Marjorie J. Peerce

Partner

New York

Tel 646.346.8039
Fax 212.223.1942

Marjorie J. Peerce is a litigator with a practice focus on white collar criminal defense, virtual currency, regulatory matters, and complex civil litigation. In her more than 30 years of practice, she has handled matters across the criminal and regulatory spectrum.

She is Managing Partner of the firm's New York office, a member of its Elected Board, and is a founding leader of the Blockchain Technology and Cryptocurrency team. That team is composed of lawyers from virtually every practice area in the firm, and aids clients in myriad matters related to virtual currency and the blockchain, including matters related to cryptocurrency scams or thefts involving crypto wallets, initial coin offerings, developing and implementing new products, navigating the complicated maze of government regulation and enforcement, advising on issues related to blockchain technology, and protecting both the data and the consumers who use it. Margie also co-leads the firm's Distressed Digital Assets team.

Margie appears in New York state and federal courts, as well as in federal districts around the country. She has handled criminal and regulatory investigations concerning, for example, violations of the Internal Revenue Code, securities fraud (including Bitcoins), initial coin offerings, cryptocurrency trading, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), the Bank Secrecy Act, government contract procurement and subsidy fraud, mail fraud, bribery, accounting fraud, immigration fraud, health care fraud, environmental matters, commodities fraud, computer fraud and hacking, and criminal customs investigations. Margie has handled a significant number of matters with the SEC, as well as with FINRA and the CFTC. She has handled numerous matters with the New York Attorney General in a variety of areas. She also regularly represents individuals in myriad matters in the Criminal and Supreme Courts in New York City.

Services

Experience

Representative Matters

Virtual Currency

Represents several clients under criminal and SEC investigation related to initial coin offerings
Handling an investigation into alleged manipulative conduct in cryptocurrency trading

Securities Fraud

Represented an individual in a New York Stock Exchange Investigation into the trading of pre release ADR's
Represented several employees of a hedge fund in an internal investigation, SEC investigation, and civil litigation involving alleged misuse of investor funds

Represented the principal of a private equity fund in a criminal proceeding into misuse of investor funds
Handled a number of criminal and regulatory securities fraud cases, including insider trading cases, hedge fund fraud, Bitcoins, and alleged fraud with PIPE investments
Represented a specialist on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange indicted for securities fraud

Accounting Fraud

Representing accounting firm and personnel into accounting issues concerning audit of energy trading company
Represented numerous executives of public companies in multi-pronged accounting fraud investigations
Represented an auditor of several public companies in numerous SEC investigations
Represents an auditor in an SEC and DOJ investigation into municipal accounting

Construction

Defended a client against criminal RICO charges in 14-month trial in the Southern District of New York
Represents individuals in investigations being conducted by the New York County District Attorney as well as the Department of Justice, into myriad construction-related matters, including alleged Disadvantaged Business Enterprises fraud, testing lab issues, criminal safety violations, and criminal labor law violations
Successfully obtained dismissal of felony Disadvantaged Business Enterprise fraud charges against an individual

Tax

Represented an executive of an international family business charged with mail and tax fraud
Represents several individuals under investigation for maintenance of offshore bank accounts
Handled several matters related to the Bernard Madoff matter
Represents an international jeweler in criminal sales tax investigations

Bank Secrecy Act

Represents numerous employees in several bank Anti-Money Laundering/Bank Secrecy Act investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice
Represented a financial institution in a matter implicating Bank Secrecy Act issues

Health Care

Represented an investigator in a major matter in the Southern District of New York concerning use of an experimental drug, resulting in a deferred prosecution agreement
Represents the owner of a nursing home in a New York Attorney General's Office investigation and civil lawsuit into alleged Medicaid false claims act violations
Represents a prison health care provider in numerous matters
Represented a medical provider concerning HIPAA issues
Represents the former CEO of a nursing home chain in an investigation conducted by the New York State Office of Medicaid Inspector General

Public Corruption

Successfully defended a CEO of a public company charged with government contract procurement fraud in a two-month trial in district court in Washington, D.C.
Represented an employee of a public utility charged with receipt of gratuities
Represented an elected official charged with receiving a bribe
Represents a family member of a public official charged with receiving a bribe

Environmental

Represents individuals in a Department of Justice investigation into the Volkswagen emissions matter
Represented an individual involved in the Deepwater Horizon investigation
Successfully represented a national restaurant chain in a felony criminal environmental spillage case resulting in non-criminal disposition
Represented an employee of a concrete supplier in a criminal environmental spillage case

Labor and Employment

Represented numerous executives of public companies in internal investigations related to company employment
Represented a union under investigation for a number of criminal violations, successfully resolving the matter with a non-prosecution agreement

Internal Investigations

Conducted an internal investigation for an international financial institution into alleged FCPA violations in South America, subsequently investigated by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York resulting in no prosecution
Conducted an internal investigation into alleged misuse of a customs stamp for an import company
Conducted an internal investigation for a public company into alleged securities fraud
Conducted an internal investigation into alleged procurement fraud

Customs and Immigration

Representing a number of entities in matters related to compliance with I-9 regulations
Represented an employee of a company under indictment for a major customs importation fraud
Represents a number of employees of a multinational company in a criminal investigation into visa fraud
Represents a corporate officer in Department of Labor investigation into visa fraud
Represented a group of employees in a criminal undocumented worker investigation

Miscellaneous

Represents several individuals under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice for allegedly participating in mortgage fraud schemes
Represented individuals under investigation by various state and city agencies, including the New York Attorney General's office, the New York City Department of Investigation, the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, and Inspectors General of numerous New York City and state agencies
Defended an attorney accused of paying kickbacks for the settlement of personal injury cases
Represents several individuals in investigations into antiquity fraud being conducted by the New York County District Attorney's Office
Represented a witness in an alleged sex discrimination case
Represented an individual and a financial institution in New York County District Attorney's Office investigations into alleged elder abuse
Successfully obtained dismissal of felony reckless endangerment charges brought by the New York County District Attorney's Office
Successfully obtained dismissal of felony sexual abuse charges brought by the New York District Attorney's Office and reduction of felony sexual abuse charges to non-criminal dispositions
Successfully convinced the U.S. Secret Service not to seek criminal prosecution of an individual who allegedly hacked into a computer system
Represents a jewelry store in a Department of Justice investigation into the alleged possession of stolen property
Represented individuals involved with investigations being conducted by bankruptcy trustees
Represented several indigent defendants at trial as appointed counsel while a member of the Southern District of New York Criminal Justice Act panel for 12 years

Professional Highlights

Judicial Clerkships

Hon. Vincent L. Broderick, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

Professional Activities

New York City Bar Association, former Chair, Board of Directors, Member, Executive Committee; former Member, White Collar Crime Committee; former Chair, Criminal Law Committee; Member, Mass Incarceration Task Force

New York Council of Defense Lawyers, former President; former Chair, Sentencing Guidelines Committee

Criminal Justice Act Panel for the Eastern District of New York, Member, Oversight Committee

Women's White Collar Defense Association (WWCDA) Speakers Committee, Co-Chair

Recognition & Accomplishments

The Best Lawyers in America, Administrative/Regulatory Law (New York), 2008-2024; Criminal Defense: White-Collar (New York), 2008-2025

Chambers FinTech Guide, Leading Individual, Crypto-Asset Disputes, 2024

Legal 500, Fintech, 2023, 2024; Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense, 2024

Chambers USA, litigation: white-collar crime & government investigations (New York), 2017-2024

"Top Women Attorneys in the New York Metro Area," The American Registry, 2022, 2024

Speaking Engagements

Frequent contributor to Money Laundering Watch, Ballard Spahr's blog focused exclusively on money laundering issues.

Co-author, "NY Court of Appeals Grapples With Classifying Gig Workers and the Modern Economy," Ballard Spahr alert, May 18, 2020

Co-author, "Federal Crackdown on Hoarding and Gouging During COVID-19 Crisis," Law Journal Newsletters, May 2020

Co-author, "How to Avoid Post-Discovery Pitfalls During Trial Preparation," American Bar Association, April 20, 2020

Panelist, "Plea Bargaining," National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers' 28th Annual National Seminar of Federal Sentencing, St. Petersburg, FL, August 28, 2019

Speaker, "Ethical Issues in the Digital Age: How the Virtual Era Affects the Criminal Defense Lawyers' Role," National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers' 9th Annual West Coast White Collar Conference, Santa Monica, CA, June 20, 2019

Panelist, "Whistleblowers and Other Employment Issues: What You Should and Should Not Do," NYC Bar Association's Regulation of Financial Institutions: Hot Topics and Key Challenges, New York City, June 14, 2019

Speaker and co-chair, "The Intersection of State and Federal Law Regarding Sentencing," The Second Circuit Judicial Council and the New York State-Federal Judicial Council, New York City, April 16, 2019

Speaker, "Current Issues in Cryptocurrencies and ICOs," Federal Bar Council, New York City, March 14, 2019

Speaker, "Legal Issues of Blockchain for Practicing Attorneys," UNC Journal of Law and Technology's Blockchain and the Law Symposium, Chapel Hill, NC, February 22, 2019

Speaker, "Current Issues in Cryptocurrencies and ICOs," Federal Bar Council's 2018 Fall Bench & Bar Retreat, Westbrook, CT, October 19, 2018

Speaker, "Dark Web and Virtual Currencies," National Association of Women Judges' 40^th Annual Conference, San Antonio, TX, October 4, 2018

Speaker, "Plea Bargaining," 27th Annual National Seminar on Federal Sentencing, Orlando, FL, September 6, 2018

Speaker, "Shattering the Shackles of Collateral Consequences: Exploring Moral Principles and Economic Innovations to Restore Rights and Opportunity," NACDL's 2018 Presidential Summit & 17th Annual State Criminal Justice Network Conference," Atlanta, August 25, 2018

Speaker, "The 21st Century Currency: Who, Why, and How Should Cryptocurrencies be Regulated in a Tech World," North American Securities Administrators Association Fintech Forum, Washington, D.C., May 21, 2018

Speaker, "Crypto Currency," 2018 The Turnaround Management Association Network of Women Summit, Chicago, May 8, 2018

Speaker, "Cryptocurrency and Blockchain – the New Super Currency Market," The Mid-Atlantic Women's Public Finance Forum, Hershey, PA, May 4, 2018

Moderator, "Initial Coin Offerings," ABA 2018 Blockchain Technology and Digital Currency and ICO National Institute, New York City, April 27, 2018

Speaker, "Eye on Virtual Currency and Blockchain Technology," Ballard Spahr webinar, September 19, 2017

Speaker, "Current Trends in Criminal Law: The Mechanics of Virtual Currency, From Legitimate Use to Misuse," Lawline webinar, September 7, 2017

Speaker, "Mastering Bitcoin, Blockchain, & Digital Currency Law," The Rossdale Group CLE, June 6, 2018 and August 30, 2017

Speaker, "Departures and Variances," 26th Annual National Seminar on Federal Sentencing Guidelines, St. Petersburg, June 30, 2017

Moderator, "Enforcement Actions," ABA 2017 Blockchain Technology and Digital Currency National Institute, New York City, April 10, 2017

Speaker, BELA Ethisphere's Business Ethics Leadership Alliance Dinner , New York City, March 15, 2017

Speaker, "The Next Wave: The Government’s Focus on U.S. Investments to Evade Foreign Taxes," 33rd Annual National Institute on Criminal Tax Fraud and the Sixth Annual National Institute on Tax Controversy, Las Vegas, December 8, 2016

Speaker, "Plea Bargaining," Twenty-Fifth Annual National Seminar on Federal Sentencing, Orlando, June 1, 2016

Speaker, "Federal Sentencing: Maximizing Client Outcomes from the Investigation to Post-Sentencing," Lawline CLE webinar, May 17, 2016

Speaker, "Recent High Frequency Trading and Spoofing Enforcement Actions: Lessons Learned and Compliance," ABA Business Law Section Spring Meeting, Montreal, Canada, April 7, 2016

Speaker, "Recent Developments in Law Enforcement," ABA 2016 Digital Currency and Blockchain Technology Institute, Washington, D.C., April 1, 2016

Speaker, "Is Climate Change Real? The Current Atmosphere and Future Forecast for White Collar Sentencing Guidelines," Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Philadelphia, November 12, 2015

Speaker, "The Do's and Don'ts of Conducting Internal Investigations," Ballard Spahr webinar, November 10, 2015

Co-Presenter, "Clemency Petitions: How to Shave Years Off Sentences," The Second Circuit Judicial Council and The Federal Defenders of New York, New York, June 26, 2015

Speaker, "Attorney Privilege and Work Product," New York State – Federal Judicial Council and the Second Circuit Judicial Council: Attorney Privilege and Work Product, New York, June 18, 2015

Board Memberships & Community Service

Digital Currency & Ledger Defense Coalition

Federal Bar Foundation

Publications

Frequent contributor to Money Laundering Watch, Ballard Spahr's blog focused exclusively on money laundering issues.

Co-author, "Federal Crackdown on Hoarding and Gouging During COVID-19 Crisis," Law Journal Newsletters, May 2020

Co-author, "How to Avoid Post-Discovery Pitfalls During Trial Preparation," American Bar Association, April 20, 2020

Related Insights

Credentials

Education

Georgetown University Law Center (J.D., cum laude, 1983)
Managing Editor, Tax Lawyer

Tufts University (B.A., magna cum laude, 1980)

Admissions

District of Columbia

New York

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia

U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Southern, and Eastern Districts of New York

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit