Rizzy is a partner in the Global Regulatory Enforcement group based in Washington, D.C. and New York and a member of the firm’s executive committee. He represents public and privately-held companies, audit committees and executives facing difficult legal and reputational crises in white collar criminal defense and securities enforcement matters, internal investigations, and related civil litigation. A seasoned trial lawyer and accomplished litigator, Rizzy has tried over 30 cases and has successfully represented clients facing complex investigations with the Department of Justice and other domestic and international regulators.
As a former federal prosecutor, Rizzy has a unique understanding of the legal, business, and reputational risks clients face when even the suggestion of their involvement in a criminal investigation is made public. His commitment to getting to know his clients combined with his aggressive, multifaceted approach and tenacious attitude are why corporations and high-profile individuals trust Rizzy to navigate them through crises and achieve advantageous outcomes, whether that be an early case dismissal or a resolution on favorable terms.
Prior to re-joining Reed Smith, Rizzy served with distinction as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Columbia. As an Assistant United States Attorney, he served in various roles, including a senior position in the Violent & Repeat Offender Unit where he prosecuted some of the District’s most violent offenders for various offenses, including armed robbery and homicide. In this role, Rizzy handled some of the most high-profile violent crime matters in the District, including officer-involved shootings. In these cases, Rizzy participated in parallel investigations to determine whether sufficient evidence existed to conclude that any officers violated either federal criminal civil rights law or District of Columbia law. Most recently, Rizzy served in a senior position in the Cyber Crime Section where he led grand jury investigations involving cyber intrusions or hacking, fraud, money laundering, business email compromise schemes, aggravated identity theft and other related offenses. For each of his years of service at the United States Attorney’s Office, Rizzy received a Special Achievement Award from the Department of Justice in recognition of his trial and investigative work.
Before his government service, Rizzy served as a senior associate in Reed Smith’s New York and Washington, DC offices. With a practice devoted to a wide range of commercial and financial services litigation and government investigations, Rizzy successfully counseled clients in complex investigations involving the False Claims Act, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other securities-related investigations with the SEC.
Rizzy prides himself on his active engagement in social justice and civil rights initiatives. As part of this work, he not only partners with non-profits and firm clients to advance criminal justice reform, but also maintains a substantial pro bono practice.
Rizzy’s commitment to social justice not only influences how he runs his practice, but also drives his active involvement with the firm’s Culture & Engagement Committee and as a member of the Recruitment Committee for the Washington, DC office.
