Dorothy Heyl has been Of Counsel to Milbank in the Litigation department since 2004. Before joining Milbank, Ms. Heyl was an SEC enforcement attorney for over 17 years.
Primary Focus & Experience
Ms. Heyl counsels financial institutions and individuals on regulatory issues, from the perspectives of complying with SEC and other regulatory requirements, handling internal inquiries, and representing companies or individuals facing regulatory investigations. As Senior Trial Counsel at the SEC, Ms. Heyl litigated as well as investigated contested enforcement actions (including significant Ponzi schemes now dwarfed by Madoff) , and she uses that experience, as well in select litigation matters at Milbank as well.
Her recent representations include:
- AIGFP employees investigated by the SEC and the Department of Justice;
- A European bank sued in an adversary proceeding by Fairfield Sentry;
- Advice to money managers on SEC compliance requirements;
- Broker-dealers with best-execution issues
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Internal inquiries stemming from whistleblower allegations of FCPA and other violations.
Recognition & Accomplishments
Ms. Heyl received the SEC’s Irving Pollack award in December 2000, in recognition of her excellent legal skills, zeal for the public interest and high ethical standards. She previously won first place from former SEC Chair Arthur Levitt in his Plain English Challenge, and was commended by US Attorney Mary Jo White for her achievements in the Towers Financial investigation.
Ms. Heyl served on a New York City Bar Association task force on the Lawyer’s Role in Corporate Governance, heading the subcommittee “Where Were the Lawyers?” She recently published articles in the New York Law Journal on "Federal Courts Apply ‘Morrison’ Expansively" and "‘Obey the Law’ Injunctions Questioned in Some Courts."