Brooke Cucinella

Brooke E. Cucinella, a former federal securities fraud prosecutor and experienced trial lawyer, focuses on government and internal investigations and high-profile disputes. Prior to joining the Firm, Brooke served in the Department of Justice as an Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, where she was a senior member of the Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force.

As a federal prosecutor, she tried multiple significant cases and oversaw numerous investigations involving federal and state law enforcement and regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Brooke was responsible for investigating and prosecuting a wide range of complex financial crimes, including accounting fraud, insider trading, market manipulation, wire fraud, bank fraud, tax fraud and money laundering.

She also has significant experience coordinating cross-border investigations and arguing appeals. Brooke has significant trial experience and before joining Simpson Thacher, work highlights included:

• United States v. William Walters: after a four-week trial, convicted a well-known professional sports gambler in a $40 million insider trading scheme, the largest insider case brought against an individual in the Southern District;
• United States v. David Blaszczak, et al.: after a five-week trial, convicted four defendants of insider trading on the basis of information misappropriated from government agencies;
• United States v. Brian Coll: after a two-week trial, convicted a Rikers Island corrections officer of causing the death of an inmate and multiple counts of obstruction of justice in connection with a cover up; and
• United States v. Moishe Mirilashvili: after a three-week trial, convicted a medical doctor of conspiring to distribute and distributing medically unnecessary oxycodone.

Prior to joining the Southern District in 2012, Brooke practiced at another international law firm, where she represented companies, special committees, and senior executives in a broad range of white collar, antitrust and securities matters.

Brooke received her J.D., magna cum laude, from Fordham Law School and her B.A., cum laude, from Kalamazoo College. She is admitted to practice in New York.

Education:

• Fordham University School of Law, 2006 J.D.
  • magna cum laude; Order of the Coif; Editor-In-Chief of the Irving L. Kaufman Memorial Securities Law Moot Court Competition
• Kalamazoo College, 2000 B.A.
  • cum laude; Commencement Speaker

Admissions:

• New York
• U.S. District Court Southern District of New York
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit