Practice Expertise

  • Complex Commercial Actions
  • Appellate
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Class Action Litigation

Areas of Practice

  • Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Appellate
  • Class Action Litigation
  • Complex Commercial Actions
  • Art and Museum Law
  • False Claims Act and Whistleblower Defense
  • Financial Services
  • Litigation
  • Securities and Derivatives Litigation
  • Securities Enforcement & Litigation
  • Securities Litigation
  • State Attorneys General
  • Structured Finance Litigation
  • White Collar Defense and Investigations
  • View More

Profile

Harry Sandick is a Partner in the firm’s Litigation department and a member of the firm’s White Collar Defense and Investigations team. A former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Mr. Sandick focuses his practice on white collar criminal defense, internal investigations, securities fraud litigation and civil and criminal appellate litigation. Mr. Sandick has represented clients at every stage of the criminal process, ranging from witnesses who require counsel for an interview with the government during a grand jury investigation, to those who have been indicted and sentenced for serious white-collar offenses.

He has been recognized by Chambers USA in the area of white-collar criminal defense and investigations. Clients quoted in Chambers praised Mr. Sandick as “super knowledgeable and incredibly responsive” and that he “is a very effective and trusted counsel”. Mr. Sandick has also been recognized as a “National Practice Area Star” and a “Litigation Star” for New York in the area of White Collar Crime by Benchmark Litigation.

During his career in private practice, Mr. Sandick has represented organizations and individuals in investigations and prosecutions in New York and around the world in many of the leading white-collar investigations conducted during the past several years. In addition to representing individuals and institutions in the banking and financial services industry, he has significant experience representing tax exempt organizations and clients in the art world in regulatory, white collar, and other litigation matters.

  • Investment bank personnel who have been under investigation for manipulation of LIBOR, foreign exchange currencies and other benchmark rates, insider trading or other securities fraud allegations.
  • Financial advisors and brokers who sold structured notes that led to client losses, or whose clients used their brokerage accounts to engage in illegal activity, including money-laundering.
  • Financial institutions, tax exempt organizations, and art market participants in connection with investigations into violations of Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), anti-money laundering laws (AML), the regulations promulgated by the Office of Foreign Asset Controls (OFAC), and registration under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
  • Institutional and individual clients in public corruption investigations into government officials.
  • Representing institutions and individuals in regulatory investigations relating to alleged antiquities trafficking.
  • Clients who have received subpoenas in congressional investigations.
  • Individuals and businesses who have been prosecuted or investigated for violations of federal and state tax law, including a taxpayer who was prosecuted in federal and state court for having an undisclosed offshore bank account and an executive of a tax-exempt organization who was investigated for receipt of excess benefits.
  • Claimants in a multi-million dollar civil forfeiture action, and the representation of major investors in Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC in the recent investigation conducted by prosecutors and regulators.

Mr. Sandick has extensive experience in leading internal investigations for institutional clients, including hedge funds, private equity portfolio companies, and tax-exempt organizations, where the client believes that there has been misconduct by company personnel. Some of these matters culminate in litigation or a referral to prosecutors or regulators. In addition to leading such investigations, Mr. Sandick also has been called upon to represent individual clients in internal investigations.

Several of Mr. Sandick’s clients are the victims of financial crime. Mr. Sandick provides representation and counseling in connection with seeking restitution or other proceedings aimed at recovering stolen or defrauded assets.

Mr. Sandick also represents clients, both as plaintiffs and defendants, in complex securities and business fraud litigation, including matters involving residential mortgage-backed securities transactions. In recent years, Mr. Sandick also has represented clients who have been sued or subpoenaed due to their public advocacy on the important issue of climate change.

In addition to his white collar practice, Mr. Sandick is a skilled and experienced appellate attorney. He has argued more than 35 appeals in both criminal and civil cases, in both federal and state court. He is regularly asked to represent clients who seek new counsel on appeal, as clients often seek a different perspective for their appeal. Mr. Sandick has also authored amicus briefs in the Supreme Court and other appellate courts for clients who wish to make their voices heard in connection with an important appeal. He is a member of the Criminal Justice Act panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and has won several reversals for convicted and sentenced defendants.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Sandick served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. During his nearly six years as a federal prosecutor, Mr. Sandick prosecuted a wide range of federal crimes, including financial fraud cases, acting as lead counsel in 12 trials and more than 20 appeals. He served as Deputy Chief for Criminal Appeals, supervising more than 80 appeals before the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and as Acting Chief of the Violent Crimes Unit. Mr. Sandick oversaw matters involving securities fraud, business crimes, obstruction of justice, RICO, drug trafficking and terrorism issues. He successfully argued 19 appeals before the Second Circuit.

Mr. Sandick is a frequent commentator on high-profile white collar cases. He has appeared on CNN’s Erin Burnett OutFront, MSNBC’s All In With Chris Hayes, and NPR’s Morning Edition, and has been quoted in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the Associated Press, NPR, Bloomberg, Law360, Talking Points Memo, Sports Illustrated, ESPN and BNA White Collar Crime Report, among others. A frequent speaker and writer on white collar, appellate, sentencing, and financial fraud topics, Mr. Sandick has contributed articles to New York Law Journal, Reuters, Financial Times, the BNA White Collar Crime Reporter, Law360 and many industry publications. He is co-author of a chapter on pretrial representation in a leading treatise, “Defending Federal Criminal Cases.” He is also the editor-in-chief for the Second Circuit Criminal Law Blog, which provides commentary and analysis of every criminal law decision rendered by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Mr. Sandick is the Chair of the Federal Courts Committee of the New York City Bar Association, which addresses the operation of, and practice of law in, the federal courts.

Following law school graduation, Mr. Sandick clerked for the Hon. Richard J. Cardamone of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Bar Admissions

  • United States Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit; Fourth Circuit; Seventh Circuit; Ninth Circuit; D.C. Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Southern, Eastern and Northern Districts of New York, District of Connecticut, Northern District of Illinois
  • New York

Education

  • Harvard Law School (J.D., cum laude, 1995)
    • Editor-in-Chief, Harvard Human Rights Journal
    • Research Director, Harvard Legal Aid Bureau
  • University of Pennsylvania (B.A., magna cum laude, 1992)
    • Phi Beta Kappa
    • Benjamin Franklin Scholar
    • University Scholar

Areas of Practice

  • Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Appellate
  • Class Action Litigation
  • Complex Commercial Actions
  • Art and Museum Law
  • False Claims Act and Whistleblower Defense
  • Financial Services
  • Litigation
  • Securities and Derivatives Litigation
  • Securities Enforcement & Litigation
  • Securities Litigation
  • State Attorneys General
  • Structured Finance Litigation
  • White Collar Defense and Investigations

Professional Career


Professional Activities and Experience

The American Law Institute (2023-present); New York Council of Defense Lawyers (Member, Board of Directors, (2022-present), Member, Amicus Brief Committee (2019-present)); New York City Bar Association (Federal Courts Committee (2017-2022; Chair, 2018-2022), Professional Responsibility Committee (2008–2011), Secretary, Committee on Pro Bono and Legal Services (1997–2000)); New York State Bar Association (Section on Federal and Commercial Litigation, 2006–2012), (Committee on White Collar Criminal Litigation, 2006–2012), (Chair, Subcommittee on Sentencing, 2008-2012); New York American Inn of Court (2004–2016), (Program Chair, 2014-2016), (White Collar Crime Team Co-Leader, 2007-2013); Adjunct Professor, New York Law School (2009-2011) (Criminal Procedure: Sentencing); New York Crime Commission, Lawyers Council (2012-present); Member, Board of Editors, Business Crimes Bulletin (Law Journal Press) (2017-present)



SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS: Panelist, "Hot Topics in White Collar Law," New York Council of Defense Lawyers (June 14, 2023); Panelist, "Departures and Variances," Thirty-Second Annual National Seminar on Federal Sentencing (June 1, 2023); Panelist, “What To Do When Fraud Is Found or Suspected In A Nonprofit Entity,” New York State Bar Association CLE Program (May 17, 2022); Moderator, "SEC and DOJ Enforcement Priorities and Predictions for 2022," CLE Webinar (January 27, 2022); Presenter, "Update on Sanctions," Trade Association for the Emerging Markets (January 25, 2022); Panelist, "New Market Considerations in Buying and Selling Art Today," FBA Art Law and Litigation Conference 2021 (April 30, 2021); Panelist, "(Impact Conversations) Executive Power," Impact Center for Public Interest Law (March 5, 2021); Presenter, "State FCA Considerations for Companies Seeking COVID-19 Relief," PLI (March 1, 2021); Presenter, "Anti-Money Laundering and the Art Market," Art Basel (February 25, 2021); Presenter, "A Conversation Between Brian Miller, Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, and Neil Barofsky, Former Special Inspector General, Troubled Asset Relief Program," New York City Bar Association (October 1, 2020);Presenter, "2020 Virtual Federal Sentencing Seminar – Hot Topics in Sentencing," Federal Bar Association, Tampa Bay Chapter (September 1, 2020); Presenter, "Discussion of Recent Developments at the Second Circuit and Supreme Court," New York City Council of Defense Lawyers (September 16, 2019); Moderator, "Defense Sentencing Advocacy," 28th Annual National Seminar on Federal Sentencing (August 29, 2019); Presenter, "Effective Defense Sentencing Advocacy," 27th Annual National Seminar on Federal Sentencing (September 6, 2018); Presenter, "Annual Post-Conviction Capital Defense Training Program," New York City Bar Association CLE Program (July 25, 2017); Moderator, “Criminal History, Role and Recidivism,” Twenty-Sixth Annual National Seminar on Federal Sentencing (June 30, 2017); Moderator, “View from In-House Counsel – How to Perform a Risk Assessment on Potential False Claims Complaints,” The American Conference Institute’s 3rd Annual Executive Forum on False Claims & Qui Tam Enforcement (January 21, 2016); Moderator, "A Judicial Panel Discussion on Commercial Litigation: 'What Makes a Great Commercial Court?'" New York American Inn of Court (May 27, 2015); Presenter, “Insider Trading Liability After United States v. Newman,” West LegalEdcenter Webcast (February 10, 2015); Presenter, “The ABC’s of AML: An Introduction to the Law of Anti-Money Laundering,” Association of Corporate Counsel Webcast (February 14, 2014); Moderator, “The Future of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act,” New York Inn of Court (September 12, 2012); Presenter, “Unconventional Investigative Techniques in White Collar Cases,” PLI’s White Collar Crime 2011 Conference (October 3, 2011); Moderator, “Financial Penalties and Victims’ Rights In White Collar Cases,” New York State Bar Association, Commercial and Federal Litigation Section (November 4, 2009); Moderator, “Federal Sentencing In White Collar Cases: Expanded Judicial Discretion or Business As Usual,” New York State Bar Association, Commercial and Federal Litigation Section (June 4, 2008); Panelist, “Civil and Criminal Tax Penalties,” ABA Section of Taxation, 2008 Mid-Year Meeting (January 19, 2008)




Articles

Blogs

Antitrust Update

Antitrust Update Blog is a source of insights, information and analysis on criminal and civil antitrust and competition-related issues. Patterson Belknap’s antitrust lawyers represent clients in antitrust litigation and counseling matters, including those related to pricing, marketing, distribution, franchising, and joint ventures and other strategic alliances. We have significant experience with government civil and criminal/cartel investigations, providing the unique perspectives of former...

Data Security Law Blog

DataSecurityLaw.com is the firm’s resource for the latest news, analysis, and thought leadership in the critical area of privacy and cybersecurity law. Patterson Belknap’s Privacy and Data Security practice provides public and private enterprises, their leadership teams and boards with comprehensive services in this critical area. Our team of experienced litigators, corporate advisors and former federal and state prosecutors advises on a broad range of privacy and data protection matters...

Misbranded

Misbranded is Patterson Belknap’s blog covering false advertising litigation—both consumer class actions and competitor suits—with a particular focus on FDA-regulated products (foods/beverages, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and dietary supplements).

New York Commercial Division Decisions

The blog is a source for insights and developments related to practice in the Commercial Division of the New York State Supreme Court. This blog reviews key developments in the Commercial Division, including important decisions handed down by the Commercial Division and appellate court decisions reviewing Commercial Division decisions. The blog also covers changes and proposed changes to Commercial Division rules and practice, including revisions to the rules since January 2015. The...

Second Circuit Criminal Law Blog

The Second Circuit Criminal Law Blog is your place to follow the criminal law decisions rendered by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. With a rich 225-year history of legendary judges like Learned Hand and Henry Friendly, the Second Circuit has long been known for writing important and thoughtful opinions on many subjects, including the criminal law. We review every published criminal law opinion handed down by the Second Circuit in order to provide you with a summary of the hol

Second Circuit Criminal Law Blog

The Second Circuit Criminal Law Blog is your place to follow the criminal law decisions rendered by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. With a rich 225-year history of legendary judges like Learned Hand and Henry Friendly, the Second Circuit has long been known for writing important and thoughtful opinions on many subjects, including the criminal law. We review every published criminal law opinion handed down by the Second Circuit in order to provide you with a summary of the...

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