Reed Smith announced the addition of Evan Barr as a partner in its Regulatory and Investigations Group. A seasoned litigator and respected trial lawyer, Barr represents individuals and companies in complex investigations and enforcement actions brought by, among others, the Department of Justice, the SEC and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. He will work in the firm’s New York office.
“Evan’s experience as a veteran defense lawyer and former federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York will be very attractive to our U.S. and global clients who may find themselves in the crosshairs of various regulatory authorities in New York,” said Michael Lowell, chair of Reed Smith’s Regulatory and Investigations Group. “His background, judgment and stellar reputation will perfectly complement our existing white collar team.”
Evan will join Reed Smith’s 200+ attorney Regulatory and Investigations Group alongside other recent former prosecutors, including Mark Bini, (U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of New York), Daniel Ahn (U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California) and Rizzy Qureshi (U.S. Attorney’s Office, Washington, D.C.). “Our clients are increasingly relying on us to handle their most challenging investigations and enforcement matters. Evan will play a major role in supporting our clients on their most important matters while helping us to continue developing our global practice in this area,” Lowell said.
Barr, who routinely appears in Chambers USA among the top white-collar lawyers in New York, joins the firm from Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson LLP, where he was a litigation partner for eight years. Earlier in his career, he was an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York where he also served as chief of the Major Crimes Unit.
Barr has successfully defended clients facing allegations of a wide array of white-collar offenses, including securities fraud, public corruption and antitrust violations. He has tried 12 criminal cases to verdict in federal court and has briefed and argued numerous cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. He is widely known for having persuaded prosecutors and regulators in numerous matters to abandon investigations or decline to bring civil, criminal, or administrative charges against his clients. Barr also has extensive experience in the area of asset forfeiture, and has represented clients for years in matters involving stolen and looted art and antiquities.
“New York area prosecutors continue to assert jurisdiction over matters well beyond their geographic boundaries, and Reed Smith provides me with an unparalleled opportunity to expand the scope of my practice and help the firm’s global clients,” said Barr. “I’m excited to take on the kinds of cutting-edge litigation available principally at firms of this size and international prominence.”
Earlier in his career, Barr also served as Deputy Special Counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, where he investigated allegations of a conspiracy to delay the release of American hostages held in Iran.
Barr has served as chair of the New York State Bar Association’s Committee on White Collar Criminal Litigation for more than a decade. He also writes a quarterly column on white collar crime for the New York Law Journal. He is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School.
“Evan is a great addition to the New York office and our busy white collar practice,” said Cindy Schmitt Minniti, Reed Smith’s New York managing partner. “His long service at the SDNY and record of success in assisting clients navigate challenging criminal investigations will help the group compete nationally for larger and more sophisticated work. We’re thrilled to have him on board.”