Tel: 646-448-9011 • Cell: 917-494-7023 • Fax: 646-304-7071
rizower@izowerlefton.com
Rachel Izower-Faddé is a founding Partner of Izower Lefton, LLP. An experienced attorney whose practice focuses on representing corporations and individuals in commercial disputes and white collar matters, she has represented clients before both New York State and Federal Courts, as well as in front of the U.S. Attorneys’ Office (USAO), U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), New York Attorney General’s Office and state securities regulators.
Prior to forming Izower Lefton, Ms. Izower-Faddé operated her own law practice and practiced Of Counsel with Feldman & Associates, PLLC for two years. Ms. Izower-Faddé started her legal career with the SEC as Staff Attorney and later Senior Counsel in the SEC’s New York Office, Division of Enforcement. During her five years at the SEC, she spearheaded and handled investigations of potential violations of the securities laws, recommended actions to the Commission, coordinated with the USAO, FBI and other government agencies, and litigated civil and administrative proceedings. After the SEC, she was an Associate, and later Of Counsel, in the litigation department at Greenberg Traurig, LLP. During her over eight years at Greenberg Traurig, Ms. Izower-Faddé focused on matters involving complex financial or accounting issues and was involved in a number of high-profile litigations, arbitrations and investigations.
Ms. Izower-Faddé received her undergraduate degree from Binghamton University, magna cum laude, with a double major in economics and political science and her juris doctorate from Columbia University where she was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. She is admitted to practice in the State of New York and in the Federal District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.
Some representative cases and clients include:
- Representation of banking conglomerate in enforcement of $20 million judgment, including locating and enforcing against U.S. based assets and working with counsel in several South American countries to enforce against identified assets located abroad.
- Representation of world’s largest Jet Engine repair and overhaul company in pursuing several million dollar debt resolved through settlement for over 97% of amount owed.
- Representation of a stainless steel supplier in a multi-million dollar litigation before the Federal District Court for the Southern District of New York against a subcontractor for breach of contract, tortious interference and fraud, inter alia. Obtained substantial settlement despite having no written contract among other significant problematic facts to overcome.
- Representation of a large-scale construction and development company and its president in connection with an investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and HUD with respect to allegations concerning the financing and construction of two large-scale apartment complexes involving approximately 80 million dollars in government financing. Successfully avoided indictment in matter where others were charged and convicted at trial or plead guilty.
- Obtained summary judgment on behalf of jewelry design and manufacturing company before the New York Supreme Court, Commercial Division in connection with multi-million dollar suit to enforce settlement and security agreement.
- Represented large manufacturer in billion-dollar arbitration against 46 states with primary responsibility for cases against 10 states, resulting in client obtaining maximum recovery possible. Evaluated state enforcement programs to determine whether each state “diligently enforced” a statute imposing obligations on industry competitors, selected states to contest and developed and pursued distinct case against each through trial or settlement.
- Represented former CEO of publicly-traded company in securities fraud investigations by the USAO and SEC involving complex accounting issues. Developed and drafted presentations and submissions to regulators, traced the transactions at issue and established lack of any loss to shareholders from alleged activities, resulting in reduced sentence.
- Represented major financial institution in regulatory investigation into sales of mortgage backed securities. Developed facts, assessed risks and responded to inquiries by NYAG.
- Represented option traders, brokers, in-house counsel and other employees of a major financial institution in investigation by the USAO and Department of Treasury into what officials have called “the largest tax fraud in history” and in related criminal and civil matters. Prepared and represented clients in proffers, depositions, interviews and testimony at trial.
- Represented one of China’s largest pharmaceutical companies, a state-owned enterprise, in multidistrict antitrust class actions of first impression. Traveled to China to develop case strategy and create and implement document retention and discovery plans, including conducting extensive interviews of senior management and training Chinese attorneys and paralegals on U.S. discovery practices and attorney-client and other privileges. Client was the only defendant dismissed from the damages claim on summary judgment.
- Represented pharmaceutical company and its executive officers in defense of securities class action and shareholders’ derivative action, involving claims of options backdating and restatement of accounting, resulting in voluntary withdrawal of backdating claim and settlement of remaining claims for mere nuisance value.
- Investigated stock manipulations resulting in trading suspensions: Aimsi Technologies, Inc., Exchange Act Rel. No. 50854 and Aqua Vie Beverage Corp., Exchange Act Rel. No. 47783 (in related civil proceeding, developed discovery record which subsequently resulted in summary judgment in favor of the Commission including on scienter-based fraud claims).
- Sucessfully litigated an administrative proceeding: FXC Investors Corp. and Curzio, ID Rel. No. 218.
- Brought the first failure-to-supervise case against a hedge fund principal: Littell and Meckel, Advisers Act Rel No. 2203.
- Pro bono representation of victim of domestic labor trafficking in civil litigation against traffickers, resulting in payments from traffickers to victim.