Kate L. Powers
Counsel
Areas of Focus
- White Collar Defense & Government Investigations
- Securities Enforcement & Litigation
- Anti-Money Laundering
- Digital Assets, Cryptocurrency & Blockchain
- Disputes & Investigations
- Pro Bono
- Represents financial institutions, investment funds, corporations, and their key individuals in regulatory investigations and enforcement actions brought by the Department of Justice (DOJ), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and other regulators.
- Defends clients in civil enforcement proceedings arising under the federal securities and commodities laws.
Kate represents financial institutions, investment funds, corporations, and their key individuals in white collar defense matters, including civil and criminal enforcement proceedings, government investigations, responding to regulatory enquiries, and conducting and advising clients in internal corporate investigations.
Kate has extensive background and experience defending clients facing complex allegations of fraud and market manipulation in civil enforcement actions. She has represented clients before a variety of domestic and international regulators, including the U.S. DOJ, SEC, CFTC, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Federal Reserve Bank and the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Kate maintains an active pro bono practice focused on counseling survivors of domestic violence and other crime victims as they navigate criminal proceedings and matters related to immigration law.
- Representing a former senior rates trader at a prominent financial institution in an CFTC enforcement action alleging market manipulation and other violations.
- Representing a former executive at a major broker-dealer in an SEC enforcement action arising from alleged undisclosed markups.
- Representing testifying witnesses in criminal trials in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, including insider trading, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), public corruption and racketeering cases.
- Representing numerous financial institution executives in global DOJ, SEC and CFTC investigations involving allegations of FCPA violations.
- Conducting internal investigation on behalf of a private equity client regarding alleged fraud, under parallel investigation by the DOJ.
EducationJ.D., Cornell Law School, 2013
B.A., Cornell University, 2008
J.D., Cornell Law School, 2013
B.A., Cornell University, 2008
Bar AdmissionsNew York
New York
- Best Lawyers in America, Ones to Watch, Criminal Defense: White-Collar, 2023.
- Sanctuary for Families, Above & Beyond Pro Bono Achievement Award, 2022.
- Akin New York Office, Pro Bono Associate of the Year, 2016.
- Leader, Anti-human Trafficking Program, Akin in partnership with Sanctuary for Families