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Lawyer Profile

Image of Sharon L. McCarthy

Sharon L. McCarthy

Kostelanetz & Fink, LLP
  • Recognized Since:
    2012
  • Recognized in:
    Criminal Defense: White-Collar
  • Law School:
    Fordham University
  • Lawyer Page:
    http://www.kflaw.com/sharon_l_...
  • Website:
    http://www.kflaw.com
  • Firm's Phone Number:
    (212) 808.8100
  • Location:
    Seven World Trade Center, 34th Floor
    250 Greenwich Street
    New York, NY 10007
"Sharon has a strong presence in court. She is quick, sharp and operates as a surgeon when crossing a witness. "
"Sharon McCarthy is a lawyer of intellectual integrity and expertise who has a compelling force of personality."
  • Lawyer Bio
  • Client Comments
  • Firm Details
  • News & Media
  • Case History

Lawyer Bio

Sharon L. McCarthy, a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, has extensive experience representing individuals and corporations in white-collar criminal matters as well as civil and criminal tax controversies. Her cases have included government investigations of:

  • securities fraud, including insider trading and market manipulation;
  • bank fraud;
  • tax fraud;
  • mail and wire fraud, including theft of honest services;
  • accounting fraud;
  • failure to file tax returns;
  • antitrust violations; 
  • construction fraud relating to Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) certification; and
  • attorney misconduct.

Ms. McCarthy also conducts sensitive internal investigations for corporate and institutional clients either facing potential criminal charges or whose officers or employees have engaged in misconduct.   She has represented individuals who have been implicated, but not charged, in connection with recent major public corruption cases.  

Ms. McCarthy assists clients in voluntarily disclosing off-shore assets and has successfully represented numerous clients in connection with both IRS and NYS tax audits involving sensitive matters, including undisclosed income and off-shore assets.  

In 2013, Ms. McCarthy successfully represented Denis Field, the former CEO of BDO Seidman, in a major tax shelter trial in the Southern District of New York. After he had initially been convicted on all counts, Ms. McCarthy obtained Mr. Field’s acquittal on all counts in a re-trial, in a case described by the government as the largest criminal tax fraud in history.

Ms. McCarthy also has an extensive background in public service. In 2011, she was appointed by the New York City Police Commissioner to the Crime Reporting Review Committee, whose report was issued in April 2013. From May 2008 to March 2009, she served as Special Counsel to the New York State Attorney General in an investigation into whether there had been political interference with the New York State Police.  From 1994 to 2006, Ms. McCarthy served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York, where she served as lead counsel and supervisor of dozens of federal criminal jury trials and argued numerous appeals before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.  While in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Ms. McCarthy served as Chief of the Violent Crimes Unit and Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division and served in the Public Corruption Unit.  Ms. McCarthy was the recipient of the Director’s Award for Superior Performance as an Assistant United States Attorney in both 1996 and 1999. 

Prior to her service in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Ms. McCarthy was an Associate at Lankler Siffert & Wohl and served as a Law Clerk to Judge John F. Keenan, United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York.

Ms. McCarthy is actively involved in various professional associations. She is a member of the First Department’s Committee on Character and Fitness, is the immediate past President of the Fordham Law Alumni Association, Vice President of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York,   Vice Chair of the Federal Criminal Procedure Committee of the American College of Trial Lawyers, and a member of the New York Council of Defense Lawyers.  From 2012-2015, Ms. McCarthy served as Chair of the City Bar’s Criminal Law Committee. 

Since 2009, she has been recognized by “New York Super Lawyers” in the field of white-collar criminal defense. Since 2012, Ms. McCarthy has been listed in Best Lawyers in America. She is AV Rated in Martindale-Hubbell.

Ms. McCarthy is a 1989 graduate of Fordham Law School, where she served as an Articles Editor on the Fordham Law Review. She received a B.A. in 1985 from Colgate University.

 

BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE 

Special Counsel to the Attorney General for the New York State Police Investigation, Office of the New York State Attorney General (May 2008 – March 2009) 
Served as lead counsel in an investigation into whether there had been political interference with the New York State Police.  Supervised a team of attorneys and investigators.

Assistant United States Attorney, United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York (1994 – 2006) 
Extensive experience as lead counsel and supervisor of numerous federal criminal jury trials, hearings, evidentiary hearings, oral arguments, plea proceedings, and sentencings.  Briefed and argued numerous appeals before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.

Chief, Violent Crimes Unit
(July 2002 to September 2006) 

Deputy Chief, Criminal Division
(January 2001 to July 2002) 

Honors: Recipient, Director’s Award for Superior Performance as an Assistant United States Attorney (1996 and 1999) 

Associate, Lankler Siffert & Wohl(1991-1994) 

Law Clerk, Honorable John F. Keenan
United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York (1989 - 1991)

 

AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

  • Ms. McCarthy is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers
  • Ms. McCarthy has been recognized by "New York Super Lawyers" in the field of white-collar criminal defense since 2009.  
  • Martindale-Hubbell AV Rating  
  • Ms. McCarthy has been listed in Best Lawyers in America since 2011.

 

 

 

Read more on firm website
  • Education
  • Bar Admissions
  • Affiliations
  • Award List
  • Additional Information

Education:

  • Fordham University , Juris Doctor, graduated 1989
  • Colgate University, BA, graduated 1985

Bar Admissions:

  • New York, Southern District of New York
  • New York, Eastern District of New York
  • United States, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
  • New York, New York State Bar Association

Affiliations:

  • Appointed by New York City Police Commissioner to the Crime Reporting Review Committee - Report issued in April 2013
  • Committee on Character and Fitness, Appellate Division, First Judicial Department - Member
  • Committee on White Collar Litigation, New York State Bar Association - Member
  • Criminal Law Committee, New York City Bar Association - Former Chair (2012 - 2015)
  • Federal Criminal Procedure Committee, American College of Trial Lawyers - Vice-Chair (2017 - 2018)
  • Fordham Law Alumni Association - First Vice President (2014 - 2016)
  • Fordham Law Alumni Association - President (2016 - 2018)
  • New York City Bar Association - Vice President
  • New York Council of Defense Lawyers - Member
  • Delta Sigma Upsilon Sorority - President

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for work in:

  • Criminal Defense: White-Collar
 

Awards:

  • Ms. McCarthy has been recognized by "New York Super Lawyers" in the field of white-collar criminal defense since 2009.
  • Martindale-Hubbell AV Rating
  • Ms. McCarthy has been listed in Best Lawyers in America since 2011.

Special Focus:

  • COVID-19
 

Lawyer Client Comments

"Sharon has a strong presence in court. She is quick, sharp and operates as a surgeon when crossing a witness. "

"Sharon McCarthy is a lawyer of intellectual integrity and expertise who has a compelling force of personality."

Firm Details

Image for Kostelanetz & Fink, LLP
Kostelanetz & Fink, LLP
http://www.kflaw.com
 
Headquarters
Seven World Trade Center, 34th Floor
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
(212) 808.8100
2 Office Locations
in 1 Country

United States

United States

District of Columbia

District of Columbia

Washington, DC

601 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Suite 260

Washington, DC 20001

United States

(202) 875.8000

Get Directions

News & Media

Featured Publications

Cover for our New York Area publication

Lawyer Case History

Representation of commodities trader in connection with fraud investigation

Representation of commodities trader in connection with fraud investigation by the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, the New York County District Attorney's Office, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

Representation of dozens of holders of foreign bank accounts in connection with voluntary disclosures before the Internal Revenue Service

Representation of dozens of holders of foreign bank accounts in connection with voluntary disclosures before the Internal Revenue Service (criminal investigation and civil audit) and numerous state taxing authorities.

Representation of former CEO of BDO Seidman in a major tax shelter trial.

Representation of former CEO of BDO Seidman in a major tax shelter trial in the Southern District of New York.

Representation of garment industry manufacturer in connection with federal investigation into payroll

Representation of garment industry manufacturer in connection with federal investigation into payroll, corporate, and personal tax evasion involving millions of dollars in unpaid taxes.  Successfully obtained a probationary sentence.

Representation of sole shareholder of Subchapter S corporation

Representation of sole shareholder of Subchapter S corporation in federal tax
fraud investigation, resulting in corporate plea with no charges against the
individual.
 
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