James Keneally is a partner in the firm's New York office. He focuses his practice on the defense of clients in white-collar crime and investigation matters.
Mr. Keneally has defended individuals, corporations, partnerships and professional associations before the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), FINRA, federal courts throughout the country, and in the state courts of New York.
Current and former employees of leading financial services, telecommunications, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, consumer goods and other companies have relied on Mr. Keneally for defense against charges of accounting and tax fraud, mail and wire fraud, securities fraud, money laundering, antitrust violations and other alleged criminal behavior.
Mr. Keneally has been integrally involved in the representation of numerous individuals who have been witnesses, subjects and targets in criminal investigations, and he has helped them avoid prosecution. He also has represented parties in commercial litigation matters that are related to or arise from criminal or regulatory proceedings.
Representative Experience
Formulated an anti-money laundering policy for an international manufacturer.
Represented a major, multinational industrial corporation in a criminal and regulatory investigation conducted by federal and state authorities regarding alleged acts by officers of an acquired company. Negotiated resolution without any criminal or regulatory sanctions imposed.
Representing present and former employees of a major pharmaceutical company in an investigation of possible violations of the Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act and other statutes.
Represented a former officer of a major financial institution in the Enron multidistrict litigation.
Obtained a probationary sentence for an individual prosecuted in federal court for operating an illegal money transmitting business.
Has represented individuals in federal investigations of non-payment of taxes on foreign income.
Represented employee of company under investigation for possible FCPA and tax violations.
Represented individuals involved in the KPMG and Deutsche Bank tax shelter investigations in the Southern District of New York.
Represented an individual involved in the Bristol Myers-Squibb investigation in the District of New Jersey.
Defended at trial in state court and obtained an acquittal of a major accounting firm partner accused of assaulting a small child.
Won the acquittal of an individual who had been charged with conspiring to ship stolen cars from New York to western Africa at a jury trial before then-District Judge Denny Chin in the Southern District of New York.
United States v. Rastogi, et al.
Defended an individual at trial before the Honorable Richard Berman in the Southern District of New York. Defendant was accused, along with several other individuals, of being part of a wide-ranging conspiracy by which corporation fraudulently obtained financing from financial institutions and then laundered the money through sham corporations.
Assisted in the trial of an individual from Ghana charged with immigration fraud. Argued the appeal before the Second Circuit and gained a reversal of his conviction; the Second Circuit later reversed its decision.
Obtained a probationary sentence for an individual before the Honorable Loretta Preska in the Southern District of New York. Client had been charged along with his employer, an art dealer, of taking part in a complex, multimillion-dollar fraudulent art conspiracy that involved the sale of fake paintings of well-known artists to customers in the Far East.
Represented an individual before the Honorable John Martin in the Southern District of New York. The client had been charged with being part of a wide-ranging automobile theft and “chop shop” ring that was believed to have ties to organized crime figures. Obtained substantial downward departure from the defendant’s guidelines sentence.
Represented individuals involved in the Schering-Plough investigation in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Represented several employees of a major financial institution who were called to testify in the grand jury investigation that was conducted by the Enron Task Force in Houston, Tex.
Represented an individual who was a target of then-New York Attorney General Spitzer’s investigation of the insurance brokerage industry.
Represented several employees of Computer Associates in connection with the investigation of that company by the Eastern District of New York and subsequent prosecution of its senior management.
Represented individuals employed by a major auto retailer being investigated by the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division for its pricing practices.
Represented in a “whistleblower case” an individual who worked for a provider of financial advice to fashion models that was defrauding its clients. The individuals responsible for the fraud were prosecuted, and the victims were able to recoup at least part of their losses.
Represented numerous officers, directors and employees of major financial institutions and public companies in regulatory matters before the SEC and other agencies.
Memberships & Associations
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
New York Criminal Bar Association
Federal Bar Council
New York Council of Defense Lawyers
Professional Activities
Journal of Financial Fraud, Board of Editors
Honors & Awards
Selected as one of The Best Lawyers in America in the Criminal Defense: White-Collar area, 2013.
Listed in New York "Super Lawyers," 2010-2012.
