Ronald G. White, an experienced trial and appellate lawyer, focuses his practice on white-collar criminal defense, SEC enforcement matters, corporate internal investigations, and complex civil litigation.
A skilled advocate both in and out of the courtroom, Ron has been recognized for many years by Chambers USA and The Legal 500 US, as a leading lawyer in the area of white-collar criminal defense. In recent years, those publications have described him as a “superb” and “excellent” defense attorney of “unique and unequaled experience,” and “a masterful lawyer who is as intelligent as they come, turns over every stone and thinks enormously strategically.” He has been cited as a “tireless” and “thoughtful” advocate who is “very effective for his clients” and who “knows the case backwards” and “anticipates key issues before they arise.” Clients commend him as “always one step ahead of the prosecutors” and able to “develop a strategy of defense few can match.”
Ron represents major corporations and executives in connection with investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulatory enforcement agencies involving allegations of insider trading, securities fraud, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations, bank fraud, tax evasion, health care fraud and criminal antitrust violations. He also regularly conducts internal investigations and defends major corporate clients in civil and criminal investigations by prosecutors and regulators. In addition, he represents clients in significant civil litigation matters, including securities class actions and complex commercial litigation.
Ron has tried numerous cases in the New York federal courts, and has briefed and argued many appeals before the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Between 2011 and 2013, he served on the Criminal Justice Act Panel for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, where he represented indigent criminal defendants on a pro bono basis.
Prior to joining WMH, Ron practiced at an Am Law 200 firm for over 17 years and served for 10 years as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of New York. From 1999 through 2004, he served as the Deputy Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Business & Securities Fraud Section, supervising a group of federal prosecutors handling major white-collar criminal and securities fraud prosecutions. Ron was twice awarded the U.S. Department of Justice’s Director’s Award for Superior Performance as an Assistant U.S. Attorney.
As an Assistant United States Attorney, he personally handled numerous investigations, trials and appeals. Among the significant matters prosecuted by him were: United States v. Jacobs, et al. (prosecution of CEO, CFO, and other top officers of Allou Healthcare for bank fraud and securities fraud); United States v. Shuster (prosecution of corporate CEO for conspiring with Jordan Belfort, the so-called “Wolf of Wall Street,” to commit securities fraud); United States v. Gordon, et al. (three-month-long, ten-defendant trial involving charges of mail fraud, bankruptcy fraud and tax evasion); United States v. Tec-Air Services, et al. (prosecution of corporation which operated FAA-approved aircraft repair facility and its five highest-ranking executives on charges of defrauding customers and endangering air safety by intentionally failing to properly service aircraft emergency equipment); and United States v. Dhinsa (four-month-long federal death penalty trial, convicting wealthy businessman of the murder of two federal witnesses and a multi-million-dollar consumer fraud).
During his tenure at Georgetown University Law Center, he served as Associate Editor of the Georgetown Law Journal.
Show More +Experience
In recent years, Ron has won a series of significant court victories for clients in high-stakes criminal and civil litigations:
Defense of Hedge Fund Executive in FCPA Case
In a high-profile FCPA investigation, won the pretrial dismissal of all charges against his client in a massive SEC enforcement action. Similarly, in a parallel criminal prosecution, he negotiated a favorable resolution of the case in which the government dropped all fraud and conspiracy charges against his client. He also obtained a complete dismissal for the client of a securities class action litigation arising from the same facts.
Defense of Journalist in First Amendment Case
Won a complete dismissal on First Amendment grounds of a defamation case against a Forbes Magazine contributor brought by a former Mexican government official cited in an article on political corruption in that country.
Ron has also secured major victories for clients by persuading DOJ and SEC not to bring charges against them in the first instance:
Defense of Corporate Finance Executive in Accounting Fraud Investigation
After his client received a Wells Notice from the SEC and was notified by SDNY prosecutors that he would be indicted, Ron persuaded both the SEC and SDNY not to proceed with charges.
Defense of Corporate Executive in Tax Fraud Investigation
After SDNY prosecutors labeled his client as a co-conspirator in a massive tax fraud, Ron persuaded prosecutors that the evidence was insufficient to charge his client and obtained immunity for the client.
Other significant matters include:
DOJ/SEC Investigation of Foreign Sovereign Wealth Fund
Represent a Hong Kong business executive in connection with a high-profile FCPA investigation by the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Main Justice, the SEC and foreign regulators.
Standard & Poor’s Investigations and Litigations
Represented credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s in connection with investigations and multi-billion dollar lawsuits by DOJ and the State of California alleging violations of the federal FIRREA statute and California consumer protection laws arising out of S&P’s rating of structured finance securities.
EDNY Investigation of FIFA
Represent the CEO of a media company in connection with the investigation of FIFA, soccer’s governing body, by the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
DOJ/SEC Investigation of Swiss Bank
Represent Swiss private banking executives in connection with the DOJ/SEC investigation of a global financial institution for allegedly assisting American citizens to evade taxes and violate securities laws.
Hedge Fund Ponzi Scheme Investigation
Represented a hedge fund manager in connection with an investigation and enforcement proceedings by the SEC in the District of Connecticut.
Securities and Banking Investigation
Conducted an internal investigation and defended one of the largest U.S. banking institutions in connection with an investigation of banking and securities law violations by the SEC and U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey.
Anti-Money Laundering Internal Investigation
Conducted an internal investigation on behalf of the Audit Committee of the Supervisory Board of ABN AMRO Bank N.V. regarding anti-money laundering policies and practices at the bank’s U.S. dollar clearing unit.
VOOM HD Holdings LLC v. EchoStar Satellite LLC (NY State Supreme Court, Commercial Division)
Represented satellite television distributor EchoStar in a $2 billion breach of contract action.
Recognitions
500 Leading Litigators in America, Lawdragon (2024)
Ranked, “Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations — New York,” Chambers and Partners USA (2015-2023)
