Ms. Richnafsky is a Shareholder of the firm and a member of the firm’s Litigation and Dispute Resolution, Insurance Coverage and Employment practice areas.
Ms. Richnafsky focuses her practice on complex commercial disputes, frequently representing highly-regulated clients throughout all stages of the litigation case cycle. In the insurance coverage context, Ms. Richnafsky represents carriers in coverage disputes arising from fiduciary liability, director and officer liability and employment practices liability policies. Ms. Richnafsky uses sophisticated legal analysis, briefing and oral argument to distill complicated facts and legal theories into accessible, persuasive advocacy. in addition, Ms. Richnafsky frequently negotiates settlements, collaborates with clients to develop successful litigation strategies, and tirelessly advocates for clients before arbitrators and federal and state courts. Ms. Richnafsky also has significant experience advising clients on regulatory investigations and conducting audits of corporate practices for purposes of identifying and remedying potential violations.
Representative Services
- Civil & Commercial Litigation
- Regulatory Investigations
- Retail and Consumer Financial Services
Selected Engagements
- Represented an interdealer broker in a New Jersey RICO action from the beginning of discovery through a four-month trial. Formulated and argued economic damage theories based on lost profits and decreased market capitalization.
- Oversaw fact investigation and witness preparation and second-chaired the client’s primary witness interview in connection with DOJ and FSA investigations arising from the LIBOR price-fixing scandal.
- Drafted submissions and negotiated settlement agreements with the SEC for prospective SEC enforcement actions arising from alleged violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
- Scrutinized stock exchange rules, organized document productions and drafted discovery responses in a federal action concerning the trading ahead of securities on four major stock exchanges.
- Managed document productions, prepared presentations and analyzed payment flows for an international technology company in connection with an FCPA investigation run by the SEC and DOJ.
- Defended an insurer in a coverage dispute arising from a fiduciary liability policy, with allegations involving the policy limits applicable to a lawsuit that the United States Department of Labor brought against the insureds.
- Represented the purchaser of a chemical manufacturing facility against claims that the purchaser was obligated to defend and indemnify the seller corporation in multiple litigations arising from alleged injuries caused by exposure to asbestos.
Education
- J.D., Harvard Law School, 2009
- M.Phil., University of Cambridge, Linguistics, 2006,
Honors Dissertation - B.A., Columbia University, History & Psychology, 2004,
Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa
Professional & Community Activities
- Member, Allegheny County Bar Association
- Member, Pennsylvania Bar Association