Firm overview
Hecker Fink LLP is an elite litigation boutique, fusing high stakes, cutting-edge litigation with a groundbreaking commitment to serving the public interest.
The Hecker Fink team is comprised of highly experienced litigators, trial lawyers, and operations professionals, including five former federal prosecutors, three former public defenders, six 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 the firm 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 for four of the past five years.
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.
Our lawyers have extensive trial experience, with five former federal prosecutors and three 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 this deep trial proficiency 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.
As a peer noted to Benchmark Litigation, Hecker Fink’s 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.”
Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is more than a value of our firm, it is who we are. Our firm was founded by women and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Today, over 60% of our attorneys identify as women, people of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, or some combination thereof. We strive to make sure that our policies, the way we practice, and opportunities for advancement at our firm all actively reflect our prioritization of building an equitable and inclusive workplace. We are extremely proud that The American Lawyer has recognized this work, naming Hecker Fink its 2021 inaugural “Best Diversity Initiative” award recipient.
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 Oct 2024
