Ian Stearns

A partner in Goodwin’s Complex Litigation & Dispute Resolution group, Ian Stearns focuses on securities, mergers and acquisitions, and private equity-related and other civil litigation, as well as government investigations and enforcement matters.

As a former federal prosecutor in Boston and recipient of the DOJ’s second-highest national honor, Ian has extensive experience handling complex white collar investigations and high-profile trials involving securities fraud, insider trading, money laundering, obstruction of justice, bribery, mail, wire, and honest services fraud, and other related financial crimes. He previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Massachusetts in the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit, where he served as lead prosecutor in several recent landmark insider trading and securities fraud investigations and prosecutions, including numerous parallel investigations with the SEC. Throughout his six-year DOJ tenure, during which he focused exclusively on white collar matters, Ian led all phases of investigations and prosecutions, including several monthlong jury trials, as well as wiretap investigations, grand jury proceedings, evidentiary hearings, motion practice, sentencing, and appellate briefing, while coordinating extensively with the FBI, SEC, FINRA, and other domestic and international regulators and law enforcement agencies. In recognition of his work, Ian received the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in 2022.

Earlier in his career, Ian was an associate at Goodwin. After graduating from Stanford Law School, Ian served as a law clerk to the Honorable Christopher F. Droney of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the Honorable F. Dennis Saylor IV of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

• Lead prosecutor in United States v. Nourafchan et al., landmark insider trading prosecution involving more than 30 defendants, including M&A lawyers at global law firms*
• Lead prosecutor in United v. Khouadja et al., multi-defendant international securities fraud and money laundering prosecution*
• Lead prosecutor in United States v. Bortnovsky et al., multi-defendant insider trading prosecution*
• Co-lead counsel in Operation Varsity Blues, which secured the conviction of more than 50 individuals in the largest ever college admissions prosecution, including as trial counsel in all cases to proceed to trial*

*Denotes experience prior to joining Goodwin

Prior to rejoining Goodwin in 2026, Ian served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Massachusetts in the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit. From 2018 to 2020, Ian was an associate at Goodwin, where he worked on securities and M&A litigation matters for both private and public companies, as well as white collar and government investigations matters. Earlier in his career, Ian was an analyst at a global investment bank.

• Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service (2022)