Litigator Andrew E. Tomback Joins Zuckerman Spaeder LLP's New York Office

Read what New York Law Journal wrote about Mr. Tomback's arrival. (10/6/11)

Read what The New York Times wrote about Mr. Tomback's arrival and the expansion of our New York office. (10/5/11)

Zuckerman Spaeder LLP is pleased to announce that Andrew E. Tomback is joining the firm as a partner in its New York office. An accomplished attorney with more than 25 years of experience drawn from business, private practice, and government service, Mr. Tomback handles a full range of civil and criminal litigation before the ‎courts, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and various other regulators. He focuses on litigations and investigations involving federal securities laws, complex litigation, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), and international arbitrations. This news builds on last month’s announcement that Steven M. Cohen, who was most recently Secretary to New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, joined the firm to lead the expansion and development of its New York office. Respected litigator and appellate lawyer Paul Shechtman also joined the firm earlier this week.

Mr. Tomback joins an existing team with whom he shares a long history. Mr. Tomback, Mr. Cohen, and Mr. Shechtman all served together as assistant U.S. attorneys in the Southern District of New York, and Mr. Tomback and Mr. Cohen both clerked for the Honorable Stanley Sporkin of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

"Andy is an outstanding lawyer who comes to us with a history of success both in private practice and in government," said Mr. Cohen. “Andy is not just a top-notch litigator, but he also gives us real depth in our New York office. This addition again demonstrates what we are building here in New York—a top flight team of lawyers that mirrors what Zuckerman Spaeder offers in Washington, DC and all its offices."

Zuckerman Spaeder chairman Graeme W. Bush added, "Andy brings another dimension to our complex commercial litigation experience. His experience complements and enhances the full range of sophisticated criminal and commercial litigation capabilities for which our firm is known."

Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Tomback was deputy general counsel of the Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC). Mr. Tomback also ‎held various positions in government agencies, where he was involved in many high-profile and complex cases. As a senior advisor to the undersecretary for enforcement at the Department of the Treasury, Mr. Tomback played an integral role in the passage of the Brady Bill, the Assault Weapons Bill, and the 100,000 Cops provision of the 1994 Crime Bill. He also investigated the Waco tragedy and was a principal drafter of Treasury's incisive report. Mr. Tomback honed his litigation skills as an assistant U.S. attorney in the criminal division of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York where he tried 12 cases, all to conviction, and prevailed in more than 20 appeals to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Mr. Tomback received his B.A. summa cum laude from Yale College and his J.D. from Yale Law School where he was an editor of The Yale Law Journal.

"I'm thrilled to be joining Zuckerman Spaeder's expanding New York team," said Mr. Tomback. "The firm has a well-deserved reputation for excellence in complex litigation, and this move gives me an ideal platform to grow my practice in New York and beyond."

Founded in 1975, Zuckerman Spaeder is a national litigation boutique that represents individual and institutional clients in high-stakes civil and commercial cases. Zuckerman Spaeder counts among its ranks many of the nation’s leading lawyers, who include former federal prosecutors and public defenders, as well as attorneys who have served in congressional offices and federal agencies.

The firm opened its New York office in 2004, and has since been involved in many of New York City's high-profile cases, including partner William W. Taylor III's defense of former IMF director Dominique Strauss-Kahn in his recently dismissed criminal case and ongoing civil case, and former New York Stock Exchange Compensation Committee Chairman Kenneth ‎Langone in the highly publicized litigation over Dick Grasso's compensation (the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court dismissed all claims against Langone).

Zuckerman Spaeder was named to The National Law Journal's "Midsize Hot List" in 2010 and 2011, and was recognized as a finalist for "Litigation Boutique of the Year" by The American Lawyer in 2009 and 2005. Zuckerman Spaeder is also the top-listed firm for white collar criminal defense in The Best Lawyers in America, with more attorneys recognized in that category than any other firm in the country, and in 2010 U.S. News and World Report ranked the firm in the top-tier nationally for commercial litigation. The firm's attorneys have extensive experience in matters related to securities violations, tax controversy, political law, legal ethics, food and drug law, and health care fraud.