KARI PARKS
Partner

Kari Parks is a trial, appellate, and mediation lawyer who specializes in white collar criminal defense and securities and investment, business divorce, shareholder rights, fraud, and other complex commercial disputes.

Representing founders, financiers, executives, and their companies and funds, Kari first-chairs arbitrations, mediations, and appeals in federal and Commercial Division courts and before FINRA, JAMS, and the AAA. Kari also regularly attacks governmental and regulatory overreach in actions against the United States Attorney’s Office, Securities and Exchange Commission, and FINRA, and represents witnesses, subjects, and targets in criminal and regulatory investigations.

Kari leverages her formidable reputation, excellent briefs and pleadings, and focused discovery to obtain wins as efficiently as possible through settlement or motion practice. When her clients’ adversaries simply can’t be reasoned with, Kari thrives in the courtroom, equally effective with both judges and juries.

Kari’s latest criminal successes include securing a 366-day sentence for a person convicted of bank fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering, despite the Prosecution’s argument for five years and Probation’s recommendation of over eight years in prison; a 366-day sentence after plea deal where Probation recommended three years; and a nine-month sentence for a person convicted of wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy, despite the Prosecution’s argument for 30 months. She frequently obtains key interlocutory rulings that change the landscape of trial, plea deals, and sentences, including for bills of particulars, motions in limine, and overseas witness depositions, and has won significantly reduced financial penalties for white collar clients targeted by federal prosecutors and the SEC.

Kari’s recent civil wins include complete, pre-discovery dismissal of a $61 million contract and fiduciary duty case against a limited partnership’s founding general partner; complete dismissal of a hedge fund’s shareholder claims purportedly arising out of an issuer’s delayed spin-off of a subsidiary into a separate Nasdaq-listed company; complete dismissal of a registered representative’s attempt to avoid FINRA industry arbitration; an order of attachment in aid of arbitration brought by a placement agent against an issuer facing insolvency; and favorably settling cases involving founding equity stakes, disputed shareholder rights, securities fraud, and employment discrimination and retaliation.

Kari earned her undergraduate degree from the University of California, San Diego and her law degree from Northwestern University School of Law, where ran the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association, interned with the Center for Criminal Defense, competed on the Jessup International Moot Court and Vis International Arbitration teams, served on the Miner Moot Court Board, and was a Senior Editor of the Journal of International Law and Business.

Before joining CFDB, Kari was Head of Litigation at a Chambers-ranked Wall Street securities boutique, an associated at other litigation boutiques, and began her career at Linklaters, where she received the firm’s Community Investment Award. She currently serves with St. Bartholomew’s Church and is a member of the Federal Bar Council Inn of Court, Asian American Bar Association of New York, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and Women’s White Collar Defense Association.

Super Lawyers Magazine has named Kari a “Rising Star” in NYC White Collar Criminal Defense, Securities Litigation, and General Litigation every year since 2021.