Profile: Karen Patton Seymour

Business Crime

Biography: Business Crime

Karen Patton Seymour is the head of Sullivan & Cromwell's criminal defence and investigations group. Her practice focuses on white-collar criminal defence and internal investigations.

Ms Seymour has represented individuals and corporate and financial organisations in state and federal investigations and proceedings involving allegations of: securities fraud; money laundering; obstruction of justice; insider trading; Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations; OFAC sanctions; healthcare fraud; and criminal antitrust violations. She has also advised foreign corporations and individuals in responding to US inquiries and investigations.

Ms Seymour has tried numerous jury and bench trials in federal court and argued many appeals before the US Court of Appeals, Second Circuit. She is admitted to practise before the US Supreme Court, two US Courts of Appeal, the Court of Federal Claims, the New York State Courts and the US District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.

Ms Seymour served as chief of the criminal division, US Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York, from February 2002 through November 2004, supervised 165 federal prosecutors and oversaw all criminal investigations and prosecutions in the District, including the corporate fraud investigations involving WorldCom, Adelphia, and ImClone. She was lead trial counsel for the Government in the prosecution of Martha Stewart and Peter Bacanovic.

During her first tenure in the US Attorney's Office from 1990 to 1996, she prosecuted a wide variety of cases and served as chief of the general crimes unit.

Ms Seymour joined Sullivan & Cromwell LLP in 1987 after graduating from the University of London (LLM, 1987), the University of Texas (JD, 1986) and Southern Methodist University (BS, BA, 1983). She was elected a partner of the firm in 1999.