Peter A. Chavkin
Member / Co-chair, White Collar Defense and Government Investigations Practice
+1.212.692.6231
Peter is Co-chair of Mintz’s national White Collar Defense & Government Investigations Practice and is a preeminent white collar defense attorney who specializes in assisting individuals facing charges or investigations, particularly those involving allegations of finance, health care, and art fraud, political corruption and antitrust violations. His clients have included numerous American political figures, domestic and foreign corporate executives, and diplomats. His cases have involved the application of OFAC sanctions, responding to congressional and criminal investigations (most recently inquiries into the 2016 presidential election, including the heavily covered testimony of a witness before the House Judiciary Committee hearing on impeachment), and the representation of key figures in the financial crisis of 2008, in every significant rate fixing inquiry (including individuals employed abroad), and in the Swiss bank tax investigation. In addition, for over 10 years, he has represented a central figure in the Madoff matter.
He has had extensive experience representing individuals and entities across a broad swath of industries, including: energy, food franchises, investment advisers, communications, sports, entertainment, politics, road paving, municipal bonds, art and antiquities, health and hospitals, higher education, aviation, moving and storage, legal, and banking.
Along with his extensive experience working with various arms of the Department of Justice, US Attorney’s Offices across the nation, state and federal regulators and FINRA, he has been involved in some of the most sensitive and consequential inquiries conducted by Congress and the SEC in these areas. He comes to these cases with service in Washington as a special assistant to the head of DOJ’s Civil Division, three years as a federal prosecutor in New York, and nearly 25 years as a senior partner at one of the nation’s foremost white collar boutiques.
In addition to his work in the financial arena, Peter has a long history of representing individuals and institutions accused of health care fraud and abuse, ranging from hospitals to medical service providers. And in his 35-plus-year career in white collar / government investigations, he has represented individuals investigated for political corruption, antiquities fraud, and construction fraud. He has represented a sitting mayor, the chief judge of a state’s highest court, and a major league baseball team involved in the Clemens case. He also has represented numerous physicians and attorneys facing disciplinary proceedings.
In his career, Mr. Chavkin has tried numerous cases to verdict and handled many appeals. In addition, he has successfully prevented charges from being brought and has secured dismissals of cases post-indictment in investigations in a wide range of matters.
Peter has been named Band 1 by Chambers USA for many years and has been named to Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers for nearly two decades. He has also been recognized by Who’s Who, Expert Guides Best of the Best USA (the world’s leading lawyers chosen by their peers), and has won the International Law Office and Lexology Client Service Award three times. Chambers quoted clients who said that he is “a brilliant tactician, super-efficient, an amazing negotiator, extremely creating and client-focused…. He will do everything he possibly can to get the best result.” One client testified that he is ‘the most professional lawyer … along with being the hardest-working, and an exceptionally brilliant person.’”
Experience
- Representing CEO of energy company under investigation.
- Representing CFO of public company against indictment and SEC action.
- Represented former CEO of major biotech company.
- Represented major communication company in a DOJ antitrust inquiry.
- Represented significant political figures in the Trump-related impeachment and criminal investigations.
- Representing Ruth Madoff in a variety of regulatory and investigative forums and lawsuits.
- Represented for several years a central figure at a major investment bank in financial crisis inquiries conducted by DOJ, SEC, FCIC, and Congress, along with numerous private and governmental lawsuits centered on these activities.
- Represented a high-level executive at a major New York hedge fund that was under investigation for the way it handled investments in small public companies that arose through reverse mergers.
- Represented a large national construction and design company in connection with inquiries by the New York County District Attorney’s Office and the Port Authority of New York.
- Representing the lead defendant in a major health care fraud indictment in the Eastern District of New York.
- Represented an individual in an alleged sports gambling operation in a case where the government accused the group of running an illegal bookmaking operation, money laundering, and other activities.
- Represented the head of a construction company pertaining to his sentencing for failure to abide by disadvantaged business enterprise requirements. Despite sentencing guidelines that called for almost three years in jail, we successfully prevented a jail sentence and obtained probation for our client.
- Representing a defendant in a large securities manipulation scheme indicted in the EDNY.
- Representing a former high-level official of a major bank under investigation for trading in its Russian branch.
- Representing company in major antitrust inquiry into the carriage of programming.
- Won dismissal of an action against a significant New York bank involving hundreds of millions of dollars of claims under the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Alien Tort Claims Act.
- Represented former Chief Judge of New York’s highest court.
- Represented sitting mayor of the City of New York in a criminal investigation.
The broad array of work Peter has handled includes complex matters related to art fraud, banking, consumer fraud, customs, education, employment, entertainment, Foreign Corrupt Practice Act (FCPA), heath care, internal investigation, Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC), securities fraud, sports and gambling, tax, and unions.
Read lessNews & Press
Twenty-nine Mintz Attorneys Named to 2023 New York Metro Super Lawyers List
September 22, 2023|
Thirteen Mintz Members Named To Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators List
September 11, 2023|
Benchmark Litigation Recognizes 13 Mintz Attorneys As 2023 Litigation Stars
September 29, 2022|
21 Mintz Attorneys Recognized as 2021 New York Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
September 30, 2021|
White Collar Vet Departs Schulte Roth for Mintz in New York
August 27, 2021|
Mintz Lands Ex-Schulte Roth White Collar Co-Chair In NY
August 26, 2021|
Mintz Attorneys and Practices Recognized by Chambers USA 2020
April 24, 2020|
Mintz Litigators Highly Regarded by Benchmark Litigation 2020
October 2, 2019|
Twenty-Four Mintz Attorneys Named 2019 New York Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
September 12, 2019|
One Hundred Mintz Attorneys Ranked as Leaders by Best Lawyers 2020
August 15, 2019|
Mintz Recognized by Chambers USA 2019
April 26, 2019|
Twenty-Four Mintz Attorneys Named 2018 New York Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
September 19, 2018|
Chambers USA 2018 Ranks Mintz Attorneys & Practices
May 3, 2018|
Law360's White Collar Editorial Advisory Board
March 26, 2018|
Eighteen Mintz Attorneys Named 2013 New York Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
September 16, 2017|
Twenty-Eight Mintz Attorneys Named 2016 New York Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
September 21, 2016|
49 Mintz Attorneys Featured in Chambers USA 2016 Guide
May 31, 2016|
Twenty-Three Mintz Attorneys Named 2015 New York Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
September 16, 2015|
Events & Speaking
"Your Corporate Client Received a Grand Jury Subpoena: What Should You Do Next?"
The New York Bar Foundation
New York City
Recognition & Awards
Benchmark Litigation: Litigation Star, National – White-Collar Crime (2020 – 2027)
Best Lawyers in America: Criminal Defense: White Collar (2007 – 2027)
Chambers USA: New York – Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations: Band 1 (2010 – 2026)
Expert Guides: Best of the Best USA 2020 (White Collar)
Expert Guides: White Collar Crime
Super Lawyers: New York, Criminal Defense: White Collar (2006 – 2026)
Lawdragon: 500 Leading Global Investigations Lawyers (2026)
Legal 500: Recommended Lawyer – Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense (2026)
International Law Office and Lexology: Client Choice Award – White Collar Crime, New York (2011, 2015)
Super Lawyers Corporate Counsel Edition 2009: Criminal Defense – White Collar
Lawdragon: 500 Leading Litigators in America (2022 – 2027)
Phi Beta Kappa
Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent
Lawyers of Distinction: Featured Lawyer (2025)
Involvement
- Member, Law360 White Collar Editorial Advisory Board
- Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
