DLA Piper is pleased to announce that Jessica Masella will join the firm as partner with the White Collar, Corporate Crime and Investigations practice in New York. Masella most recently served as Chief of the Narcotics Unit at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
Masella’s 12-year tenure at the US Attorney’s Office began in 2004 and included service in the General Crimes and Violent Crimes Units. She then spent two years in the Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force, where she played a leading role in prosecuting significant insider trading and related investigations that garnered that office high-profile recognition. In 2015, US Attorney Preet Bharara named her as Chief of the Narcotics Unit, one of the Office’s most important units.
“Jessica is an outstanding trial lawyer and will be an important addition to our white collar and complex litigation practices. We are pleased to welcome her to the firm,” said Loren Brown, co-chair of DLA Piper’s global and US Litigation practices.
During her tenure as a prosecutor, Masella tried 11 felony jury trials. As Chief of the Narcotics Unit, she supervised approximately 20 Assistant United States Attorneys in all aspects of their investigations and prosecutions. She has been honored multiple times by the Department of Justice and outside organizations for her trial skills and contributions to the office.
“I had the privilege of working with Jessica at the SDNY, and can attest to her impressive trial experience and leadership skills,” said John Hillebrecht, co-chair of DLA Piper’s White Collar, Corporate Crime and Investigations Practice. “She will be an integral part of our team in New York and nationally, and I look forward to working together again.”
Prior to joining the US Attorney’s Office, Masella was an associate at Sullivan & Cromwell for four years, where she worked on a combination of white collar and civil matters, including securities fraud cases. She received her J.D. from Columbia University School of Law in 2000, where she was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, and her B.A. from Dartmouth.
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