Sean Hecker

Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP

New York www.kaplanhecker.com

shecker@kaplanhecker.com Tel: +1 212 763-0883

Biography

Sean Hecker is a partner at Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP. Sean is nationally recognised as a go-to lawyer who receives widespread praise and acclaim for his practice, which focuses on white-collar criminal defense, government and internal investigations, complex civil litigation, and regulatory compliance, as well as his active pro bono practice. He is president of the New York Council of Defense Lawyers and is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.

What attracted you to a career as a corporate crime lawyer?

I have always believed in advancing the public interest through the law. Through my clerkships and experience working as a trial lawyer with the Federal Defenders of New York, I became interested in a career as a corporate-crime lawyer and was able to help establish Kaplan Hecker’s whitecollar practice and investigations practice when I joined in 2018.

What do clients look for when selecting their counsel?

First and foremost, clients look for experience and someone who will fight for them. When it comes to complex corporate-crime work, it helps to have in-depth knowledge and first-hand experience across a broad range of white-collar and government investigation areas, including FCPA matters, financial markets trading-related issues, accounting and related financial-fraud cases, and other types of DOJ, SEC, and CFTC investigations. Clients want personalised attention and a total commitment to achieving the best possible outcome, whether through negotiation or trial.

How do you establish a detailed understanding of a client’s business to advise them effectively?

It is key to integrate yourself as seamlessly as possible with your client from the start of your engagement. Listen to your client, who knows their business better than any lawyer will. And spend time educating yourself, particularly if it is in an emerging industry, such as DeFi or cryptocurrencyrelated businesses.

What do you enjoy most about working on white-collar crime matters?

I love working alongside my talented Kaplan Hecker colleagues to help our clients solve their most difficult and urgent problems. Our team comprises highly experienced litigators and trial lawyers, including former federal prosecutors, former public defenders, and lawyers who have clerked for judges at all levels. We have a strong foundation of trust and a shared commitment to justice, both of which yield rewarding results for our clients.

To what extent has the legal market changed, in terms of gender diversity, since you began practising?

We have seen a lot of progress regarding gender diversity across the legal market, but it’s clear we still have a long way to go. More and more firms are implementing diversity and inclusion initiatives to support their attorneys and staff members, especially over the last couple years. I’m fortunate to help lead a firm that is majority women – and LGBTQ+ – owned and offers innovative solutions to attract and retain diverse talent, like our unique program that provides parental leave during federal clerkships.

How do you see your practice developing over the next five years?

My practice areas are complex and constantly evolving. While the types of charges that are investigated remain similar over time – typically involving various forms of alleged corruption or fraud – the nature of the businesses targeted will likely continue to evolve and focus on new technologies.

What makes Kaplan Hecker & Fink stand out from its competitors?

Since joining Kaplan Hecker in 2018, we’ve strategically grown our white-collar and investigations practice in an incredibly short period of time. As a boutique firm, our clients receive personalised attention from partners, while benefiting from the efficiencies of a small, uniquely talented team of lawyers with diverse experience across the legal industry.

What has been your greatest achievement to date?

The acquittal our team achieved for Robert Bogucki at trial before Judge Charles Breyer is certainly one of my proudest recent achievements. As Judge Breyer noted, he had never previously granted a Rule 29 motion in full before but did so here after being persuaded that the prosecution was ill-considered and unjust. Our whole trial team deserves real credit for that achievement. I’m also incredibly proud of the white-collar team we are building at Kaplan Hecker & Fink, which now includes former federal prosecutors and several former public defenders like myself.

WWL says: Sean Hecker is “a super-strategic and sharp advocate” who provides “practical and strong advice” to clients in complex investigations.