Cozen O’Connor is pleased to announce Sarah Krissoff, a former federal prosecutor for the Southern District of New York and a seasoned litigator and trial attorney, has joined its renowned White Collar Defense and Investigations group. Krissoff comes to the firm from Day Pitney LLP, and joins Cozen O’Connor as a member. She will work out of the New York City office.
Krissoff represents companies and individuals in high-profile government and internal investigations, criminal matters, and complex commercial litigation in both federal and state courts. Her track record includes representing and defending an array of clients in sectors ranging from financial services and health care to telecommunications and education.
“Sarah brings to our clients significant experience handling highly sensitive matters and government investigations involving major, corporate-level clients,” said Barry Boss, co-chair of Cozen O’Connor’s White Collar Defense and Investigations group. “As a former Assistant United States Attorney and an accomplished white-collar defense attorney, she’s been on both sides of the table. She knows how these cases are built and how best to dismantle them. I’m thrilled to welcome her to our team.”
Most recently, Krissoff has represented numerous corporate and individual clients in connection with investigations and prosecutions handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Texas; represented a university and its employee in connection with the Varsity Blues investigation; represented a financial services company in civil litigation and related matters; and conducted an internal investigation for a telecommunications company into allegations of employee cyber harassment.
“The goal for clients facing a government investigation is simple: prevent prosecution. Having worked as a government prosecutor, Sarah is able to identify persuasive arguments, narrow the scope of inquiries, limit exposure, and negotiate favorable solutions,” said Nicole Sprinzen, vice chair of the White Collar Defense and Investigations group. “Her hiring also reflects our firm’s deep and ongoing commitment to diversity. A substantial percentage of our team is composed of extremely talented, highly accomplished women like Sarah, which is unusual for a white-collar practice. She’s a terrific addition, and we’re all very much looking forward to working with her.”
As a prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for nearly 14 years, Krissoff led high-profile government investigations involving multiple law enforcement agencies across jurisdictional lines. Among her many accomplishments, she tried 10 criminal cases to verdict and briefed and argued numerous appeals before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.
During her tenure as a federal prosecutor, Krissoff served as acting deputy chief counsel at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. As the agency’s second highest-ranking attorney, she reported directly to the chief counsel and supervised approximately 80 attorneys providing advice and services at the bureau headquarters in Washington, D.C., and field offices nationwide.
A frequent legal commentator on breaking news and trials of public interest, Krissoff is contacted regularly by major print, television, and radio media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, MSNBC, USA Today, Insider, Reuters, Bloomberg News, New York Post, BBC World News, Court TV, NBC News, NewsNation, NPR, Miami Herald, New York Law Journal and Daily Mail.
“I’m thrilled to be joining Cozen O’Connor. We are a growing international law firm that has earned a stellar reputation throughout the legal community,” Krissoff said. “Our expanding footprint in New York, our entrepreneurial spirit, and the depth of the firm’s legal practices will allow me to continue to grow my practice. I’m very much looking forward to working with Barry, Nicole, and my other colleagues, all of whom couldn’t be more welcoming.”
