Over the past nine years, Nestor has served in the U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District of New York (EDNY), most recently as deputy chief of the Business and Securities Fraud Section.
“Julia is an all-star with an insider’s perspective on what prosecutors are thinking,” said Mike Lowell, head of the firm’s Global Regulatory & Investigations practice. “She understands the foundations of corporate governance, the litigation risks to avoid in business practices, and how to handle investigations and prosecutions. Julia will reinforce several of our strongest practices – Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), sanctions, and health care fraud – while bringing unique insight and unmatched experience that will greatly benefit our clients in our rapidly growing blockchain, cryptocurrency, and fintech regulatory and compliance practice.”
A seasoned white-collar trial lawyer with more than 15 years in private practice and public service, Nestor has led and overseen some of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) most complex and significant prosecutions involving banking and securities fraud, international bribery and corruption, health care fraud, trade compliance, anti-money laundering, and cybercrime.
“Reed Smith’s excellent reputation for innovative client service was a huge draw for me,” Nestor said. “The firm’s market-leading financial services and health care practice groups fit perfectly with my skills and experience, and I look forward to helping the firm’s clients with their most important and sensitive matters.”
Nestor brings extensive experience in five key practice areas, well aligned with client demand:
Health care fraud – Over the past two years, Nestor oversaw all health care fraud cases in the EDNY in parallel with the Health Care Fraud Strike Force within the DOJ. From March 2020 on, Nestor also served as coordinator of the EDNY’s coronavirus anti-fraud task force.
Anti-bribery and corruption – Nestor prosecuted and supervised some of the largest and most prominent FCPA cases in the DOJ’s history. She has worked closely with the DOJ’s Fraud and Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section on high-profile matters, including the prosecution of Odebrecht S.A. and Braskem S.A., two large international corporations and their corporate officers and related individuals that were involved in a massive bribery scheme. Nestor is uniquely positioned to help clients navigate investigations and prosecutions involving alleged violations of bribery and corruption laws. She also can advise clients on designing effective anti-bribery and corruption compliance programs.
Trade and banking compliance – Nestor brings an in-depth understanding of the financial crimes risks facing financial institutions and large multinational corporations. She can effectively advise clients on compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act, anti-money laundering laws, and investigations brought by various regulators, including the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and the Office of Foreign Assets Control. For example, she was one of the lead prosecutors in United States v. Huawei Technologies, a case involving alleged racketeering, bank and wire fraud, theft of intellectual property, obstruction of justice, and sanctions violations.
SEC compliance and investigations – Nestor has investigated and prosecuted a full range of market manipulation cases in coordination with the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (SEC). For example, Nestor secured trial convictions in United States v. Schulman of a law firm partner who traded on inside client information and of two individuals who traded ahead of the market on stolen press releases obtained by foreign hackers in United States v. Korchevsky. Nestor is as comfortable helping clients navigate complex regulatory matters before the SEC as she is trying criminal cases.
Blockchain and cryptocurrency – Nestor was the lead prosecutor on the first criminal case involving virtual assets, United States v. Zasklavskiy, and she won the first criminal case that held that an initial coin offering qualified as a security. She is well positioned to advise on the complex enforcement, regulatory, and compliance challenges in fintech-related matters, and on the ever-evolving blockchain and cryptocurrency landscape.
“Without a doubt, Julia is a top-tier, multifaceted talent who can advise on the full gamut of internal and government investigations, regulatory matters, and complex civil litigations,” said New York office managing partner, Cindy Minniti. “She will be an essential asset to anyone who finds themselves involved in the government enforcement process.”
A fluent speaker of Russian, Nestor received the Federal Law Enforcement Award for her successful prosecution of the Korchevsky case. She was also honored with the Assistant Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in connection with the Odebrecht and Braskem cases.
Before joining the EDNY U.S. attorney’s office, Nestor was a litigator with Davis Polk & Wardell LLP. She received her J.D., magna cum laude, from Brooklyn Law School, and she holds a bachelor of science in psychology and political science from Tufts University.
About Reed Smith
Reed Smith is a dynamic international law firm dedicated to helping clients move their businesses forward. With an inclusive culture and innovative mindset, we deliver smarter, more creative legal services that drive better outcomes for our clients. Our deep industry knowledge, long-standing relationships and collaborative structure make us the go-to partner for complex disputes, transactions, and regulatory matters.
For more information, please visit www.reedsmith.com.
