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Joshua A. Naftalis

Partner

An accomplished trial lawyer and former federal prosecutor, Josh represents companies, boards, and executives in white collar criminal defence, regulatory enforcement matters, internal investigations, high-stakes commercial disputes, and crisis management.

From 2012 to 2023, Josh was an Assistant United States Attorney in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), leading many of the government’s most significant white collar prosecutions and trials during his tenure. As a senior member of the SDNY’s Securities & Commodities Fraud Task Force for seven years, he handled high-profile matters involving insider trading, corporate and accounting fraud, market manipulation, obstruction of justice, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and cryptocurrency. His headline prosecutions included United States v. Blaszczak and individuals at Visium, Goldman Sachs, McKinsey, Herbalife, KIT digital, and various SPACs. He also served on the Deputy Attorney General’s KleptoCapture Task Force and in the SDNY’s Money Laundering and Violent & Organized Crime Units, where he directed sensitive investigations involving money laundering, sanctions evasion, export control violations, and racketeering that focused on Russian oligarchs and organised crime, including as featured in the movie Molly’s Game. His work involved extensive coordination of cross-border and multi-agency investigations, including with the SEC, CFTC, and FBI.

Josh has tried over a dozen cases, all to successful verdicts and outcomes. He secured convictions in every federal criminal trial that he led as an Assistant United States Attorney and was a member of the trial team in the successful defence of Airgas’ “poison pill” in the Delaware Court of Chancery. He has briefed or argued 17 appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Josh was named a “Rising Star” by the New York Law Journal.

Before joining the Department of Justice, Josh practised at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, working principally on takeover disputes, securities litigation, and white collar matters. He was also a law clerk to The Honourable John M. Walker, Jr., Chief Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and to The Honourable Carol Bagley Amon, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. He received his B.A. from Yale University, magna cum laude and with distinction, and his J.D. from Columbia Law School, where he was Managing Editor of the Columbia Law Review and a James Kent Scholar.

Insider Trading

Represented a partner at a leading private equity firm in an insider trading investigation by the SEC, with no action pursued.

Conviction at trial of political intelligence consultant, two hedge fund partners, and government employee for insider trading (United States v. Blaszczak); conviction at trial of Goldman Sachs investment banker for insider trading (United States v. Goel); successful prosecution of McKinsey partner for insider trading based on confidential information misappropriated from Goldman Sachs (United States v. Dikshit).

 

Accounting Fraud and Market Manipulation

Conviction at trial of Visium portfolio manager for securities mismarking (United States v. Lumiere); conviction at trial of two executives for accounting fraud and market manipulation at KIT digital (United States v. Tuzman).

 

Sanctions and Money Laundering

KleptoCapture Task Force prosecutions and asset forfeiture proceedings, including seizure of $500 million in property owned by Russian oligarchs Roman Abramovich, Viktor Vekselberg, and Andrei Skoch, and charges against Vekselberg associate and facilitating lawyer.

 

Investigations

Independent investigation of the National Basketball Association’s referee program.

 

Complex Civil Litigation

Successfully defended Airgas against hostile takeover attempt by Air Products & Chemicals, including precedent-setting trial in the Delaware Court of Chancery that upheld the “poison pill” and “just say no” defense; represented Rohm & Haas in expedited litigation to enforce its merger agreement with Dow Chemical.

 

* Includes matters handled prior to joining Pallas Partners (US) LLP.

Columbia Law School

J.D., James Kent Scholar; Managing Editor, Columbia Law Review

 

Yale University

B.A., magna cum laude and with distinction

Bars

New York

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York

New York Law Journal, Rising Star

Hon. John M. Walker, Jr., Chief Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

Hon. Carol Bagley Amon, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York

joshua.naftalis@pallasllp.com

+1 212 970 2303

Related Articles

  • 17 July 2023

    News & Announcements

    Pallas Strengthens New York Office, Appointing Veteran SDNY Prosecutor Joshua Naftalis as Partner

    New York, 17th July 2023 – Pallas Partners (US) LLP is delighted to announce the arrival of Joshua Naftalis as a partner in Pallas New York’s litigation and investigation practice. Josh joins from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), where he was an Assistant United States Attorney.

    17 July 2023

    News & Announcements

    Read Article
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