David Esseks
Founding Partner
David has been practicing criminal law for thirty-five years, on both sides of the “v”. After a decade as a federal prosecutor, he led the global litigation and the white collar and investigations practices at an international firm, handling global investigations as well as prosecutions in New York. He and Gene founded Esseks Ingoglia to provide their brand of fierce advocacy to clients in a nimble and flexible manner.
Experience
David has been recognized in Band 1 by Chambers for years. Clients have described him as “'experienced, thoughtful and results-driven'…He 'is calm under pressure, smart and strategic,” and "an extremely talented trial lawyer and cross-examiner who is the picture of credibility in the courtroom”. Chambers also describes David as "a go-to attorney for a range of corporations and financial institutions facing allegations of criminal misconduct and regulatory proceedings, drawing praise as an 'incredibly smart attorney with excellent judgment.'" David has also been tapped by Lawdragon in 2024 as one of the 500 Leading Litigators in America.
From 1994 to 2007, David was an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and Chief of that Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. In that role, he oversaw a staff of 20 prosecutors and coordinated fraud investigations with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and FINRA.
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David graduated cum laude from Williams College with a B.A. in 1987 and magna cum laude from University of Michigan Law School with a J.D. in 1990 where he was an Articles Editor of the Law Review. He clerked for the Honorable Amalya Lyle Kearse on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.