Karen Y. Bitar is a partner in the Litigation Department of Seyfarth Shaw LLP, and is Co-Chair of the firm’s White Collar, Internal Investigations and False Claims Team. For the fourteen years prior to joining Seyfarth, she was national co-chair of securities litigation for a large multinational law firm. Ms. Bitar’s practice focuses on shareholder actions, securities fraud litigation, securities class action defense, and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) compliance.
Ms. Bitar is regularly retained for her trial experience. She has tried approximately 40 cases in both state and federal courts, mostly to a jury, and has broad experience in insider trading and financial fraud matters, application of Generally Accepted Auditing Standards (GAAS) and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), accounting malpractice and accounting restatements and irregularities. She is also knowledgeable in enforcement issues related to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
Ms. Bitar has represented several national and international accounting firms in defending complex accounting liability and investor class action suits alleging violations of Federal Securities Laws, and related state law claims.
Ms. Bitar began her legal career as an Assistant District Attorney in the Office of the District Attorney in Kings County, New York, culminating as Assistant District Attorney in the Homicide Bureau. She also served as Assistant General Counsel at Ernst & Young LLP. Ms. Bitar has been a frequent commentator on COURT TV and Fox TV.
