Thaddeus R. Kleckley

Counsel
Thaddeus Kleckley

Thaddeus Kleckley counsels and defends companies, financial institutions, and individuals in internal, criminal, and regulatory investigations, prosecutions, and litigations. Thaddeus is a trusted advisor to senior management and boards of directors on some of their most complex and sensitive enforcement and investigation-related issues, including alleged bribery and corruption, money laundering, financing of transnational organized crime, and other alleged financial and ethical misconduct. He represents both corporate compliance monitors and equity receivers and has directed many internal investigations and sensitive reviews on behalf of domestic clients and those in Asia, Europe, Africa, and Latin America.

Thaddeus also has substantial experience working with court-appointed fiduciaries, including serving as legal counsel and advising on anti-money laundering (AML), anti-bribery and corruption (ABC), the Foreign Corrupt Practice Act (FCPA), and Know Your Customer (KYC) guidelines. He also counsels on regulatory compliance and transaction monitoring issues and developments. He advises companies and financial institutions on designing, implementing, and maintaining internal compliance frameworks; compliance with AML laws and regulations; and conducting compliance risk assessments. Thaddeus also represents clients in an array of complex commercial litigation in federal and state courts.

Throughout his career, Thaddeus has conducted internal investigations for international banks, airlines, cryptocurrency exchanges, accounting firms, publishing companies, and other private entities. He has acted at the behest of general counsel, management, audit committees, and boards of directors. Thaddeus' investigations have addressed allegations of workplace misconduct, financial fraud, and violations of international sanctions, as well as AML, ABC, and FCPA violations. He has experience defending both corporate and individual clients in civil and criminal government enforcement actions, including actions brought by the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and state attorneys general.

Insights

Credentials
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Education

  • J.D. Cornell Law School 2014
    • Managing editor, Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy
    • Judicial intern, the Honorable John C. Coughenour, United States District Court for the Western District of Washington
    • Competition chair, Cornell Black Law Students Association
  • B.A. University of Washington 2010

Bar Admissions

  • New York
  • Florida

Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

Professional Memberships and Activities

  • Member, American Bar Association
  • Member, New York State Bar Association
  • Young Professional Associate, National Association of Federal Equity Receivers

Recognition
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  • The American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, On the Rise – Top 40 Young Lawyers, 2025
  • The Legal Aid Society, Pro Bono Publico, 2021

Community
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Pro Bono

  • The Legal Aid Society, Pro Bono Publico, 2021
  • Negotiates proffer immunity, witness immunity, plea agreements, and witness protection agreements in exchange for testimony for his clients with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and state prosecutors
  • Represents tenants in New York City Housing Court, battered women in contested divorce proceedings, and asylum seekers and other immigrants navigating U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) processes