Joanna C. Hendon

• Defended at trial an investment adviser charged with criminal market manipulation and investment adviser fraud. United States v. Edward Durante (S.D.N.Y.).
• Defended at trial an expert network affiliate charged with criminal insider trading. United States v. Winifred Jiau (S.D.N.Y.).
• Defended a FinTech company, and its CEO and founders in civil litigation by the putative founder alleging theft of a business idea and a breach of the joint venture agreement. (S.D.N.Y.).
• Prevented the filing of charges by the U.S. Attorney’s Office against a former Dell Inc. investor relations employee accused of tipping securities analysts. United States v. Todd Newman, et. al. (S.D.N.Y.).
• Prevented the filing of charges against a Pershing Square research analyst under investigation for insider trading.
• Prevented the filing of charges by FINRA against a broker-dealer, its trader, and salespersons in an investigation of alleged fraud in the purchase and sale of mortgage-backed securities (RMBS).
• Prevented the filing of charges by the CFTC and SEC against the head of interdealer swaps brokerage desk accused of fraud.
• Defended in arbitration a $250 million contract termination claim brought by a municipality against the owner of natural gas-fired power plant (JAMS).
• Obtained dismissal of civil RICO claims in consumer fraud class action (S.D.N.Y.).
• Defended New York real estate developers in civil litigation and investigations by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York into violations of the Fair Housing Act.

Joanna C. Hendon is the co-leader of Alston & Bird’s White Collar, Government & Internal Investigations Team and has substantial trial experience. She is known for her fierce advocacy, her courtroom skills, and for her sophisticated, strategic counsel. With a career spanning nearly 30 years, Joanna represents companies and individuals at trial and in arbitration, in civil litigation, and in matters before the Department of Justice, the SEC, the Federal Reserve, the NY Department of Financial Services, CFTC, FINRA, the NY Attorney General, and the Manhattan District Attorney. Joanna is ranked Band 1 by Chambers USA for White Collar Crime and Government Investigations, and in 2019, Chambers shortlisted Joanna for its prestigious New York White Collar Crime & Government Investigations Lawyer of the Year award. In Chambers, her clients have described her as “off the charts brilliant” and “outstanding.”

Early in her career, Joanna was as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, where she served in the Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force and handled numerous jury trials. As a prosecutor, Joanna received the John Marshall Award, the DOJ’s highest honor given to a lawyer for excellence at trial. Joanna served as a clerk for the Hon. Frank M. Coffin, U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

Bar Admissions

• New York

Education

• Yale University (J.D., 1991)
• University of British Columbia (B.A., 1987)

Memberships