Joan P. Sullivan

Joan represents and advises businesses, individuals and not-for-profits in a variety of federal and state criminal and civil litigation matters, regulatory proceedings, government investigations and corporate internal investigations, with particular emphasis on defending clients against claims of fraud.  She represents executives and corporations in a wide range of industries, including healthcare, retail, construction, energy, IT, and higher education.   

Joan also counsels clients on compliance issues, focusing on government ethics, lobbying compliance and government procurement processes.  Keeping current on all relevant changes in the legal landscape, she regularly reviews policies and procedures, including any filings submitted to federal, state and NYC agencies, from a compliance perspective.  She provides analysis related to procurement issues, unregistered lobbying, conflicts of interest, including gifts and entertainment, to ensure organizations meet their legal and ethical obligations.  She regularly conducts training to make employees aware of their responsibilities.  Joan has represented clients in matters involving the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the New York State Attorney General, New York State Gaming Commission, New York Public Service Commission, New York Office of General Services and the Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying, to name a few.  

Joan’s significant experience representing companies with large scale internal investigations includes her engagement as counsel in both of former Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Moreland Commission Investigations.  She has conducted internal corporate probes for Fortune 50 and large privately-held companies, involving allegations of potential violations of federal and state laws.  

Joan has previously served as a counsel to the New York State Commission on Public Integrity, now known as the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (“the Commission”).  In this capacity, she assisted in high-level investigations of statewide elected leaders into potential violations of the ethics law and authored formal and informal advisory opinions on a range of ethical issues relative to executive branch public officials and employees interpreting the New York State Public Officers Law.

Prior to her service with the Commission, Joan served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Office of the New York County District Attorney, Robert Morgenthau, in the Special Prosecutions Bureau, where she supervised investigations of white-collar criminals and presented cases to the grand jury. She also served in the Appeals Bureau, where she prepared briefs and presented oral arguments to the New York State Appellate Division and the New York State Court of Appeals. Joan began her legal career with a New York City law firm, where she focused on medical malpractice defense and accountants’ liability litigation on behalf of Lloyd’s of London, the international insurance syndicate.

Prior to joining Lippes Mathias, Joan was a partner with Harris Beach PLLC.

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