“Lara’s addition brings yet another former federal prosecutor with extensive trial experience and a reputation for skilfully handling complex matters and investigations among our partner ranks,” said Mike Lowell, chair of Reed Smith’s global regulatory and investigations practice. “Given her previous role in the Southern District of Florida, Lara will be a key contributor in the firm’s capability to provide advice and counsel in clients in South Florida on complex investigations and enforcement actions brought by regulatory authorities, as well as white collar matters, especially in areas such as cryptocurrencies and digital assets, anti-money laundering, and trade compliance. We are thrilled to welcome Lara to the firm and very excited for the multi-jurisdictional growth of our team.”
During her time at the DOJ, Gatz represented the United States in all phases of federal criminal investigation and litigation. She was responsible for managing a complex and diverse portfolio of litigation, including a variety of complex financial fraud investigations and prosecutions, racketeering cases, murder cases, narcotics and firearms trafficking offenses, public corruption investigations and prosecutions, bribery and extortion cases, money laundering cases and obstruction of justice investigations and prosecutions. Gatz also spearheaded a series of complex, multiyear white-collar investigations, leading a team of attorneys and investigators to success, utilizing innovative legal strategies.
Prior to her tenure in the Southern District of Florida, Gatz served as Senior Litigation Counsel and Senior Trial counsel in the Eastern District of New York. She also worked at the New York City Law Department as an Assistant Corporation Counsel where she was assigned to the Special Federal Litigation Section and defended the City of New York, New York City Police Department, and New York City Department of Corrections in complex federal civil rights and class action litigation. She also supervised and trained attorneys in litigation and trial strategies and conducted approximately 100 felony and misdemeanor bench trials.
A highly distinguished prosecutor, Gatz has been the recipient of numerous awards for her service, including the Federal Prosecutor of the Year Award from the Federal Law Enforcement Foundation, the Charles E. Rose Award for Outstanding Services as an Assistant U.S. Attorney from the Eastern District Association, and was a three-time recipient of both the True American Hero Award from the Federal Drug Agents Foundation, and a Certificate of Merit from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Gatz joins a 200+ attorney regulatory and investigations team widely regarded for its handling of complex matters on behalf of large corporations, and its representation of both corporations and individuals facing complex government investigations, criminal and regulatory proceedings, and related civil litigation. She is the latest in a series of former federal prosecutors who have joined the firm over the past year, including Evan Barr (U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York), Mark Bini, (U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of New York), and Daniel Ahn (U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California).
“I am very excited to be joining Reed Smith” said Gatz. “Reed Smith has an outstanding team of dynamic attorneys who are uniquely positioned to offer client focused, comprehensive representation. I look forward to the opportunity to partner with so many skilled lawyers, including those with whom I served in the DOJ, and the other seasoned litigators and industry leaders in the regulatory and investigations practice.”