David Apfel, a partner in Goodwin Procter's Litigation Department, is a former federal prosecutor who specializes in white collar criminal defense, SEC and other governmental investigations, internal corporate investigations and high-stakes business litigation. Mr. Apfel also regularly advises companies with respect to online gaming and gambling matters, and he has an active pro bono practice. He is an experienced and accomplished trial lawyer who represents corporations and individuals in a wide range of criminal and civil cases. Mr. Apfel is a founding member of the firm's White Collar Crime & Government Investigations Practice.
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Mr. Apfel is an active member of two panels from which attorneys are selected to defend indigents in serious criminal cases: the Massachusetts State "Murder List" and the U.S. District Court’s Criminal Justice Act Panel. Mr. Apfel is also a member of the Boston, Massachusetts and American Bar Associations.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Prior to law school, Mr. Apfel was a high school English, history and social studies teacher for 10 years (1975-1984) at Lincoln Sudbury Regional High School in Sudbury, Massachusetts. After graduating from law school, Mr. Apfel served as a law clerk for U.S. District Judge Douglas P. Woodlock (1987-1988). From 1988-1994, he was a litigation associate at Goodwin Procter. In 1994, he joined the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston where he prosecuted public corruption, securities fraud and other federal crimes until 1999 at which point he rejoined Goodwin Procter as a partner in the Litigation Department.
Mr. Apfel also served as an Associate Independent Counsel in the Iran Contra investigation conducted by Independent Counsel Lawrence Walsh.
BAR AND COURT ADMISSIONS
Mr. Apfel is admitted to practice in Massachusetts, and before the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.
RECOGNITION
Mr. Apfel has been recognized by Chambers USA: America's Leading Business Lawyers as a leading national business litigator, and was named a Massachusetts "Super Lawyer" by Boston magazine.
While serving as an Assistant United States Attorney, Mr. Apfel received the 1997 John Marshall Award for the trial of litigation, the U.S. Department of Justice’s highest award for trial work. He received this honor for his work on a successful investigation of Merrill Lynch and Lazard Freres, and his victory in a three-and-one-half month criminal trial of a Lazard Freres investment banker and nationally renowned municipal financial adviser Mark Ferber. Mr. Apfel has also received Goodwin Procter's Robert B. Fraser Award for pro bono service.