Mr David Kelley > Dechert LLP > New York, United States > Lawyer Profile

Dechert LLP
Three Bryant Park, 1095 Avenue of the Americas
NEW YORK, NY 10036-6797
NEW YORK
United States
David Kelley photo

Work Department

White Collar, Compliance and Investigations

Position

Partner

Career

David N. Kelley, a global co-leader of the white collar and securities litigation practice of Dechert LLP and former United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, has cultivated a revered reputation for his defense of high-profile matters involving sensitive white collar litigation and investigations before major regulatory bodies. His more than three decades of experience span a diverse range of commercial litigation and federal securities as well as grand jury investigations, prosecutions and congressional inquiries. As an experienced trial lawyer and investigator, Mr. Kelley represents multinational and domestic public companies, boards of directors, audit committees, and individuals, including officers and directors, on issues arising across a broad spectrum of industries, including defense, energy, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, financial services, infrastructure, insurance, oil and gas, and retail.

Mr. Kelley served as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York from 2003 to 2005, and prior to that, Deputy U.S. Attorney from 2002 to 2003. During his more than 17-years with the office, he oversaw the investigation and prosecution of cases involving an array of federal crimes pertaining to the FCPA and the Office of Foreign Assets Control as well as white collar crime, securities fraud, terrorism, and national security issues. In addition, Mr. Kelley was appointed by the New York City Police Commissioner to Chair Crime Reporting Review Committee, where he investigated the integrity of the NYPD’s crime statistics reporting processes. His previous experience also includes serving as co-chair of the Justice Department’s nationwide investigation into the 9/11 attacks, in which capacity he personally prosecuted John Walker Lindh. Furthermore, Mr. Kelley, who served as chief of the organized crime and terrorism unit from 1995 to 2002, is noted for leading the investigations of the 2000 Millennium bombing plots, the 2000 attack of the USS Cole in Yemen, the 1997 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, and for prosecuting Ramzi Yousef for his role in the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center.

He has served as an adjunct professor at New York Law School and has also taught trial advocacy clinics at Harvard and Hofstra Law Schools. Prior to joining Dechert, Mr. Kelley served as a partner and Executive Committee member at Cahill Gordon & Reindel.

Education

  • The College of William & Mary, A.B., 1981
  • New York Law School, J.D., 1986

Lawyer Rankings

United States > Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense

(Leading lawyers: Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense: advice to corporates)

David N KelleyDechert LLP

With the ability to ‘translate complex legal analysis into practical and actionable advise’, Dechert LLP is a highly reputed outfit for both individual and corporate representation in the white-collar space. Supplementing its domestic expertise with strong offices in major international hubs, the practice is well-equipped to handle cross-border investigations and litigation opposite global regulatory authorities. Former US Attorney David Kelley and trial lawyer David Kistenbroker jointly lead the practice out of New York, where Andrew Levander and Jonathan Streeter are further names to note. Washington DC’s Catherine Botticelli, who regularly advises clients stemming from the financial services sector, provides ‘deep investigative skills and a focused, constructive approach in dealing with regulators‘. On the West Coast, San Francisco-based Hartley West has extensive experience dealing with allegations of fraud, corruption, and money laundering.

United States > Dispute resolution > M&A litigation: defense

At Dechert LLP, ‘all members of the team are equally strong and engaged, and they do a phenomenal job‘. The firm is well-versed in all types of change of control and transactional litigation, and it frequently acts for leading private equity funds, sovereign investors and major corporations. David Kelley in New York and David Kistenbroker, who works from both New York and Chicago, lead the trial, investigations and securities practice. Richard Horvath and Josh Hess in San Francisco, and David Kotler in New York are ‘excellent lead trial attorneys, who are able to explain complex legal issues to both lawyers and non-lawyers alike‘.  Hess and Kotler successfully defeated an attempt by shareholders to enjoin a vote on the merger between headphones manufacturer Turtle Beach and audio technology company Parametric Sound, Inc. Chicago’s Joni Jacobsen also plays a central role in the practice.