Matthew Aaron Ford

Practice Areas

Criminal and Civil Matters

White-collar Criminal and Regulatory Defense

Complex Civil Litigation

Securities and Cyber-fraud Matters

Career

Honorable Sylvia Rambo, United States District Court, Middle District Pennsylvania, Law Clerk, 2008

Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP, New York, NY, Associate

Professional Memberships

Honorable Sylvia Rambo, United States District Court, Middle District Pennsylvania, Law Clerk, 2008

Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP, New York, NY, Associate

Publications

White-Collar Crime, Social Harm, and Punishment: A Critique and Modification of the Sixth Circuit’s Ruling in United States v. Davis (St. John’s Law Review Winter 2008)

Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Ass'ns v. U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (NYSBA Environmental Law Journal, Winter 2008)

Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency (NYSBA Environmental Law Journal, Summer 2007)

Connecticut v. American Electric Power Co. (NYSBA Environmental Law Journal, Fall 2006)

Kelo v. New London (NYSBA Environmental Law Journal, Winter 2005)

Expert in these Jurisdictions

New York

Texas

U.S. District Court Southern District of New York

U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York

U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas

U.S. District Court Western District of Texas

U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas

U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit

U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas

U.S. Supreme Court

U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit

Work Highlights

After nine-week jury trial, acquittal on all counts for Chief Financial Officer of hedge fund indicted on five counts of securities, investment adviser, and wire fraud.

Successful appeal and reversal by New Jersey Supreme Court of administrative law judge denial of compensation under Spill Fund Act.

Dismissal of a federal indictment charging a $17 million pump and dump scheme.

Dismissal with prejudice of an SEC complaint alleging a $20 million securities fraud.

Obtained vacatur by Second Circuit Court of Appeals of more than $7 million disgorgement award against CEO of public company accused by SEC of misappropriation of funds raised through private offerings

Dismissal of federal securities fraud indictment charging retail trader and eight co-defendants with $114 million social media “pump and dump” conspiracy.

Representation of individual accused of $147 million health care fraud and anti-kick back conspiracy.

Representation of individual in SEC action accused of $229 million securities fraud in connection with real estate development projects funded in connection with EB-5 immigration program.

Representation of a multi-billion-dollar company investigating and responding to multiple cyber-fraud incidents and CFAA violations.

Representation of large institutional investors seeking to recover tens of millions of dollars of lost investments resulting from breaches of fiduciary duty and other civil breaches by real estate LLC manager.

Representation of fund managers in SEC action alleging $17 million energy fund fraud and violations of Investment Advisers Act.

Representation of founder, owner, and CEO of foreign broker-dealer in SEC action alleging unlawful solicitation of U.S. customers.

Representation of fund CEO in SEC action alleging participation in an unlawful microcap scheme generating over $27 million in stock sales.

Obtained vacatur of $4 million judgment based on claims of alleged securities fraud.

Experience

Matthew Aaron Ford is a Partner at Ford O’Brien Landy LLP who represents clients in complex criminal and civil matters, with a particular focus on white collar criminal defense, regulatory enforcement, securities litigation, cyber-fraud matters, and complex commercial disputes. He regularly advises executives, financial professionals, businesses, and individuals facing government investigations, enforcement actions, and high-stakes litigation.

Mr. Ford has extensive experience litigating matters in both federal and state courts and is known for his ability to distill complex legal and factual issues into clear, persuasive advocacy. His practice encompasses white collar criminal and regulatory defense, securities and cyber-fraud litigation, internal investigations, and business disputes involving significant financial and reputational risk.

His notable representations include securing a full acquittal for a hedge fund CFO following a nine-week federal jury trial, obtaining dismissal of a federal “pump-and-dump” securities fraud indictment, and achieving vacatur of multimillion-dollar disgorgement and judgment awards before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. He has also represented clients in SEC enforcement actions, healthcare fraud prosecutions, cyber-fraud investigations, and complex commercial litigation matters.

Before joining Ford O’Brien Landy LLP, Mr. Ford practiced at Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP, where he represented major financial institutions and corporate executives in complex commercial and securities litigation. He also served as a law clerk to the Honorable Sylvia H. Rambo of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

Education

Awards