Practice Expertise

  • False Claims Act and Whistleblower Defense
  • Complex Commercial Actions
  • Financial Services
  • Life Sciences / Health Care

Areas of Practice

  • Complex Commercial Actions
  • False Claims Act and Whistleblower Defense
  • Financial Services
  • Life Sciences / Health Care
  • Appellate
  • Art and Museum Law
  • Litigation
  • Media, Entertainment and Sports
  • Privacy and Data Security
  • Securities and Derivatives Litigation
  • State Attorneys General
  • Structured Finance Litigation
  • White Collar Defense and Investigations
  • View More

Profile

Daniel Ruzumna is a Partner in the firm’s Litigation department and Co-Chair of its White-Collar Defense and Investigations group. His extensive trial experience has earned him a “Litigation Star” for New York recognition by Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC’s Benchmark Litigation, where a peer described him as “phenomenal” and “always prepared, zealous and careful, just a terrific trial lawyer.” He has been recognized by Chambers USA in the area of Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Investigations. The guide notes that Mr. Ruzumna “earns praise for his ability to handle both criminal and civil disputes.” Clients describe him as “an excellent strategist who thinks steps ahead.” He “is pleasure to work with and is adept at handling complex government investigations.” Mr. Ruzumna is “incredibly smart, attentive and always thinks outside the box.” In recognition of his long history of excellence as a trial lawyer, Mr. Ruzumna was inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers in 2021.

Mr. Ruzumna's practice focuses on the areas of white-collar criminal defense and related regulatory proceedings, internal investigations, asset forfeiture proceedings, and complex financial litigation. He has represented corporations and individuals in many recent high-profile criminal and regulatory investigations involving alleged violations of the securities laws, antitrust laws, tax laws, and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Mr. Ruzumna regularly conducts confidential investigations on behalf of clients, including a professional sports league, higher education institutions, financial firms, and life sciences companies. He has also represented clients in high stakes appeals and arbitrations. Mr. Ruzumna also handles high end art-related matters, including litigation, arbitration, and investigations.

Mr. Ruzumna is a frequent commentator on issues of criminal law, U.S. economic sanctions, and asset forfeiture, and is often interviewed for television and newspaper stories on white collar criminal issues. He has appeared on Bloomberg Television and an affiliate of CNBC to discuss the insider trading laws and prosecutions involving alleged violations of the securities laws. Mr. Ruzumna also served as counsel to the Anti-Money Laundering and Financial Crimes Committee of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA), with a focus on anti-corruption compliance issues, for over a decade.

Before joining Patterson Belknap in 2005, Mr. Ruzumna spent six years working at the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, where he last served as Acting Chief of the Major Crimes Unit, a unit of more than 20 federal prosecutors dedicated to investigating and prosecuting economic crimes and financial frauds. As a federal prosecutor, Mr. Ruzumna investigated and prosecuted white collar criminal cases involving bank fraud, mail and wire fraud, health care fraud, securities fraud, criminal tax violations, and money laundering. He also prosecuted organized crime and handled civil and criminal asset forfeiture actions. In 2004, Mr. Ruzumna received the Department of Justice's highest honor, the John Marshall Award for Asset Forfeiture, and acted as a lecturer and instructor of trial advocacy at the Department’s National Advocacy Center.

After graduation from law school, Mr. Ruzumna served as a Law Clerk to the late Hon. Jay C. Waldman, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Mr. Ruzumna then spent almost four years in private practice in Washington, D.C., before becoming a federal prosecutor.

Bar Admissions

  • United States Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit; Fourth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; District of Columbia
  • New York
  • District of Columbia
  • Illinois

Education

  • University of Michigan Law School (J.D., cum laude, 1994)
    • Note Editor, Michigan Law Review
    • Bodman-Longley Award
  • University of Michigan (B.A., with high distinction, 1991)

Areas of Practice

  • Complex Commercial Actions
  • False Claims Act and Whistleblower Defense
  • Financial Services
  • Life Sciences / Health Care
  • Appellate
  • Art and Museum Law
  • Litigation
  • Media, Entertainment and Sports
  • Privacy and Data Security
  • Securities and Derivatives Litigation
  • State Attorneys General
  • Structured Finance Litigation
  • White Collar Defense and Investigations

Professional Career


Professional Activities and Experience

MEMBERSHIPS: Counsel to the Anti-Money Laundering and Financial Crimes Committee of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA); New York State Bar Association (Section of Commercial and Federal Litigation, Committee on White Collar Criminal Litigation); New York Council of Defense Lawyers; Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers



HONORS: Recognized in Chambers USA in the area of Litigation: White-Collar Crime and Government Investigations; named by Super Lawyers in the area of Criminal Defense: White Collar; Listed as a "Litigation Star" for New York in Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC’s Benchmark Litigation; Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® in the area of Criminal Defense: White Collar




Blogs

Antitrust Update

Antitrust Update Blog is a source of insights, information and analysis on criminal and civil antitrust and competition-related issues. Patterson Belknap’s antitrust lawyers represent clients in antitrust litigation and counseling matters, including those related to pricing, marketing, distribution, franchising, and joint ventures and other strategic alliances. We have significant experience with government civil and criminal/cartel investigations, providing the unique perspectives of former...

Data Security Law Blog

DataSecurityLaw.com is the firm’s resource for the latest news, analysis, and thought leadership in the critical area of privacy and cybersecurity law. Patterson Belknap’s Privacy and Data Security practice provides public and private enterprises, their leadership teams and boards with comprehensive services in this critical area. Our team of experienced litigators, corporate advisors and former federal and state prosecutors advises on a broad range of privacy and data protection matters...

Misbranded

Misbranded is Patterson Belknap’s blog covering false advertising litigation—both consumer class actions and competitor suits—with a particular focus on FDA-regulated products (foods/beverages, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and dietary supplements).

New York Commercial Division Decisions

The blog is a source for insights and developments related to practice in the Commercial Division of the New York State Supreme Court. This blog reviews key developments in the Commercial Division, including important decisions handed down by the Commercial Division and appellate court decisions reviewing Commercial Division decisions. The blog also covers changes and proposed changes to Commercial Division rules and practice, including revisions to the rules since January 2015. The...

NY Patent Decisions Blog

NYPatentDecisionsBlog.com is a source for the latest patent decisions from the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. The blog is authored by Patterson Belknap’s Patent Litigation practice group, whose members are highly experienced trial attorneys with extensive technical knowledge. Many have advanced scientific degrees and industry experience in fields such as communications, electrical and electro-optical technology, semiconductor technology, metallurgical...

Second Circuit Criminal Law Blog

The Second Circuit Criminal Law Blog is your place to follow the criminal law decisions rendered by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. With a rich 225-year history of legendary judges like Learned Hand and Henry Friendly, the Second Circuit has long been known for writing important and thoughtful opinions on many subjects, including the criminal law. We review every published criminal law opinion handed down by the Second Circuit in order to provide you with a summary of the...

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