Timothy M. Haggerty

Tim Haggerty is an experienced litigator with a multifaceted practice encompassing white collar defense, complex civil litigation, and education law.

In the white collar defense context, Tim has defended senior executives, public and private companies, and institutions of higher education in investigations and enforcement matters brought by the Department of Justice, Securities and Exchange Commission, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and state and local prosecutors. He has helped clients navigate and respond to allegations of securities fraud, insider trading, racketeering, violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, bribery, and tax law violations, among others, and his representations often involve cross-border considerations and collaboration with foreign co-counsel. Tim has conducted confidential internal investigations, and he has represented clients in some of the most high-profile matters in the nation.

Tim regularly represents clients in complex contract and commercial disputes in both state and federal courts and across a wide range of industries, including consumer products, financial services, technology, and media. Tim’s civil litigation practice also includes actions arising under the securities laws, both on behalf of plaintiffs and defendants, as well as employment actions and a broad variety of other general litigation matters. He regularly counsels individuals and companies seeking to resolve disputes before they turn into litigation and has deftly resolved many matters short of trial, thereby allowing clients to focus on running their organizations and avoiding the expense and inconvenience of protracted litigation. Tim’s significant trial experience is an asset when the particulars of a matter warrant progression to trial stage and also informs strategy prior to that point.

Tim also has extensive experience handling a variety of matters involving institutions of higher education, including advising on governance, conducting internal investigations, responding to local, state, and federal inquiries, and litigation, including with respect to Title IX, employment matters, and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

Tim was selected to Chambers & Partners’ list of ranked lawyers in the Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations in New York category of the 2024, 2025, and 2026 Chambers USA guides. A description of the selection methodology can be found here. (No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.)

Prior to joining Friedman Kaplan, Tim practiced at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP.

Representative Matters

• Defense of the former Chief Financial Officer of Archegos Capital Management in a prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, including serving as second-chair trial counsel through the 2024 nine-week criminal trial involving charges of RICO conspiracy, securities fraud, and mail and wire fraud relating to the 2021 collapse of the family office. In related civil actions, Tim and the firm previously obtained the dismissal of a CFTC enforcement action filed in the SDNY and continue to represent the client in a related SEC enforcement action and in a case brought by a former Archegos employee.
• Representation of the former longtime Chief Financial Officer of the Trump Organization in the highly publicized New York County District Attorney’s investigation and prosecution of the Trump Corporation, Trump Payroll Corporation, and our client for tax violations. Tim and Friedman Kaplan represented the client throughout lengthy and complicated investigations conducted by the DANY and at every stage of the proceedings, notably achieving a unique plea deal and greatly reduced sentence for the firm's client in exchange for his truthful testimony at trial that resulted in the conviction of the Trump Organization in December 2022.  
• Representation of a prominent individual in connection with federal investigations and Congressional inquiries relating to conduct during the U.S. Presidential election in 2016.
• Representation of a major financial services company in a five-month jury trial successfully defending against claims of racketeering, misappropriation of trade secrets, and unfair competition totaling $1 billion.
• Regular representation of a prominent institution of higher education in connection with non-public matters, internal investigations, and responding to confidential state and federal inquiries.
• Defense of the former Chief Financial Officer of a once-leading sports equipment manufacturer in a putative class action asserting ’34 Act claims arising out of the company’s disclosures related to its sales and accounting practices, including allegations of channel stuffing and improper revenue recognition.
• Representation of legal scholars and law professors as amici curiae in federal and state lawsuits, including before the U.S. Supreme Court and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, to advance an interpretation of federal law that preserves the authority of states and other governmental entities to enact and enforce laws that impose liability on gun industry participants whose unlawful conduct is a proximate cause of harm related to firearms violence.
• Representation of a franchise owner in a lawsuit arising from franchisee’s termination due to breaches of royalty, exclusivity, and related contractual obligations.
• Representation of asbestos trusts and claims processing facilities in numerous litigation matters, including the Manville Personal Injury Settlement Trust (“Manville Trust”) in connection with a multi-million dollar claim by the post-bankruptcy successor of a Johns-Manville Corp. distributor, which sought indemnification for settlement payments it had made to approximately 5,000 asbestos health claimants between 2010 and 2017. Friedman Kaplan successfully persuaded the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York to rule in the Manville Trust’s favor on every question of law presented and to dismiss the damages claims against the Manville Trust.
• Representation of a major international bank in connection with litigation against two brokerage firms and certain of their officers and employees related to brokers’ collusion with a trader employed by our client to mismark the bank’s positions in natural gas options.
• Representation of a major international media company in defense of lawsuit alleging sexual harassment, which was dismissed in its entirety following our motion to dismiss.
• Representation of a high net worth individual in statutory and common law securities fraud claims against a major investment bank, through and including trial before FINRA.
• Representation of an attorney in connection with discovery applications under 28 U.S.C. § 1782 seeking documents and deposition testimony for use in foreign proceedings, including for an environmental damages case on behalf of the people of Ecuador against Chevron.
• Representation of a senior hedge fund analyst in connection with racketeering and other claims arising out of an alleged short-selling conspiracy. The claims against the firm’s client were dismissed on summary judgment.
• Representation of an attorney in connection with a disciplinary proceeding, which was resolved successfully with a finding of no actionable grievance.
• Representation of a senior hedge fund executive in connection with a partnership dispute at his fund, which was resolved outside of litigation.

Tim also has an active pro bono practice. Some of his notable matters have included representing the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence in various matters, including as amicus in opposition to actions challenging New Jersey’s regulations banning large-capacity ammunition magazines and ghost guns, and representing a victim of Hurricane Sandy in litigation against her insurer arising out of the insurer’s refusal to provide coverage for damage to the victim’s manufactured home. He has also represented federal inmates seeking compassionate release from custody on diverse and novel grounds, and he has helped a number of clients successfully expunge their criminal records. 

Outside the Office

Tim is an active member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys. He was a member of Law360’s 2025 New Jersey editorial advisory board.