Aaron focuses on the defense of white-collar criminal and regulatory enforcement investigations.
He also conducts internal corporate investigations and advises boards of directors, audit committees and special committees on sensitive matters involving possible misconduct by corporate personnel.
Aaron represents both institutions and executives, with a particular emphasis on financial institutions, and has represented clients in investigations and litigation involving alleged manipulation of benchmark interest and currency rates, financial accounting and other securities fraud, money laundering, cartel and other anticompetitive activity, tax evasion, insider trading and possible violations of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
Aaron also advises public companies and new issuers on disclosure and matters of corporate governance.
Aaron was head of the firm's US Litigation Practice for 10 years and head of the Global Financial Institutions Litigation Group for 6 years. He also led both the firm's US and global pro bono practices for 13 years and frequently handles high-profile pro bono matters.
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- Representing Volkswagen in the resolution of its criminal and regulatory investigations in the United States arising from its diesel emissions issues as well as in connection with related regulatory investigations and civil litigations in dozens of other countries around the world.
- Winning acquittal in a federal jury trial of Raoul Weil, former CEO of UBS’s wealth management division, the most senior Swiss banker charged in the US Department of Justice’s long-running crackdown on Swiss banks and bankers for allegedly assisting US taxpayers in evading billions of dollars of US taxes on assets secretly held in Switzerland.
- Representing one of the world's largest global banks in investigations by the the US Department of Justice's Antitrust Division and Fraud Section, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the UK Financial Conduct Authority and other regulators into an alleged scheme to rig the fixing of prices for gold and other precious metals, and spoofing in, the precious metals futures market.
- Representing a global financial institution in foreign currency trading and benchmark rate setting investigations by the US Department of Justice, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, federal banking regulators and the New York Department of Financial Services, as well as multiple regulators around the world.
- Representing one of the world’s largest banks in investigations by the US Department of Justice and Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the UK’s financial regulator, the European Commission, and other state and national enforcement authorities into an alleged scheme to rig the setting of the Libor and Euribor reference rates.
- Representing a major investment bank in investigations of potential balance sheet and accounting fraud in public offerings in the United States by companies based in China.
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Education
- JD, cum laude, Harvard Law School 1980.
- BSJ, with highest distinction, Northwestern University 1977.
Professional
- Admitted to practice in the State of New York
- Board of Directors, Legal Aid Society
- Board of Visitors, Northwestern University College of Arts & Sciences
- Board of Trustees, New York Blood Center
- Board of Trustees, New York Public Radio
- Board of Trustees, Federal Bar Council
- Board of Directors, Federal Bar Foundation
- Board of Trustees, New York Council of Defense Lawyers
Prior
- Assistant United States Attorney, Southern District of New York
- Associate United States Attorney
- Chief Appellate Attorney
- Chief of the Major Crimes Unit
- Member of the Attorney General’s Economic Crimes Council
- Awarded the Director’s Award for Superior Performance
- Commissioner of the New York Civilian Complaint Review Board
- Law Clerk to United States District Judge Richard Owen, Southern District of New York
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