Veronika Alayeva is a trial lawyer, with experience in state and federal courts, whose practice includes white collar criminal defense and investigations, complex commercial disputes, business and other civil litigation, real estate, reputation crises management, and other matters. She is a former Assistant District Attorney with the New York County District Attorney’s Office, where she investigated and prosecuted violent offenses and complex long-term investigations and conducted several trials. Veronika also has significant experience handling cases involving media exposure and public scrutiny.
Veronika’s practice also includes representing institutions and individuals in high-stakes civil fraud and criminal investigations, grand jury investigations, and False Claims Act investigations.
Veronika is fluent in Russian.
Work Highlights
- Silverfern, a private equity investment management firm, in its New York State Supreme Court action against Citi seeking over $20 million in damages for Citi’s breach of its “best efforts” and other contractual obligations as Placement Agent under the parties’ Distribution Agreement.
- Mr. Manish Patel, a New York CEO who was charged in an alleged $48 million health care fraud and kickback scheme by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. As one of the lead associates on the Kasowitz team, Veronika helped obtain a remarkable and almost unprecedented sentencing result for Mr. Patel, who was sentenced to just 14 months in prison, rather than the expected 60 months. U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield remarked on the record: “by the way, you've probably figured this out, your lawyers have done a great job of representing you.”
- Texas attorney Tony Buzbee and The Buzbee Law Firm in a highly publicized dispute with American music mogul Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter in connection with Jay-Z’s efforts to dismiss the claims brought by The Buzbee Law Firm on behalf of Jane Doe in the Southern District of New York against Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs.
- Chelsea Hotel Owner LLC, owner of the iconic Hotel Chelsea, in an ongoing § 1983 action against the City of New York arising from the City’s wrongful regulatory reclassification of the Hotel and revocation of its valid permit, in addition to other matters.
Media