Zuckerman Spaeder is a litigation boutique with a storied reputation for high-stakes trial work, white collar criminal defense, and complex civil litigation. With approximately 80 lawyers across offices in Washington, DC, New York, Baltimore, and Tampa, the firm has spent 50 years representing individuals and organizations in sensitive and consequential matters, often against the full weight of the federal government.

Founded by Legendary Trial Lawyers

The firm was founded in 1976 by Roger Zuckerman and Roger Spaeder, two former federal prosecutors who wanted to build a firm that combined government-honed trial skills with the independence to take on difficult cases against the government itself. The firm quickly became known as a destination for lawyers who wanted to try cases, not just manage discovery. Over the decades, Zuckerman Spaeder has been home to some of the country's most respected trial lawyers, including former federal judges, U.S. attorneys, and DOJ officials. The firm is consistently ranked in Chambers USA and Benchmark Litigation and by The Best Lawyers in America, and its partners are frequent commentators in national media on criminal justice and litigation issues.

White Collar Defense, Civil Litigation, and Investigations

Zuckerman Spaeder's practice is built on three pillars. The white collar and internal investigations practice represents individuals and corporations in criminal investigations, grand jury proceedings, and trials involving securities fraud, healthcare fraud, public corruption, money laundering, and myriad regulatory violations. The firm's civil litigation practice handles complex commercial disputes, False Claims Act cases, professional liability defense, mass torts, and class actions in federal and state courts nationwide. The firm also has a robust appellate practice, with partners who have argued before the U.S. Supreme Court and every federal circuit. In recent years, the firm has developed a specialized healthcare practice, representing hospitals, physician groups, and pharmaceutical companies in government investigations and reimbursement disputes.

A Culture of Independence and Impact

Pro bono is central to the firm's identity. Zuckerman Spaeder has handled significant civil rights and civil liberties matters, such as representing Guantánamo Bay detainees, challenging government surveillance programs, and advocating for criminal justice reform. The firm maintains a collaborative culture in which partners work directly with associates on every case and young lawyers get real courtroom experience from day one. Zuckerman Spaeder describes itself as a firm that has never been afraid to take the hard case and that measures success not by billable hours but by the difference it makes for its clients and the justice system.

November 2020

Zuckerman Spaeder was recognized with several awards at The American Lawyer awards, including as a finalist for Boutique of the Year. Firm partner Aitan Goelman was a finalist for Litigator of the Year, and partner Adam Abelson earned a win as Young Lawyer of the Year.

May 2020

The National Law Journal named Zuckerman Spaeder a “D.C. Litigation Department of the Year.”

November 2020

After the firm delivered a landmark win for mental health patients in 2019, a judge orders UnitedHealth to reprocess more than 50,000 claims and to reform the claims handling process.

August 2020

33 Zuckerman Spaeder attorneys were recognized in the 2021 edition of The Best Lawyers in America—three partners were named “Lawyer of the Year,” and two associates were recognized as “Ones to Watch.”

• Represented a national pharmacy chain in $4.5 billion Florida civil RICO lawsuit brought by 26 hospitals; case resulted in directed verdict in favor of the client after a 51-day trial.
• Represented a 23,000-member class of Sudanese American victims of the decade-long genocide committed by Sudan’s ruler and funded by BNP Paribas. The resulting $20 million verdict for three of those class members set a vital precedent for holding financial institutions responsible for knowing participation in human rights abuses.
• Played a lead role in securing final approval of a Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) settlement that will pay $2.67 billion to plaintiffs, the largest settlement in history for a private antitrust case with no government involvement, and will bring sweeping changes to the way BCBS entities compete in the national health insurance market.
• Led a major Chinese company in its multi-jurisdictional litigation strategy and response to cross-border legal actions related to company control of its U.S. assets. The matter settled, resulting in the withdrawal of all lawsuits and the client securing full control of the domestic and overseas assets at issue. The case marked the largest cross-border corporate control battle involving a Chinese enterprise in the oil and gas sector in recent years.

• Elite Trial Lawyer Award, 2023—Law.com
• Numerous practices and 22 attorneys ranked, 2026—Chambers USA
• Practice Group of the Year, multiple years—Law360
• Litigation Department of the Year, Winner, 2020; Finalist, 2022—The National Law Journal
• Beacon of Justice Award, 2021-2022, 2024-2026—National Legal Aid & Defender Association