Akin Gump announces that Ian Patrick McGinley, former co-chief of the Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), has joined the firm as a partner in New York in its white collar defense and government investigations practice. Mr. McGinley spent the past decade as a federal prosecutor, during which time he also served as a member of the Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force.
As co-chief of the Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit, Mr. McGinley supervised a team of approximately 20 senior prosecutors, overseeing the investigation and prosecution of a wide variety of white collar crimes, including investment fraud, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations, health care fraud and tax fraud as well as hacking and ransomware cases. Notable matters that Mr. McGinley supervised include the investigation into a $1 billion cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme; a tech cryptocurrency entrepreneur who committed securities fraud in his company’s initial coin offering; and the prosecution of a group of defendants that conducted hacking campaigns against universities around the world on behalf of the Iranian government.
Mr. McGinley also was appointed coronavirus fraud coordinator, in which capacity he oversaw all pandemic-related cases, including fraud pertaining to the Paycheck Protection Program and other government stimulus programs.
“Ian is a wonderful addition to our market-leading white collar practice,” said Akin Gump chairperson Kim Koopersmith. “With his experience in senior-level positions at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan, coupled with his sterling reputation among his government colleagues and defense attorneys who sat across from him, he is an ideal fit. Our clients will benefit greatly from his wisdom and insights, and I am delighted to welcome him to the firm.”
Throughout his tenure at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mr. McGinley tried 11 jury trials and briefed or argued 14 appeals. He joins an Akin Gump team that boasts a deep roster of former Department of Justice prosecutors. Among them are three former SDNY Assistant U.S. Attorneys, including Katherine Goldstein, who joined Akin Gump last year and previously served as Chief of the Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force while Mr. McGinley was one of its members.
“Our team is fortunate to be exceptionally busy, and we expect client demand to grow even further with increasing regulatory investigations and aggressive government enforcement,” said Jim Benjamin, a leader of Akin Gump’s white collar and government investigations practice. “Ian will be an integral member of our practice. With his deep experience and wonderful temperament, he will help us continue to deliver knowledgeable advice and unsurpassed levels of client service.”
Added Mr. McGinley, “I have worked either alongside or opposite key members of Akin Gump’s white collar defense and government investigations practice over the years and have been incredibly impressed by them. This is an exciting time in the world of white collar practice, and I am honored to be here.”