Editors’ Note

A seasoned litigator, George Stamboulidis has tried dozens of complex federal jury trials as a prosecutor and as a defense attorney. Nationally recognized for his experience in the areas of white collar and business defense, Stamboulidis is regularly engaged by corporations, directors and officers to advise and defend in complex federal grand jury and regulatory investigations as well as commercial litigation matters. Stamboulidis counsels and successfully represents Fortune 100 companies on trade compliance, AML and FCPA issues, including conducting reviews to make best practice policy enhancements to corporate compliance policies, revise and optimize corporate training programs, and conduct testing to ensure that the policy enhancements are followed. He also routinely advises on enhanced due diligence. Stamboulidis is trusted for his integrity and sound judgment in corporate monitorship positions. He has been appointed a federal monitor five times by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Stamboulidis is Managing Partner of BakerHostetler’s New York office and co-leader of the firm’s White Collar, Investigations and Securities Enforcement and Litigation team, which is ranked in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. He is a nationally recognized lecturer on corporate criminal liability and the use of proactive defense tactics, and he regularly presents to members of the financial services, insurance, pharmaceutical, energy, construction and real estate industries, among others.

Firm Brief

Established in 1916, BakerHostetler (bakerlaw.com) is one of the largest law firms in the U.S., with more than 1,000 lawyers and 18 offices across the country. The firm handles clients’ most critical legal matters – securing advantageous outcomes amid regulatory scrutiny and bet-the-company litigation; closing deals that fuel strategic growth; managing intellectual property and digital assets; and providing advice and counsel to facilitate long-term competitiveness. Its attorneys represent companies across every industry, from market-leading global powerhouses to trailblazing startups, helping clients minimize risk and capitalize on opportunities that will strengthen and grow their businesses. BakerHostetler’s six core practice groups – Business, Digital Assets and Data Management, Intellectual Property, Labor and Employment, Litigation, and Tax – include nationally ranked lawyers backed by the organizational and technological resources only a large firm can offer. The firm’s specialty services include Antitrust and Competition, Blockchain and Digital Assets, Class Action Defense, Commercial Litigation, Digital Risk Advisory and Cybersecurity, Financial Services, International Tax, Labor Relations, and Patent Litigation, among many others.

Will you discuss your career journey?

I was always fascinated by criminal justice and wanted to be a part of our nation’s justice system. Fortunately, after law school I had two judicial clerkships after which I was afforded the opportunity to work for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), first in the federal Organized Crime Strike Force in Newark, New Jersey and then in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn, New York bringing cases as part of the Organized Crime Section and eventually becoming the Deputy and Acting Chief. I then moved on to become the Chief of the Long Island Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. In those positions, I successfully prosecuted many cases involving white collar crime, national security, and organized crime, including the conviction of the boss and other leaders of the Colombo crime family, the underboss of the Lucchese crime family, and the boss of the Genovese crime family.

When deciding to make the transition from government service to private practice, I knew I wanted my practice to bring the same level of exciting and professional challenges on a daily basis that I had while with the DOJ, so it was a natural fit for me to join BakerHostetler as one of the founding members of the New York Office to help grow its White Collar practice. I really enjoyed the entrepreneurial spirit of building something from the ground up, and taking the leadership and trial skills I had honed at the DOJ to help companies and executives resolve their business issues and disputes and build robust corporate compliance and training programs. In particular, I’ve been honored with appointments as a federal monitor several times by the U.S. Department of Justice and feel it represents a great bridge between my early experience with the DOJ and my current private practice.

Having successfully tried numerous jury trials, both as a prosecutor and defense attorney, my clients count on me to effectively resolve their legal issues without litigation when possible and to successfully try their cases when litigation is required.

My career has continued to evolve through taking on additional firm leadership roles at BakerHostetler, as well as through civic engagements such as serving on the Board of Advisors for the Federal Law Enforcement Foundation. At the end of the day, it’s about being of service to your clients and to the community.

How do you describe BakerHostetler’s culture?

Certainly for us, a defining part of who we are is our culture, the core of that culture being respect and collaboration. This is central both to our client service, making sure that our clients not only receive excellent legal counsel, but more importantly, know that we understand and share their business goals and objectives, and that we are their partner in achieving those goals. That carries through to how we work internally – collaboration, communication and deep respect for all of our colleagues. Those shared values are what has driven and sustained our growth over the past 100+ years.

How does BakerHostetler differentiate itself in the industry?

BakerHostetler differentiates itself as a firm in two key ways: first, the depth of our bench across six key practice areas (Litigation, Tax, Business, Digital Assets and Data Management, Labor & Employment, and Intellectual Property), across 18 different locations, allows us to look at our clients’ initiatives holistically, providing a one-stop shop to seamlessly integrate all of the clients’ potential legal needs. Second, BakerHostetler has been at the forefront of innovations within the legal industry, namely through the development and engagement of different kinds of technologies to maximize efficiencies and accuracy in the practice of law. Our IncuBaker team has been a leading force in the legal industry on technology, and has been recognized as such by Financial Times’ Innovative Lawyer Awards for its thought leadership in this field.

Will you provide an overview of BakerHostetler’s White Collar, Investigations
and Securities Enforcement and Litigation practice?

BakerHostetler’s White Collar, Investi-gations and Securities Enforcement and Litigation team is among the nation’s leaders in all aspects of corporate criminal defense and enforcement-related litigation in the U.S. and around the world. Our White Collar team, with more than 75 team members from coast to coast, features 15 attorneys in 9 offices who are ranked by Chambers for Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations. Three partners have served as presidentially appointed U.S. Attorneys. Other partners also have held prominent leadership roles in the Department of Justice including Division Chiefs, Deputy Chiefs and Assistant U.S. Attorneys in numerous U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, as well as enforcement roles as SEC Senior Counsel, assistant district attorneys, and in-state attorney general offices. Importantly, our team has been appointed as a federal monitor numerous times by the Department of Justice. With deep experience as monitors, independent examiners, trustees, and receivers, our core group of former assistant U.S. attorneys and SEC enforcement attorneys has propelled the firm to become a national leader helping corporate clients navigate government investigations and implement best practices to mitigate risk.

What has led to the growth of Baker-Hostetler’s New York office?

The growth in our New York office has largely been organic, responding to the growing needs of our expanding client base. Our New York platform supports a wide range of practices including complex commercial litigation, white-collar defense, securities, corporate and capital markets, e-discovery, cybersecurity and data privacy, restructuring and bankruptcy, intellectual property and more.

A pivotal part of our growth came through our engagement as counsel to the Securities Investor Protection Act (SIPA) Trustee for the global liquidation of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC (BLMIS), one of the largest financial frauds in U.S. history. The New York office has overseen the unprecedented BLMIS liquidation on a global basis, managing more than 1,000 lawsuits involving approximately 4,000 defendants worldwide with more than approximately $15 billion recovered on behalf of the SIPA Trustee for distribution to Madoff’s victims. We were able to take our experience with this unique matter and leverage it to build a Chambers-ranked E-Discovery and Advocacy Management team, which is available as an asset to all of our clients.

Similarly, we’ve responded to the growing digital security needs of our clients as technology has evolved over the last 20 years through our Digital Assets and Data Management team, which is led out of our New York office. Our team has been named a “Cybersecurity Powerhouse” by BTI and a “Pacesetter” in Cybersecurity Services by ALM Intelligence Pacesetter Research.

What advice do you offer to young people interested in pursuing a career in the legal profession?

For me, advocacy is at the core of what we do – whether you’re prosecuting a case for the DOJ or representing clients in private practice, it’s about showing up every day fully prepared and focused on advancing our client’s cause. That is what builds trust and respect – both with clients and with colleagues. So much of the law is about problem solving which requires not just legal and business acumen, but personal relationships – that requires a foundation of trust across the board. That sense of professional integrity runs deep at BakerHostetler and I’m very proud to be a part of a firm that prioritizes these core values.

I encourage young people who are interested in a legal career to work hard and smart, treat everyone with respect, be inquisitive, attentive and passionate, develop a reputation for solving problems, set goals and be attentive to details, maintain your integrity, and respect other people’s and your own time, which is a very precious resource.