John A. Nathanson is a partner in the firm’s Litigation practice. His practice focuses on United States Department of Justice (DOJ) inquiries, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other regulatory matters, internal investigations and financial litigation.

Prior to joining the firm in 2009, Mr. Nathanson served for five years as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of New York, where he was assigned to the Business and Securities Fraud Unit for four years. Mr. Nathanson also served as Acting Deputy Chief of the General Crimes Unit. During his time at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mr. Nathanson investigated and prosecuted numerous securities fraud matters, including cases involving CDOs (Bear Stearns asset managers), options backdating, private investment in public equity (“PIPE”), insider trading and other complex accounting and securities frauds.

Before the U.S. Attorney’s Office, from 2001 to 2004, Mr. Nathanson served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Frauds Bureau of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. While an ADA, Mr. Nathanson investigated and prosecuted securities and other business fraud cases, including the successful prosecution of brokerage D.H. Blair & Co., Inc. and several of its executives. Prior to becoming an ADA, Mr. Nathanson worked as an associate at Clifford Chance, Rogers & Wells, primarily on complex securities litigation and investigation matters.

Mr. Nathanson has been recognized by The Legal 500 for his white collar criminal defense work. In Benchmark Litigation’s 2022 guide, Mr. Nathanson was named a “Litigation Star” and a “National Practice Area Star.”

• Represent Gemini Trust Company in connection with investigation and CFTC enforcement action alleging misrepresentations relating to listing of first Bitcoin futures contract.
• Represent Citigroup in trial relating to alleged negligent misrepresentations in connection with foreign exchange hedging contracts.
• Represent Independent Directors of Wells Fargo in connection with Sales Practices investigations.
• Represent CFOs of two public brand management companies in DOJ and SEC investigations relating to alleged improper disclosures relating to accounting for goodwill.
• Represent Todd Newman, formerly of Diamondback Capital Management, at trial and on appeal and achieved complete victory when the US Supreme Court declined to rehear the government’s case after the Second Circuit’s landmark decision to overturn Mr. Newman’s conviction for insider trading and subsequent denial of the government’s petition for rehearing.
• Represent Christopher Worrall, former employee of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, in the trial and appeal of charges that he passed confidential rule-making information to hedge fund managers.
• Represent European construction company in DOJ FCPA matter involving investigations in multiple countries.
• Represent Citigroup in investigation of $400 million fraud at Banamex subsidiary, including internal investigation and representation of the Company before DOJ, SEC and other regulatory agencies as well as related civil litigation.
• Represent major financial institution in the DOJ’s FIFA anti-corruption investigation.
• Represent major financial institution and individuals in DOJ FIRREA investigations into mortgage lending practices.
• Represent individuals in investigation of insider trading by US-based asset manager in stocks of overseas companies on foreign exchanges.
• Represent Galleon Management in all criminal, SEC, fund wind-down and governance matters arising from alleged insider trading at Galleon.
• Represent major building services company in Manhattan DA’s Office investigation into alleged improper billing.
• Represent major media company in Manhattan DA’s Office investigation into employee embezzlement.
• Represent two major financial institutions in separate SEC investigations concerning structuring/underwriting CDOs.
• Represent major financial institution in a Department of Justice and CFTC investigation into certain market practices related to interest rates.
• Represent investment managers in alleged “pay-for-play” criminal and civil investigations related to state pension funds by the Department of Justice, SEC, and New York Attorney General.
• Represent investment manager in all criminal and governance matters related to highly-publicized federal bank fraud charges against a major campaign fund-raiser.
• Represent financial institution in SEC “pay-for-play” investigation of municipal securities dealer.
• Represent individual defendant in DOJ prosecution of bulk cash smuggling charges.

Publications

• Co-author, “Witness Interviews in Internal Investigations: The US Perspective,” Global Investigations Review, 2023
• Co-author, “Latest Ripple Development Highlights SEC’s Crypto Approach,” Law360, 2022
• Co-author, “Trends and Strategies in Today’s White Collar Law Cases,” Inside the Minds: Managing White Collar Legal Issues, 2014
• Co-author, “Strange Bedfellows: Insider Trading and Political Intelligence,” Bloomberg BNA, 2013
• Co-author, “SEC's Cooperation Initiative: Should You Go Along to Get Along?” New York Law Journal, 2013
• Co-author, “The Year Ahead: SEC Enforcement Outlook 2012,” BNA Publications, 2012
• Co-author, “Fewer Corporate Prosecutions, A More Effective Approach?” White Collar Law360, 2012
• Co-author, “SEC Cooperation Initiative: Game Changer or Preserving Status Quo?” New York Law Journal, 2011
• Co-author, “Walking the Privilege Line,” New York Law Journal, 2009