Helen V. Cantwell is a litigation partner with extensive trial experience. Her practice focuses on white collar criminal defense and SEC and internal investigations. Ms. Cantwell represents a wide range of individuals, companies and nonprofits, and frequently advises clients on their compliance obligations. She is also a Clinical Visiting Lecturer in Law at Yale Law School.
Much of Ms. Cantwell's work is not public. Some of her representative white collar and regulatory matters include:
- An international manufacturing company in connection with various state and federal investigations;
- The Chief Risk Officer of a hedge fund in civil litigation and investigations relating to the Bernard L. Madoff matter;
- Numerous private equity clients in government investigations and litigations relating to fallout from the financial crisis;
- Current and former corporate executives in SEC, CFTC and DOJ investigations involving allegations of securities fraud, theft of trade secrets, and other matters; and
- Various matters before District Attorneys of the State of New York and different State Attorneys General.
- Her civil experience includes:
- Representation of MetLife in the successful settlement after jury selection of a securities litigation arising from its demutualization;
- Representation of Metromedia International Group in a trial in Delaware Chancery Court (In re Appraisal of Metromedia); and
- The successful argument of a motion to dismiss in a defamation case against Syracuse University.
Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Cantwell served for eight years as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. During her tenure in the US Attorney's Office, she was a member of the Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force and worked closely with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodities Futures Trading Commission and other law enforcement and regulatory agencies. Ms. Cantwell joined the U.S. Attorney's Office in 2000, after four years as an Assistant District Attorney in the New York County District Attorney's Office. As a prosecutor, she tried 30 cases to verdict, briefed 23 appeals and argued 11 before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. She is a recipient of the Department of Justice Director's Award for Superior Performance as a Federal Prosecutor.
Before the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, Ms. Cantwell spent a year working in Malaysia with the International Women's Rights Action Watch, under a fellowship grant from the Henry Luce Foundation.
Ms. Cantwell joined Debevoise in 2008 and became a partner in 2010. She received her J.D.
cum laude in 1995 from Harvard Law School, where she was President of the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau, and her B.A.
magna cum laude from Wellesley College in 1992.