Lee S. Richards III
- New York
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Lee has devoted his 45-year career to representing clients in litigation involving their most consequential matters.
Lee S. Richards III represents businesses, corporate boards, and individuals in white-collar criminal defense, securities enforcement defense, regulatory proceedings, internal investigations, and complex commercial litigations. He has amassed extensive experience representing investment banks, hedge funds, public companies, investment advisers, corporate officers and directors, and other professionals in investigations and proceedings. These include matters before the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), New York Attorney General’s Office, New York District Attorney’s Office, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., and other governmental entities and self-regulatory agencies. He also has extensive trial experience in both criminal and civil matters.
Lee has served as the receiver in cases involving Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC and Westgate Capital Management, LLC. He was also appointed by the federal court to serve as independent examiner for Computer Associates and is currently leading the firm's independent compliance consultant team for one of the largest global banks. He has also served as SEC special compliance counsel, receiver, and trustee in the liquidation of five securities firms, as well as three major insider trading cases.
Education & Credentials
Education
- Columbia University School of Law, J.D., 1975
- Amherst College, B.A., summa cum laude, 1972
Bar and Court Admissions
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New York
Related Employment
- Richards Kibbe & Orbe LLP, New York, NY, Partner, 1990-2020
- U.S. Attorney’s Office, New York, NY, Assistant U.S. Attorney, 1977-1983
Clerkships
- Hon Milton Pollack, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
Professional Recognition
Listed in Who’s Who Legal: Business Crime Defence, 2021-2022
Listed in Best Lawyers in America®: Bet-the-Company Litigation; Corporate Compliance Law; Corporate Governance Law; Criminal Defense: White-Collar, 2006-2025; Commercial Litigation, 2023-2025
Lifetime Achievement Award from the New York Law Journal, 2018
American Inns of Court Professionalism Award for the Second Circuit, 2015
Top 50 Litigation Trailblazers & Pioneers by The National Law Journal, 2014
National Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation, 2014-2019
Ranked by Chambers USA as “America’s Leading Lawyer" for Litigation: White Collar & Government Investigations, 2007-2023; Securities Regulation: Enforcement, 2011-2023
Leading Lawyers by The Legal 500 in the area of Litigation: White Collar Criminal Defense, 2008-2021
Selected by Super Lawyers Magazine as a New York Super Lawyer, 2006-2024
Impact
Professional Leadership
- Federal Bar Council Inn of Court, President Emeritus
- Jazz Foundation of America Board of Directors, Member
- Columbia School of International and Public Affairs on corporate governance, Guest Lecturer
- Fordham Law School, Former Adjunct Professor
- American Inns of Court Board of Trustees, Former Member
- Advisory Board, Brennan Center for Justice, Former Member
