Owens, Richard D.

Richard D. Owens

Of Counsel

richard.owens@lw.com
    Owens, Richard D.

    Richard D. Owens

    Of Counsel

    richard.owens@lw.com
    "He is an exceptionally gifted investigator and really smart lawyer with impeccable judgment."

    Chambers USA 2023

    "He is very responsive and provides strategic advice and regulatory expertise."

    Chambers USA 2023

    “Sharp as a tack and seems to really enjoy diving into and unraveling complicated questions.”

    Chambers USA 2022

    “He is easy-going and confident, which is really beneficial when in the midst of a heated investigation.”

    Chambers USA 2022

    “He really knows how to ensure an excellent outcome in a matter.”

    Chambers USA 2022

    "He's a really outstanding and extremely talented lawyer who can deal with regulators while also being a formidable trial lawyer."

    Chambers USA 2020

    Profile

    Richard Owens, a former federal prosecutor, principally represents corporations and individuals in the financial services industry in criminal and regulatory matters, he conducts internal investigations, and advises on compliance matters. As former Chair of the New York Litigation & Trial Department, Mr. Owens is adept at staffing effective teams to meet each client’s unique needs.

    Mr. Owens served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York from 1994 through 2006. He served as Chief of its Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force and supervised many of the nation's highest profile corporate fraud and insider trading prosecutions, including WorldCom, Adelphia Communications, American BankNote, ImClone Systems, Impath, Inc., and Royal Ahold, N.V. He also coordinated the office’s criminal prosecutions with parallel civil matters brought by the SEC, CFTC, the Federal Reserve Banks, and state regulators.

    Mr. Owens is regularly ranked in leading industry publications, including Chambers USA, The Legal 500, and International Who’s Who of Business Crime Defense Lawyers. Clients consistently describe his excellent legal intuition, terrific judgment, and sophisticated strategic approach to opponents, judges, and regulators.

    He twice received the Attorney General’s annual Distinguished Service Award: in 1996 for the prosecution of Daiwa Bank, and in 2000 for the prosecution of Patrick R. Bennett relating to the then-largest financial fraud in US history. He has tried 12 felony cases, including two of the three largest criminal accounting fraud cases ever prosecuted in New York.

    Mr. Owens regularly speaks on enforcement topics at high-profile industry conferences.

    He maintains an active pro bono practice, regularly representing clients at trial. He serves on the board of Volunteers of Legal Services NYC.

    Experience

    Mr. Owens' recent experience includes representing:

    • A major international bank in connection with the collapse of Archegos Capital Management
    • The Royal Bank of Canada in connection with civil antitrust litigation concerning ICE-LIBOR
    • Barclays in connection with a variety of matters including civil litigation relating to GameStop and allegations of manipulation of GSE bond offerings
    • A large private equity sponsor in connection with civil allegations of securities law violations
    • A private equity firm in connection with the Muller investigation and OFAC sanctions
    • Deutsche Bank in connection with a variety of regulatory inquiries and civil actions relating to mortgage-backed securities, including negotiating a highly favorable settlement of a long-running DOJ investigation
    • The British Banker’s Association in connection with all US-based litigation concerning LIBOR
    • Executives and officers from a number of financial institutions in connection with investigations of alleged manipulation of various financial benchmarks, including LIBOR and others
    • Senior executives, including CEOs and Chief Compliance Officers, of US and European financial institutions in connection with DOJ and Congressional investigations of sanctions and anti-money laundering compliance
    • A senior executive of AIG Financial Products in connection with SEC and DOJ investigations of AIG’s collapse that were closed without charges
    • Executives from a number of financial institutions in connection with SEC and DOJ investigations of the valuation of complex structured products and derivatives, including mortgage-backed securities, CDOs, and credit default swaps
    • The former Chairman of the American Stock Exchange in connection with enforcement proceedings brought by the Securities Exchange Commission
    • Major investment banks and investment advisors with respect to insider trading compliance issues

    Qualifications

    Bar Qualification

    • New York
    • Vermont

    Education

    • JD, Harvard Law School, 1988
    • BA, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 1984

    Practices

    Industries

    Recognition