Erica Sedler maintains a diverse litigation and white collar defense practice which includes representing public and private companies, board directors and committees and C-suite executives in all phases of high-stakes business disputes and civil, criminal and regulatory matters. Erica assists clients across all industries in navigating complex legal issues encompassing sensitive internal and government-facing investigations, regulation, litigation and public relations. Erica routinely leads multi-faceted and fact-sensitive investigations involving a myriad of allegations and potential causes of action, and regularly represents clients before the DOJ, the SEC and other regulatory and administrative authorities. Erica has successfully resolved government allegations against multiple clients during investigative stages, resulting in non-prosecution and no penalty decisions. Erica has also settled contentious business disputes pre-litigation and obtained favorable outcomes for clients through mediation. In addition, Erica has prepared many civil cases for trial and played a pivotal role in defending a CEO in two high-profile federal criminal jury trials and parallel SEC action.
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Work Highlights
Erica’s notable experience prior to joining Simpson Thacher includes successful representation of:
- CEO of a major medical device company in two prominent federal criminal jury trials and parallel SEC action alleging insider trading
- Major sports network in mediation proceedings and settlement of a 9-figure breach of contract claim by a popular sports team
- Leading international manufacturer in a multi-patent infringement suit and settlement
- Top movie studios in various rights and breach-of-contract suits and pre-litigation disputes
- Directors and audit committee members of a major bank in parallel federal grand jury and FDIC investigations into compliance with BSA/AML laws and regulations
- Founders of a major global technology company in audit committee, criminal and SEC investigations involving accounting practices, internal controls, corporate governance and intellectual property ownership issues
- Group of foreign corporate plaintiffs in U.S. litigation alleging over $70 million in damages involving causes of action for fraud, conversion, civil theft and RICO, among others
- Large-scale manufacturer in a breach-of-contract and negligence suit against a supplier, obtaining a favorable settlement in mediation
Education
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New York University School of Law, 2010 J.D.
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University of California - Los Angeles, 2007 B.A.
summa cum laude, Dean's Honors List
Admissions
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California 2010
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U.S. District Court for the Central District of California 2015
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U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota 2023
Erica Sedler is Counsel in the Firm’s Litigation Department. Based in the Firm’s Los Angeles office, Erica Sedler focuses her practice on advising large corporate clients, senior executives, board directors and committees, various investors and high-net-worth individuals across all industries in a wide range of complex pre-litigation and litigation of business disputes and criminal and regulatory matters. Erica also routinely conducts highly sensitive internal investigations on behalf of clients and interfaces with the DOJ, the SEC and other government authorities. In addition to representing clients in litigation and at trial, Erica has successfully resolved matters through alternative dispute resolution, including by obtaining many favorable outcomes and settlements through mediation. While a zealous courtroom advocate, Erica likewise counsels company boards, committees and senior management on preempting and promptly resolving potential disputes and government investigations and actions. Erica’s broad experience includes representing clients in matters involving breach of contract, negligence, breach of fiduciary duties, fraud, conversion, fraudulent transfer, theft of corporate opportunity, RICO, accounting and disclosure irregularities, False Claims Act violations and non-compliance with Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering laws and regulations, among others.
Throughout her extensive career, Erica has held prominent roles at several international law firms. Her notable experience includes representation of:
- CEO of a major medical device company in two high-profile federal criminal jury trials and parallel SEC action alleging insider trading
- Major sports network in mediation proceedings and settlement of a 9-figure breach of contract claim by a popular sports team
- Leading international manufacturer in a multi-patent infringement suit and settlement
- Top movie studios in various rights and breach-of-contract suits and pre-litigation disputes
- Directors and audit committee members of a major bank in parallel federal grand jury and FDIC investigations into compliance with BSA/AML laws and regulations
- Founders of a major global technology company in audit committee, criminal and SEC investigations involving accounting practices, internal controls, corporate governance and intellectual property ownership issues
- Large regional bank in a political embezzlement suit involving allegations of aiding and abetting fraud and BSA violations
- Group of foreign corporate plaintiffs in U.S. litigation alleging over $70 million in damages involving causes of action for fraud, conversion, civil theft and RICO, among others
- Large-scale manufacturer in a breach-of-contract and negligence suit against a supplier, obtaining a favorable settlement in mediation
- Large commercial aviation service provider in litigation involving cross-claims for breach of contract and fraud
- Major hospitality client in a high-stakes environmental safety investigation
- Large defense manufacturer in a DOJ investigation into alleged False Claims Act violations involving a contract award
- Telecommunications service provider in a DOJ investigation into alleged False Claims Act violations involving certain benefit programs
Erica received her J.D. from New York University School of Law in 2010, and her B.A. in Political Science, summa cum laude, from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2007.