A partner in the Litigation Department, Staci Yablon is an experienced litigator who has successfully guided international financial institutions and global corporations through complex commercial disputes, securities litigation, antitrust litigation, white collar and regulatory matters, and government and internal investigations. Staci advises her clients on a wide range of issues, oftentimes while defending sprawling class actions with respect to securities laws, collusion/antitrust laws, and consumer protection laws.
A large portion of Staci’s practice involves representation of leading financial institutions in litigations and government investigations. She has helped these clients navigate investigations conducted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Department of Justice, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control. Staci also devotes a significant portion of her practice to advising corporations facing complex class action litigation, counseling clients on procedural and substantive defense strategies, class certification challenges, multidistrict litigation coordination, and settlement negotiations. She works closely with clients to develop comprehensive litigation plans that address both immediate tactical considerations and long-term business objectives.
In 2024, Staci was named a Law360 “Banking MVP” and was shortlisted for “Antitrust & Competition Lawyer of the Year” and “Securities Litigator of the Year” by Euromoney’s Women in Business Law Awards. Staci is ranked in Legal 500 for Financial Services Litigation and Antitrust: Civil Litigation/Class Actions: Defense where clients report that she is a “practical, no-nonsense litigator who gets things done,” and has a “realistic perspective, [an] ability to cut to the chase, and [a] commitment to client service no matter how complex a matter may be.” She was named to Lawdragon’s list of “500 Global Leaders in Crisis Management” in 2025 and to their list of “500 Leading Litigators in America" in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Most recently, Benchmark Litigation recognized Staci as a “Future Star” in their 2026 rankings.
Financial Services Industry
- Goldman Sachs
- and its affiliates in a putative class action in which the client and almost a dozen other defendants are alleged to have manipulated the final auction price used to settle CDS contracts;
- in a securities fraud case relating to large bond offerings in Southeast Asia;
- as joint defense liaison counsel in a massive antitrust MDL of nearly 50 nationwide class actions related to the treasuries market;
- in the settlement of an antitrust class action filed in the Southern District of New York in which plaintiffs alleged that Goldman Sachs, along with other prime brokers, conspired to block electronic stock lending platforms offered by startups;
- in a proposed antitrust class action in the Southern District of New York in which the City of Philadelphia alleges that a number of major banks conspired to artificially inflate the interest rates for a type of tax-free municipal bonds called Variable Rate Demand Obligations (VRDOs); and
- in an antitrust lawsuit in the Southern District of New York alleging that interest rate swaps dealers conspired to reduce competition in interest rate swaps trading; defendants settled with individual plaintiffs after the court denied class certification and are now proceeding against three exchange plaintiffs.
- A trading platform in the defense of multiple litigations, arbitrations and an EEOC proceeding alleging myriad unrelated claims, including discrimination, breaches of fiduciary duty, and contract-based claims.
Staci has significant experience representing national and multi-national companies in class actions, including for securities fraud and consumer protection matters. Her recent experience includes representing:
- Oak Street Health and senior executives in the settlement of a federal securities class action in the Northern District of Illinois alleging that Oak Street Health, an operator of primary care centers, was engaged in aggressive patient acquisition and recruitment strategies that placed the company at heighted risk of government scrutiny;
- FTD, LLC, a leading floral wire service, in two class action lawsuits filed in the Northern District of Illinois alleging that FTD uses deceptive pricing practices on its floral delivery websites by adding undisclosed mandatory fees and special delivery charges; and
- A syndicate of underwriters, of a $609 million equity offering by Abengoa, S.A., in a class action alleging claims under the Securities act of 1933.
White Collar, Regulatory Defense and Investigations
- One of the largest energy and natural resources companies in conducting a global anti-corruption risk assessment to identify any exposure to corruption-related risk, including exposure to liability under the FCPA, and in helping the client enhance compliance training and protocols;
- Rafael Ramirez, the former U.N. Ambassador to Venezuela, former Minister of Energy for Venezuela and former head of Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA), in successfully vacating a $1.4 billion (USD) default judgment in the Southern District of Texas in a private civil litigation regarding alleged corruption at PDVSA;
- Kleiss & Co., a manufacturing company, in responding to administrative charges for alleged violations of Export Administration Regulations related to orders and shipments from its U.S. manufacturer;
- An international Fortune 500 company in connection with an investigation conducted by the SEC (and a parallel investigation by the DOJ) regarding alleged FCPA violations;
- Zoltek Companies in an investigation by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of violations of U.S. sanctions laws;
- A variety of middle-market companies in connection with potential acquisitions, including providing FCPA and trade/economic sanctions advice on potential deals, assisting in due diligence and the creation of new comprehensive compliance policies;
- An employee from an international bank in connection with an investigation conducted by the DOJ and other international regulatory agencies regarding practices surrounding the foreign exchange markets;
- An international bank in connection with an investigation conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s office regarding the bank’s alleged involvement in tax shelters and in various tax-related civil litigations;
- A special committee of the Board of Directors in connection with an investigation conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office;
- An education company in connection with an investigation by the N.Y. Attorney General’s office;
- A health company in connection with an investigation by the SEC regarding allegations of earnings management;
- A government agency in connection with the monitoring of several insurance brokerage companies in the wake of a multi-state investigation of alleged wrongdoing and the resulting settlement agreements; and
- The Special Litigation Committee of a global data management company in connection with its investigation into the company’s stock options practices.
Staci has also worked on several pro bono matters, including the representation of a death row inmate in his habeas proceedings, a New York dance studio in its attempt to reopen amidst COVID requirements and an elderly woman in an Article 78 proceeding, and students in various education-related matters to ensure that they have access to free appropriate public education. She also has experience representing numerous client in special education matters.
Publications and Speaking Engagements
- “Anti-Bribery / Anti-Corruption Compliance,” National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL) webinar, February 24, 2020.
- “Trade Lessons From The ZTE Saga,” Law360, June 21, 2018.
- “Inside DOJ’s New Policy On Coordinated Enforcement,” Law360, May 11, 2018.
- “When a Civil Enforcement Action Turns Criminal,” New York Women’s Bar Association (NYWBA) Criminal Law and Federal Practice Committee, April 19, 2018.
- “Improve Compliance Programs to Avoid Government Investigations,” Today’s General Counsel, April/May 2017.
