Jeffrey M. Severson

Overview

Jeff Severson represents individual and corporate clients facing complex, high-stakes criminal and regulatory investigations initiated by the full slate of federal and state regulators. Jeff uses his experience navigating the complex demands of regulatory investigations and criminal prosecutions to fashion effective defense strategies and collaborate with his clients to guide them to successful outcomes.

Jeff has achieved successful outcomes for his clients in investigations launched by the Department of Justice (DOJ), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Federal Reserve Board, and offices of state attorneys general, as well as internal investigations that involve potential criminal or regulatory exposure. In particular, he has experience defending allegations related to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA); securities fraud; health care fraud; environmental, social, and governance–related disclosures; and criminal antitrust violations. Jeff has advised clients across a wide range of industries, including education, health care, technology, financial services, and defense.

Jeff also maintains an active pro bono practice focused on representing clients in asylum and refugee resettlement proceedings, as well as indigent criminal defendants in the Southern District of New York as part of the Criminal Justice Act panel, in cases ranging from narcotics trafficking to securities fraud. For his service, Jeff was awarded Crowell & Moring's George Bailey Pro Bono Award in 2017.

While at Fordham Law School, Jeff was the senior articles editor for the Fordham International Law Journal, a Stein Scholar for the Public Interest, and a Crowley Scholar in International Human Rights. Prior to law school, he worked for a prominent international human rights organization.

Career & Education

Fordham University School of Law, J.D., cum laude
Columbia University, M.A., political science
Carleton College, B.A.
history, magna cum laude
- Fordham University School of Law, J.D., cum laude
- Columbia University, M.A., political science
- Carleton College, B.A.
  history, magna cum laude
California
Colorado
New York
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- California
- Colorado
- New York
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

Jeffrey's Insights

Blog Post | 08.01.25

Protecting Information in Congressional Investigations: The Attorney-Client Privilege and Work-Product Privilege

Client Alert | 7 min read | 07.29.25
Protecting Information in Congressional Investigations: The Attorney-Client Privilege and Work-Product Privilege
Speaking Engagement | 05.14.25
"From ESI to Evidence: Document Preservation, Collection, and Analysis," 2025 Government Contracts Investigations Seminar, Tysons Corner, VA
Client Alert | 5 min read | 05.13.25
DOJ Reprioritizes Corporate Enforcement with Key Policy Revisions

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Representative Matters

Represented a managing director at a U.S. investment bank in a DOJ, SEC, and Federal Reserve Board investigation concerning possible FCPA violations in Asia. In an ensuing enforcement action brought by the Federal Reserve, negotiated a favorable settlement involving no monetary penalty or admission of liability.
Represented multiple corporations in antitrust investigations into hiring practices (no-poach/non-solicitation), including DOJ criminal antitrust closing an investigation without taking any action.
Represented multinational corporation in multiple concurrent FCPA investigations in Asia.
Represented a major technology company in a conflict-of-interest investigation that the state-regulator closed following a written submission.
Representing an international pharmaceutical company in a New Jersey Office of the Attorney General inquiry into potential fraud in a tax incentives program.
Representing a pool of employees at a publicly traded pharmaceutical company as part of a DOJ health care fraud investigation.
Representing multiple traders as part of SEC securities fraud investigations.
Representing multiple broker-dealers in FINRA enforcement actions.