firm for “White Collar Crime and Government Investigations.”
• The Legal 500 (2024) ranks us nationally as a leading firm for “Securities Litigation:  Defense.”
• Benchmark Litigation (2024) ranks us in its highest category for “Dispute Resolution” – one of the few boutiques to achieve that designation.
• The American Lawyer ran a feature on “How Manhattan Boutique Levine Lee Unraveled the Government’s Final LIBOR Conviction,” highlighting our widely covered, hard-fought, and consequential Second Circuit acquittal for Deutsche Bank trader, Gavin Black, in connection with the LIBOR cases.

Our lawyers have also been individually recognized as among the leading litigators in the country, including, by way of recent examples:

• Chambers USA (2024) ranks Seth L. Levine among the nation’s leading Trial Lawyers and among the leading practitioners for “White Collar Crime and Government Investigations,” and ranks Kenneth E. Lee among the leading practitioners for “Securities Litigation.”
• The Legal 500 (2024) recognizes Seth L. Levine, Kenneth E. Lee, and Chad P. Albert nationally for “Securities Litigation: Defense.”
• Benchmark Litigation (2024) recognizes Seth L. Levine, Kenneth E. Lee, and Scott B. Klugman as “Litigation Stars,” and recognizes Chad P. Albert on the “40 and Under” list of the “top emerging talent in litigation.”
• Lawdragon (2025) named all the firm’s partners to its list of the “500 Leading Litigators in America,” and named Seth L. Levine and Kenneth E. Lee to its 2024 list of the “500 Leading Lawyers in America.” Lawdragon also named Chad P. Albert, Alison M. Bonelli, and Steven W. Kessler to its 2024 list of “Next Generation” lawyers.

Updated Sep 2024

Firm overview

Firm overview

A National and International Litigation Practice: Wachtell Liption has represented clients in some of the world’s largest and most complex disputes, including domestic and cross-border deal litigation, corporate governance disputes, white collar and regulatory defense, commercial, securities and bankruptcy litigation, complex settlements, appeals, and arbitration. Our litigators have a long history of handling cutting-edge merger litigation, including many of the most significant takeover defense battles in history. We are called upon to play a central role in high stakes and high profile matters generally, including litigation related to the tragic events of 9/11, the recent financial crisis, and other litigations with fundamental consequences for our clients. We also assist our clients with sensitive internal and law enforcement investigations. In addition, our litigators engage in significant pro bono activity at both the trial and appellate court levels, write and speak in areas of expertise, and teach at the nation’s top law schools.

Our Approach to Litigation: A tight-knit group of approximately 75 lawyers, we approach each matter with intensity, thoroughness and creativity and build teams appropriate to the circumstances. We approach our clients’ legal issues within the larger framework of their strategic, business, and financial goals. We specialize in matters that require careful attention, tested experience, and a high degree of expertise. We handle litigation at all stages, from pre-suit counseling and investigations through trials and appeals. Engagements undertaken by the firmare at all times afforded the direct personal attention of partners possessing relevant expertise. Our approach is to achieve the best result for the client as quickly as possible. We regularly take cases to trial and win before judges, arbitrators and juries. But we also know when it makes sense to settle, and we have structured some of the largest and most complex litigation settlements to date.

Takeover and Merger Litigation: Wachtell Lipton is known for trendsetting takeover, transactional, and corporate governance litigation. We litigated the Revlon, Household, and other cases in the 1980s that set the doctrinal framework for all subsequent deal litigation. And we continue to lead in the area — year after year, the firm handles the most important corporate governance and takeover cases in the nation, from the seminal case Corwin v. KKR Financial, which recognized the merger ratification defense to the successful Airgas trial (in which the court reaffirmed the “poison pill” takeover defense against a generation of attack) to the successful Vulcan trial (in which the Firm secured an unprecedented order enjoining a hostile takeover bid) to the successful Sotheby’s defense of the company’s shareholder rights plan against an activist investor attack; to Allergan’s closely watched takeover battle with Valeant and Pershing Square, resulting in a groundbreaking preliminary injunction that set new federal precedent against unfair tactics in takeover bids, to Twitter’s successful litigation to compel Elon Musk to complete his $44 billion acquisition of the company. Other leading merger cases we have litigated include: Paramount Communications, Inc. v. Time, Inc.; Paramount Communications, Inc. v. QVC Network, Inc.; and IBP, Inc. v. Tyson Foods. Our litigators also have led the charge against appraisal arbitrage litigation, securing post-trial victories in the appraisals of Ancestry.com, SWS Group, PetSmart, and AOL. And we have been the thought leaders behind innovative corporate litigation developments in books-and-records suits and stockholder forum-selection bylaws.

Complex Commercial and Securities Litigation: Wachtell Lipton's approach to complex commercial and securities litigation also exemplifies our focus on fresh thinking and creative solutions and the fact that we are called upon to handle some of the nation’s biggest and most complex cases. We represented National Australia Bank in the landmark Morrison case, in which the U.S. Supreme Court held that Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act and SEC Rule 10b-5 apply only to purchases and sales of securities in the United States. The decision overturned 40 years of lower-court precedent and eradicated a burgeoning species of securities litigation along with billions of dollars in potential liability for foreign securities issuers. We successfully defended Goldman Sachs in Baker v. Goldman Sachs, a five-week jury trial in federal court in which co-founders and major shareholders of a speech-recognition software company, Dragon Systems, were challenging Goldman’s investment banking advice and seeking over half a billion dollars in damages. We helped Bank of America contain its mortgage exposures arising from the financial crisis, including by negotiating Bank of America’s landmark $8.5 billion settlement of claims involving more than 500 trusts for mortgage-backed securities issued by Countrywide and in resolving multibillion dollar claims arising from the foreclosure crisis with the federal government and 49 state attorneys general. Following the tragic events of 9/11, we were called upon to represent the leaseholder of the World Trade Center in two jury trials with its property insurers that ultimately helped it secure enough money to rebuild the site. And we continue to represent Philip Morris USA in arbitrations and litigation that have arisen under the landmark 1998 settlement between the major tobacco companies and 52 states and territories, after previously  structuring and negotiating this more than $200 billion settlement, and in 2022 successfully defended the company’s successor Altria in defense of the FTC’s effort to unwind Altria’s 2018 investment in JUUL as anticompetitive under the antitrust laws, where we achieved complete victory in the FTC’s own administrative court.

Bankruptcy and Restructuring Litigation: Wachtell Lipton has a long and successful record representing major parties in litigation relating to bankruptcy cases and other debt-related issues. We have represented major companies in the successful defense of actions brought by bankruptcy trustees and creditors. We represented JPMorgan Chase in: (1) the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy, where the firm obtained summary judgment dismissing $8.6 billion of estate claims; (2) the Bernard Madoff liquidation, where the firm obtained dismissal of claims by the trustee seeking $18 billion in damages; and (3) the General Motors bankruptcy, where we successfully defended the bank at trial from fraudulent transfer claims seeking $1.5 billion. We represented Campbell Soup at trial and on appeal in defeating a fraudulent transfer challenge to the spin-off of Vlasic Pickles. On behalf of Education Management, the firm defeated an attempt to enjoin the company’s $1.5 billion restructuring and won a precedent-setting appeal from a judgment under the Trust Indenture Act. We have represented private equity firms, hedge funds, and other clients in significant contested matters arising in chapter 11 cases, including Toys “R” Us and Energy Future Holdings. We also represent companies in defending litigation and default claims by activist debtholders.

White-Collar and Regulatory Enforcement: Wachtell Lipton has a leading white-collar criminal and regulatory practice. We have represented major financial institutions and multinational corporations, as well as their boards of directors and senior executives, in a broad range of the most complex and typically high-profile white-collar criminal and regulatory enforcement matters, both nationally and internationally. In the past few years alone, our litigators have handled both U.S. and foreign governmental investigations focusing on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, criminal tax evasion, criminal transfer pricing, the False Claims Act, insider trading, securities fraud, accounting fraud, criminal antitrust, crypto regulation, and export control violations. In addition, we regularly represent boards, audit committees, and special committees charged with conducting special investigations in response to whistleblowers or governmental inquiries.

Updated Sep 2023

Firm overview

Hecker Fink LLP has quickly grown into one of the country’s elite litigation boutiques, fusing a high-stakes, cutting edge litigation practice with a groundbreaking commitment to serving the public interest. The firm has offices in New York, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles.

The Hecker Fink team is composed of highly experienced litigators, trial lawyers, and operations professionals, including eleven former federal prosecutors, four former public defenders, five 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 Hecker Fink 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 four times since 2019. 

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. The legal guide 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 Hecker Fink 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.”

Hecker Fink lawyers also have extensive trial experience, with eleven former federal prosecutors and four former public defenders among our ranks. Our litigators have tried numerous civil and criminal cases to verdict in both federal and state courts, and our clients benefit from deep trial experience and a wide range of subject matter knowledge. We offer diverse perspectives and insights from opposite sides of the courtroom, enabling the kind of strategic flexibility that delivers results. 

In what was recognized by Benchmark Litigation as “Impact Case of the Year” and Global Investigations Review as “Most Important Court Case of the Year,” a team led by Sean Hecker secured a “rare” acquittal at trial in a market manipulation case against a former Barclays trader. In 2022, Benchmark Litigation honored the Firm with a second “Impact Case of the Year” award for our representation of the plaintiffs in Sines v. Kessler, in which the team won a historic $26 million damages award in the groundbreaking lawsuit against twenty-four white supremacists and neo-Nazis for their roles in organizing the racial and religious-based violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Hecker Fink 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 – among numerous other categories. 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 from criminal investigations and enforcement and regulatory proceedings across a range of practice areas, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and anti-corruption, whistleblower and False Claim Act claims, anti-money laundering, and various kinds of financial fraud, among many others.

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 substantial 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. Hecker Fink 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 to 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 team of lawyers, which includes three former Supreme Court clerks, have litigated cases in all levels of state and federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court.

Updated Feb 2026