Melissa Lee Brumer is an associate in Goodwin’s Complex Litigation & Dispute Resolution practice. She focuses her practice on white collar criminal defense, government and internal investigations, and complex commercial and financial litigation. Ms. Brumer also has an active pro bono practice, including representing indigent criminal defendants in a variety of federal matters. She joined the firm in 2019.
Prior to joining Goodwin, Ms. Brumer served as a law clerk to the Honorable Dora L. Irizarry, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Prior to that, she was an associate at Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP.
Experience
Ms. Brumer has represented individuals and companies in federal and state courts, alternative dispute resolution arbitrations and mediations, and governmental and internal investigations.
Examples of Ms. Brumer’s recent representative matters include:
- A former CEO against criminal charges of securities fraud and wire fraud in S.D.N.Y. relating to the sale of digital assets.
- A leading broker-dealer in a FINRA customer dispute arbitration.
- An alternative asset management firm in litigation relating to its debt financing of a restaurant chain in the New York Supreme Court, Commercial Division.
- A financial institution in defending claims related to its underwriting of municipal bonds in Puerto Rico.
- An investment bank in its role as financial advisor in a municipal restructuring.
- A leading international financial institution in an antitrust class action alleging benchmark rate manipulation in S.D.N.Y.
- A co-founder and CEO of a multi-billion dollar hedge fund in an American Arbitration Association arbitration against one of the world’s largest alternative asset management firms.*
- A leading international financial institution in a class action multi-district litigation alleging benchmark rate manipulation.*
Professional Activities
Ms. Brumer is a member of the Federal Bar Council.
Professional Experience
While attending law school, Ms. Brumer was a Milton Pollack fellow to the Honorable Loretta A. Preska, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. She was also an extern for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, Criminal Division. As an extern, Ms. Brumer worked with the Violent and Organized Crime Unit to prepare for and assist with an eight-week multi-defendant criminal trial involving racketeering (RICO) and other offenses.
Ms. Brumer was a member of New York’s inaugural class of Pro Bono Scholars during her last semester of law school as a student attorney with New York Legal Assistance Group and Fordham Law’s Consumer Litigation Clinic. As a student attorney, Ms. Brumer represented clients in civil courts in all five boroughs of New York. Ms. Brumer also drafted and submitted a brief on behalf of Professors of Law as amici curiae in connection with an appeal in the New York Appellate Division, First Department.Credentials
Education
JD2015
Fordham University School of Law
BA2012
Fordham University
Clerkships
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Chief Judge Dora L. Irizarry
Admissions
Bars
- New York
Courts
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
Recognition & Awards
Ms. Brumer has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America Ones to Watch for her work in Criminal Defense: White-Collar 2022.
Ms. Brumer was named to The Best Lawyers in America 2021: Ones to Watch.
Ms. Brumer is a recipient of The Legal Aid Society of New York's Pro Bono Publico Award.
Publications
Ms. Brumer’s recent publications include:
- Co-author, “For Civil Enforcement, The Pandemic Is Just Beginning,” New York Law Journal, April 2, 2021