Courtney D. Orazio

Since joining Goodwin, Ms. Orazio has represented clients in white collar criminal matters, government investigations, securities litigation, and complex civil litigation in federal and state courts. Ms. Orazio has experience in all phases of litigation, including criminal and civil trials in federal and state court, class action matters, and federal and state court appeals.

Ms. Orazio’s recent work includes:

• A month-long federal jury trial resulting in an acquittal for the former president of a pharmaceutical company in a criminal anti-kickback case in the District of Massachusetts.
• A three-week federal jury trial in the Southern District of New York in which Ms. Orazio argued evidentiary motions and cross-examined numerous witnesses in connection with defending a New York City-based tax preparer facing charges of tax fraud and identity theft.
• A two-week bench trial in the Business Litigation Session of the Suffolk Superior Court, in which Ms. Orazio argued evidentiary motions and cross-examined witnesses in connection with breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty claims brought by former minority shareholders in a non-public company.
• Won dismissal with prejudice in the Southern District of New York of federal securities class action under Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5 against a public biopharmaceutical company and its officers.
• Won dismissal of civil RICO charges on behalf of a loan servicing company and a private equity firm in five different cases in Illinois federal and state court.
• Defended public biopharmaceutical company and individuals in SEC insider trading investigation in which the SEC issued termination notices and declined to pursue enforcement actions. 
• Won summary judgment in a wage-and-hour federal class action in the Central District of California on behalf of a nationwide cosmetics distribution company.
• Defended a private equity firm against False Claims Act allegations based on a former portfolio company’s operations, which resulted in the DOJ’s decision not to pursue claims against the firm.
• Defended a nationwide transportation company in numerous class actions, civil suits, and attorney general investigations arising out of alleged misclassification of independent contractors.
• Defended a large national mortgage lender against claims involving improper lending and servicing practices. 
• Drafted clemency petition that was granted by President Obama in connection with pro bono representation of client serving federal sentence for non-violent drug offenses for which penalty would have been substantially lower if convicted today.
• Represented various individuals and corporations in investigations conducted by the criminal and civil divisions of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including securities fraud, mail and wire fraud, and healthcare fraud investigations relating to pharmaceutical sales and marketing practices, and drug and device manufacturing processes.

In addition, in 2019, Ms. Orazio gained significant trial experience during a six-month secondment with the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office, where she served as a Special Assistant District Attorney in the Woburn, Massachusetts District Court. In that capacity, she prosecuted hundreds of felony and misdemeanor crimes; independently conducted a dozen jury and bench trials to final verdict; and argued dozens of dispositive and evidentiary motions.