Trials

Kaplan Hecker & Fink lawyers have extensive courtroom experience and have tried numerous civil and criminal cases to verdict in both federal and state court. With a mix of former federal prosecutors and former public defenders who have tried dozens of cases, we approach our cases with the combination of perspectives from the opposite sides of the courtroom. Across their diverse backgrounds, our litigators share a history of delivering compelling results for their clients. Whether overseeing the prosecution of high-profile defendants, complex commercial litigation, or white-collar criminal defense, our lawyers have the experience and subject matter expertise required to help our clients achieve success at trial. 

Our approach to litigation that progresses to trial—mastering the facts and identifying the heart of the case, putting the client at the center of the narrative, telling a story in a compelling and persuasive way, and developing a strategy to win—makes us highly effective in the courtroom.

Partner Sean Hecker has been inducted as a fellow into the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of North America’s premier legal associations. The invitation-only fellowship is made up of the best of the trial bar from the United States and Canada, and membership is limited to one percent of the total lawyer population in any state. Invitations are extended after careful investigation “to those experienced trial lawyers of diverse backgrounds, who have mastered the art of advocacy and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility and collegiality.” Chambers also ranked Sean as one of 2020’s top trial lawyers in the United States, noting that he “wins universal acclaim for his sophisticated practice” and that sources describe him as “truly one of the most gifted trial lawyers.” Sean is also ranked in “Band 1” on Chambers’ list of the top white-collar crime and government investigation litigators in New York, and as a nationwide top litigator in FCPA and anti-corruption matters.

One of Kaplan Hecker's first cases was a high-stakes lawsuit filed under the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871 against twenty-four neo-Nazi and white supremacist leaders accused of orchestrating racial and religious violence in Charlottesville, Virginia in August 2017.  In that case, Kaplan Hecker obtained a historic trial verdict and $26 million award to our plaintiffs, ensuring that the white nationalists would be held accountable for their actions.

In March 2019, Kaplan Hecker secured a “rare” acquittal at the close of the Government’s case in the trial of the former Barclay’s foreign-exchange head, who was facing charges of wire fraud. Global Investigations Review honored Kaplan Hecker’s work on behalf of our client, naming it the 2019 “Most Important Court Case of the Year.” Both Robbie Kaplan and Sean Hecker have been named as two of the top 100 trial lawyers in the country.

Prior to joining Kaplan Hecker, some of our lawyers’ representative trial matters included:

• Representing Fortune 500 company in multi-billion-dollar private antitrust trial, which resulted in judgment as a matter of law in the company’s favor.
• Representing Bristol-Myers Squibb in defending against a $3.4 billion contract and tort claim by generic drug manufacturer Apotex, winning a unanimous jury verdict of no liability.
• Prosecution and conviction of Aafia Siddiqui, an alleged Al Qaeda operative charged with attempted murder of U.S. personnel in connection with the assault of U.S. military and Federal Bureau of Investigation agents in Afghanistan.
• Prosecution and conviction of members of an international organization (with conduct in the United States, Russia, Liberia and South America) that trafficked in thousands of kilograms of cocaine and military grade weapons.
• Prosecution and conviction of co-conspirator of convicted international arms trafficker, Viktor Bout, for wire fraud and conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”) by attempting to purchase commercial airplanes from American companies in violation of U.S. sanctions.