Samidh Guha
Clients rely on his strategic counsel to navigate sensitive matters with legal precision and discretion, crafting creative solutions to prevail in contested matters, to create leverage for resolutions, and, at all times, to maximize client objectives. Samidh advises his clients, which range from international organizations to individuals, in connection with federal and state investigations, including matters involving securities fraud, insider trading, and corporate misconduct. His experience spans multi-agency regulatory actions, cross-border compliance issues, and high-profile pre-trial and adversary proceedings. Samidh has extensive experience in conducting confidential arbitrations on behalf of clients to resolve sensitive commercial disputes.
As a former assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York, Samidh brings deep prosecutorial insight to criminal defense and government investigations. He has served as lead and co-lead counsel in numerous federal jury trials and arbitrations and has briefed appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Known for his skill in navigating media-sensitive matters and delivering clear advocacy before enforcement authorities, he is equally adept serving as counsel for institutions and individuals, providing an especially valuable perspective when serving as pool counsel. Samidh has experience in evolving financial sector technologies, including digital currencies and high-frequency trading. Samidh has also conducted numerous federal and state civil trials and arbitrations on behalf of corporations and financial service entities, providing clients with a rare blend of white collar and commercial litigation comprehensive knowledge.
Experience
Government Experience
- Member, Criminal Justice Act Panel for Southern District of New York, 2017 – present
- Assistant U.S. attorney, Criminal Division, Southern District of New York, 2003 – 2007
Representative Matters
- Served as co-lead counsel in a federal criminal trial, defending a Dutch tax preparer and former law firm partner accused of international corporate tax fraud involving globally renowned musical artists
- Represented the crypto arm of a major high-frequency trading firm in a multi-agency fraud investigation
- Defended multiple hedge fund professionals in parallel criminal and civil litigation involving securities laws
- Led internal investigations and advised boards of directors on FCPA, insider trading, and fraud issues
- Developed trial strategies for clients facing intense public and regulatory scrutiny in white collar and commercial disputes
- Represented private equity firms in portfolio company disputes
Insights
Credentials
Education
- J.D. University of Pennsylvania Law School 1998
- Co-founder and articles editor, Journal of Constitutional Law
- Winner, Edwin R. Keedy Moot Court Competition
- M.A. Government Johns Hopkins University 1998
- B.A. Economics and American Studies Amherst College 1993
Bar Admissions
- New York
Court Admissions
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
Professional Memberships and Activities
- Board member, New York Council of Defense Lawyers, 2024 – present
- Former co-chief, Criminal Justice Committee, National South Asian Bar Association
- South Asian Bar Association of New York
- Former Board member
- Former Steering Committee member
Recognition
- Chambers USA, Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations, 2024 – 2025
- South Asian Bar Association of New Jersey, Small Firm of the Year, 2024
- Coalition for Asian-American Children and Families, Honoree, 2015
- Sanctuary for Families, Abley Pro Bono Achievement Award, 2013
Community
Pro Bono
- Led pro bono initiatives involving federal Criminal Justice Act cases and representation of unaccompanied minors in immigration proceedings for a prominent New York office
- Worked on significant pro bono representations involving, among other things, political asylum, indigent criminal defense, legislative reform, and human trafficking issues
Volunteerism
- Chairman of the Board, South Asian Youth Action
- Former president, The Union North America (International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease)