ferdose al-taie

Trial and appellate advocate for white collar criminal defense, securities/compliance, and antitrust/competition law. I defend companies and individuals in government investigations, regulatory reviews and litigation in federal, state and SRO venues. My advocacy experience covers publicly-traded and privately-held companies, investment advisers, hedge funds, private equity firms, startups, and individuals. I especially enjoy strategic advocacy for corporations and individuals subject to parallel criminal and civil investigations, particularly those implicating company insiders.

* Lead investigator and prosecutor for federal securities law violations, including: fiduciary duty breaches, insider trading, accounting fraud, disclosure fraud, EB-5 visa program fraud, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, pyramid/Ponzi schemes and municipal securities violations. Swiftly and successfully prosecuted five administrative actions before the SEC’s Administrative Law Judges. Prosecution duties include: taking depositions of targets, witnesses and third parties * issuing subpoenas and voluntary requests * analyzing trade data and financial records to formulate charges * coordinating investigations with federal and state criminal authorities and agents * conducting reverse proffers and settlement negotiations * drafting recommendation for action memoranda * client-counseling * and, advocating before the Commission to obtain approval for all recommended actions.

* Investigated, evaluated, counseled and defended federal agencies in civil litigation involving: civil rights, employment discrimination, intellectual property, mandamus, patent infringement, real property, sovereignty, taxation, torts and qui tam actions. Won multi-week complex federal bench and jury trials, and defended them on appeal at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Extensive experience with risk assessment (proactive internal risk assessment and litigation risk assessment) * motions practice * oral presentations * witness interviews, preparation and testimony * negotiations * arbitrations * mediations and settlement.

* Successfully prosecuted felonies and misdemeanors involving: arson, illegal drugs, firearms, sex offenses, illegal immigration charges and crimes on federal lands. Won complex federal bench and jury trials, and defended them on appeal at the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Experienced in all aspects of investigating, developing, evaluating and prosecuting a criminal case, including: grand jury presentations * charging * oral presentations * proffers * plea agreements * courtroom advocacy * sentencing * pre- and post- conviction remedies * witness preparation * trial and appeals.

Extensive litigation experience in affirmative and defensive antitrust actions in federal, state and international courts and tribunals. Significant mergers experience before domestic and international regulatory authorities to obtain approvals for proposed or consummated joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions. Very experienced drafting and submitting domestic and international regulatory filings. Managed teams of lawyers (firm attorneys, local counsel and international counsel), paralegals and experts. Responsible for communications and coordination with joint defense counsel in large matters and class actions. Extensive experience with affirmative and defensive depositions of fact witnesses, experts and hostile witnesses.

Worked for, and reported directly to, the Antitrust Practice Group Chair of an extremely busy practice spanning both private antitrust litigations (affirmative and defensive), and mergers and acquisitions work. Researched and drafted a full range of legal documents including: boards of directors’ presentations, opinion letters, client memoranda, white papers, opinion letters and motions (dispositive and discovery). Extensive first-chair experience in affirmative and defensive depositions.

First-chair for federal and state trials, mediations, arbitrations, investigations, regulatory reviews and audits. Member of the Securities Law, White Collar Criminal Defense and Antitrust/Competition practice groups. Federal equity receiver for the SEC, appointed by the Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Extensive experience in FinTech, cryptocurrencies, healthcare, financial services and labor/employment (including unionized industries). Diversity Committee member, with a personal interest in hiring, retaining and promoting women of color.

* Led investigations into proposed and consummated mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures. Extensive experience with federal litigation of the antitrust laws, including: managing the regulatory process * market evaluation * theory development * evidentiary assessments * leveraging experts * dynamic litigation risk management * and negotiating settlements and divestitures.