Brooke E. Cucinella, is a former federal securities fraud prosecutor and experienced trial lawyer, described in Chambers USA as “a great trial lawyer,” a “phenomenal addition to the defense Bar,” someone who is “remarkably cool under pressure and really manage[s] a steady course in choppy waters” and “has real leadership and focus, keeping her eye on the issues that really matter.” She represents companies, boards and executives in government and internal investigations and high-profile disputes. Brooke also counsels clients on crisis response planning and cyber security incidents. Brooke previously served in the DOJ as an Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, where she was a senior member of the Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. As a federal prosecutor, she tried multiple significant cases and oversaw numerous investigations involving federal and state law enforcement and regulatory agencies, including the SEC. Brooke was responsible for investigating and prosecuting a wide range of complex financial crimes, including accounting fraud, insider trading, market manipulation, wire fraud, bank fraud, tax fraud and money laundering and public corruption. She also has significant experience coordinating cross-border investigations.
Brooke’s key matters include:
- Alibaba in multibillion-dollar securities class action alleging false and misleading statements in prospectus for its record-setting $25 billion IPO;
- Global financial institution in parallel government investigations involving alleged misstatements and omissions, and potential conflicts of interest, related to contemplated securities offerings;
- Credit reporting agency in an investigation by the New York Department of Financial Services in connection with the agency’s marketing and sale of credit monitoring and ID theft protection products;
- Stanford University, led by the Board of Trustees, in a review of its athletics admissions practices in the wake of the Varsity Blues admissions scandal and the guilty plea of former Stanford Sailing Coach John Vandemoer;
- Leading global pharmaceutical manufacturer in global anti-corruption investigation focused on alleged misconduct in multiple jurisdictions; and
- Executive of a major financial institution in a criminal spoofing investigation.
In addition to being recognized by Chambers, Brooke is ranked as one of the “Top 250 Women in Litigation” in the U.S. by Euromoney’s Benchmark Litigation. She is also recognized by the publication as a National “Litigation Star” in White Collar Crime and as a New York “Litigation Star.” Brooke is also recognized by The Legal 500 in Corporate Investigations and White Collar Criminal Defense and was also recently named to Crain’s New York Business’s “Notable Women in Law” for 2021.
Brooke is a member of the S.D.N.Y. Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Panel, the Women’s White Collar Defense Association and the New York City Bar’s Women in the Legal Profession: White Collar Crime Subcommittee. Brooke received her J.D., magna cum laude, from Fordham Law School and her B.A., cum laude, from Kalamazoo College.
Updated Sep 2021
