Michael F. Westfal
Michael Westfal is a Senior Associate at Mukasey Young and represents clients in high-stakes criminal prosecutions, regulatory and internal investigations, and complex commercial litigation matters. He has advised clients across a range of industries, including the banking, financial services, healthcare, real estate, and aviation sectors. Michael has defended clients against investigations and enforcement actions brought by the U.S. Attorney's Offices for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, the U.S. Department of Justice's Fraud Section, Securities and Exchange Commission, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.
Michael's trial experience includes defending the former Speaker of the New York State Assembly against honest services fraud, Hobbs Act extortion, and money laundering charges filed in the Southern District of New York. He also served on the trial team that defended against civil securities fraud charges brought by the Securities Exchange Commission in the Southern District of New York. In the commercial context, Michael represented a Dubai-based client in a breach of contract case concerning the sale of a private business jet. Following a bench trial in the Southern District of New York, his client was awarded compensatory damages, prejudgment interest, and attorney's fees, an extraordinary result in a breach of contract case. Michael has also argued an appeal seeking the re-opening of removal proceedings in an immigration matter before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Michael has substantial experience advising clients based outside the United States in cross-border matters concerning the application of various criminal and regulatory statutes, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other federal bribery laws, the federal wire, mail, and securities fraud statutes, anti-money laundering laws, and the Bank Secrecy Act.
Prior to joining Mukasey Young, Michael practiced for more than a decade in the litigation and investigations group at an international law firm. In 2019, he received the Pro Bono Publico Award from The Legal Aid Society for his representation of first-time homebuyers in a foreclosure defense and fraud action.
Education:
- J.D., Emory University School of Law, with Honors
- B.A., Emory University
Admissions:
- United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
- United States Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
- New York State, Appellate Division, First Department