Thomas A. McKay

Thomas A. McKay represents individuals and organizations in high-stakes criminal, civil, and regulatory matters.  He has extensive trial and appellate experience.

On numerous occasions, Tom has convinced prosecutors not to bring criminal charges against his clients despite lengthy investigations.  His recent representations have included: representing executives and traders in the cryptocurrency and digital assets industry in DOJ, CFTC, and SEC investigations and enforcement actions; representing executives, officers and employees in the healthcare, biotech, and real estate industries in insider trading investigations and prosecutions; representing founders, executives, and attorneys in investigations and prosecutions involving various types of financial fraud, including FCPA and accounting matters; representing a cardiologist, an operations specialist, and a law enforcement officer in bribery and kickback investigations and prosecutions; representing a global cryptocurrency exchange with regard to regulatory inquiries and civil matters; and serving as the court-appointed Independent Integrity Officer for the District Council of New York City and Vicinity of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America. 

Prior to joining Morvillo Abramowitz, Tom served for close to a decade in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, most recently as Co-Chief of the Public Corruption Unit. He tried and supervised hundreds of matters involving bribery, financial fraud, FCPA violations, tax crimes, campaign finance crimes, and drug and sex trafficking. Tom also served as Deputy Chief of Appeals, arguing numerous cases before the Second Circuit and briefing dozens of others.

Benchmark Litigation has recognized Tom on its 2023 and 2024 “Under 40 Hot List,” which recognizes the achievements of the “top emerging talent” in the U.S. litigation field. He published a chapter entitled “Individual Penalties Third-Party Rights: The US Perspective” in a Global Investigations Review treatise.  Tom is also contributor to the New York Law Journal and has published articles in the Review of Securities and Commodities Regulation and on the Forbes “The Insider” blog.

Tom is a member of the New York City Bar Association’s White Collar Crime and Election Law Committees.