Federal Prosecutor Rejoins Kramer Levin

New York, June 6, 2016 – Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP announced today that Darren LaVerne, an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of New York, has rejoined the firm as a partner in the white collar defense and investigations practice. During more than five years as a federal prosecutor, LaVerne led many successful criminal prosecutions, involving wire fraud, bank fraud, tax fraud, bribery, money laundering, racketeering, crimes of violence, environmental crimes and other offenses. For over three years, LaVerne was a core member of the team that spearheaded the investigation into international soccer, and one of the architects of the indictments returned in 2015 charging dozens of FIFA soccer officials and sports marketing executives with racketeering, fraud and related crimes. He previously served for five years as an associate at Kramer Levin.

“Darren was a star associate at Kramer Levin and went on to do an exceptional job leading complex prosecutions in the Eastern District,” said Paul H. Schoeman, co-chair of Kramer Levin’s White Collar Defense and Investigations group. “We enthusiastically welcome him back to the firm.”

Eric A. Tirschwell, also co-chair of Kramer Levin’s White Collar Defense and Investigations group, added, “The trial and investigative skills Darren has honed as a federal prosecutor and his experience prosecuting transnational criminal matters will serve as strong assets for the firm and our white collar clients.”

While at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, LaVerne conducted several jury trials, all of which resulted in convictions, including a month-long racketeering trial in which he served as lead counsel. He briefed and argued appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. From September 2014 to March 2015, LaVerne served as Acting Deputy Chief of the Organized Crime and Gangs unit.

LaVerne rejoins a white collar group at Kramer Levin that has a long record of achieving successful outcomes for clients in some of the nation’s hardest-fought and most prominent white collar disputes. He enhances the firm’s already deep bench of seasoned advocates that includes numerous former senior federal prosecutors, a former trial lawyer from the Federal Defender’s Office and four fellows of the American College of Trial Lawyers.

“I look forward to rejoining this talented group of attorneys, who have built a reputation for skilled courtroom advocacy and the zealous defense of the firm’s clients in high-stakes matters,” LaVerne said.

LaVerne became a federal prosecutor in 2010 after joining Kramer Levin as an associate in 2005. He previously clerked for the Honorable John M. Walker, Jr., at the time the Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. He earned his J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He has an M.A. in American History from Columbia University and a B.A. in American History from Duke University.

Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP is a premier, full-service law firm with offices in New York, Silicon Valley and Paris. Firm lawyers are leading practitioners in their respective fields. The firm represents Global 1000 and emerging growth companies, institutions and individuals, across a broad range of industries. For more information, please visit www.kramerlevin.com.