Travis Hill

My focus

I represent clients in a variety of industries, including real estate, financial services, health care, technology, media, sports, entertainment, and nonprofits, in five primary areas:

Government Investigations, Regulatory Proceedings and Matters, and White Collar Criminal Trials

I leverage my nearly fifteen years of government experience to represent entities and individuals under investigation by federal, state, and local agencies. As a former AUSA in the District of Columbia and chief of both the Public Integrity Bureau and the Real Estate Enforcement Unit of the New York State Attorney General’s Office, I have extensive experience in complex investigations, trials, and appellate litigation. My experience includes developing and implementing litigation strategy, managing complex discovery, complex motion practice, and first-chairing pre- and post-trial hearings. I have managed teams of attorneys, investigators, auditors, and paralegals in cases involving public corruption, commercial bribery, embezzlement, financial fraud and insider trading, false claims, antitrust violations, money laundering, mortgage fraud, tax fraud, real estate fraud, and health care fraud. I have broad experience in high-stakes investigations involving state and federal agencies, such as the Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney’s Offices, FBI, and NY State Attorney General’s Office.

I have unique insights into enforcement priorities and techniques of New York state and federal prosecutors and regulators. I am particularly well suited to handle litigation and/or regulatory actions taken by the New York State Attorney General’s Office, where I have served in a variety of senior roles across the Criminal Division, as well as criminal and civil enforcement actions taken by various state AG offices. I also represent clients before regulatory bodies such as the SEC, FTC, and New York State Department of Financial Services in various actions (including those involving antitrust and securities).

Over my career, I have first-chaired more than 25 jury trials and more than 40 bench trials in cases ranging from attempted murder to grand larceny and financial fraud. I have indicted and tried cases in both New York State and Washington DC. I utilize this trial experience to help clients involved in various civil and criminal actions.

Appeals

I have handled a number of appeals in both New York and Washington DC while with the government, all resulting in affirmance of the trial court convictions. I utilize this experience in representing individuals in white-collar criminal appeals and corporations and nonprofits in civil appellate litigation.

Complex Commercial Disputes

I also leverage my trial and appellate experience to help entities involved in various business disputes, antitrust litigation, and securities litigation, providing both strategic advice and courtroom advocacy.

Internal Investigations and Corporate Compliance

With the rise of sexual harassment allegations and other allegations of workplace misconduct, the importance of strong internal controls and the ability to conduct thorough internal investigations have become vital to the corporate model. With my extensive background in investigating a broad array of crimes, I assist in thorough internal investigations involving allegations of wrongdoing within corporations, universities, nonprofits, and other organizations. My broad experience in complex investigations also positions me well to handle corporate compliance for clients.

Crisis Management

Oftentimes, a legal situation arises for a corporation, nonprofit, university, or organization requiring a broad strategic response beyond the typical litigation strategy. Effective crisis management has become a corporate necessity. I assist in strategically managing all forms of crises, whether criminal, civil, regulatory, and/or reputational in nature, so as to swiftly and strategically respond and guide clients through emergent situations. Reputational risk is often equally important as an indictment or an adverse litigation outcome. As such, I take a holistic approach to putting my clients in the best position possible to protect all of their interests.

Prior Government Experience

• NY State Office of the Attorney General: Nov. 2013–Dec. 2020
  • Chief, Public Integrity Bureau
  • Chief, Real Estate Enforcement Unit (During Mr. Hill’s tenure, the unit recovered more than $6M in criminal penalties and civil forfeitures.)
  • Special Counsel, Public Integrity Bureau
• U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia: Jan. 2011–Nov. 2013
  • Assistant U.S. Attorney (Mr. Hill prosecuted a broad array of crimes, from violent offenses to financial fraud.)
• Queens County District Attorney’s Office: April 2006–Dec. 2010
  • Assistant District Attorney

Looking ahead

State attorneys general will continue increased enforcement efforts and clients will repeatedly turn to firms who have extensive experience in state AG practice. And under the Biden administration, federal enforcement will certainly increase. In particular, look for increased financial regulations and fraud investigations, environmental enforcement, antitrust enforcement (especially in the tech industry), and health care fraud investigations related to the Affordable Care Act and the COVID-19 pandemic response. Entities must be prepared to deal with enforcement actions on multiple fronts and should look to trusted advisors with the ability to provide a comprehensive strategy to effectively deal with such matters, as well as the foresight to anticipate potential issues and take proactive steps to help clients mitigate risk and avoid exposure to enforcement actions and litigation.

Representative experience

• Under Mr. Hill’s leadership as chief of Real Estate Enforcement Unit of the New York State Attorney General’s Office, multiple landlords and real estate developers were sentenced to jail for their fraudulent schemes. Most notably, NYC landlord Steven Croman pled guilty to three felony counts, including grand larceny and tax fraud, paid a $5 million tax penalty, and served one year in jail, as the result of a $45 million bank fraud. Led the grand jury presentation; was the primary drafter of the prosecution’s motions, including a novel theory of larceny upheld by the trial court; and served as the lead criminal negotiator in conjunction with a parallel civil proceeding.
• As special counsel in the Public Integrity Bureau of the New York State Attorney General’s Office, Mr. Hill prosecuted complex financial fraud and public corruption. He was the lead prosecutor in the 2017 jury trial conviction of a sitting New York City Councilman for stealing grant funds and campaign finance matching funds.
• Led the 2015 jury trial conviction of a health care nonprofit executive for stealing grant funds from multiple city, state, and federal agencies. The defendant was convicted of 29 felony counts and served one year in state prison. In 2018, briefed and argued the appeal of the nonprofit executive’s conviction, which was affirmed.
• Supervised the jury trial conviction of the former Mt. Vernon Corporation counsel for stealing city funds to pay legal fees.
• Supervised the jury trial conviction of a nonprofit executive for orchestrating a straw donation scheme for a New York City Council candidate.
• Co-lead counsel in the indictment and conviction of former airline industry executives for multi-million-dollar commercial bribery and money laundering scheme at JFK Airport.
• Lead prosecutor in the grand jury presentation of a multimillion-dollar health care fraud, which led to the indictment of multiple pharmacy executives. Ultimately, all defendants pled guilty and the state recovered $4 million.