Michael Kim Krouse is a former federal prosecutor and accomplished trial lawyer. He has secured successful outcomes for corporations, non-profit organizations, and individuals in some of their most challenging criminal and civil matters, including in connection with inquiries by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the New York Attorney General, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and several Congressional Committees and Offices of Inspector General.
Michael was recently named a “Next Generation Partner” for Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense by The Legal 500 – United States. He is particularly sought after by companies and individuals operating in the cryptocurrency/blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) industries. He currently serves as counsel for the CEO and founder of Samourai Wallet, who has been charged with operating an unlawful money transmitter and money laundering in the Southern District of New York (SDNY). He also represents the former CEO of Joonko, who has been charged by the SEC and SDNY with securities fraud in one of the nation’s first “AI-washing” cases.
Michael brings an extensive background in investigations and enforcement, having served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, and as a Judge Advocate in the United States Marine Corps. During his government service, Michael was lead or co-lead counsel on nine federal jury trials and 13 military courts-martial, and he briefed or argued 11 appeals before the Second Circuit.
Michael earned his J.D. from Yale Law School, where he was a member of the Supreme Court clinic and received the Harlan Fiske Stone Prize (best oralist) and Potter Stewart Prize (best team) in Moot Court. He also received the William K.S. Wang Prize for top performance in corporate law. He earned his B.S. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa.
Michael clerked for the Honorable José A. Cabranes of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the Honorable Paul A. Engelmayer of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Before law school, Michael worked for McKinsey & Company, the United Nations Development Program, and a non-governmental organization located in Afghanistan.
Experience
- Defense counsel for Keonne Rodriguez in the Samourai Wallet cryptocurrency prosecution, United States v. Rodriguez, et al., (SDNY).
- Defense counsel for Ilit Raz in the Joonko AI case, SEC v. Raz (SDNY), United States v. Raz (SDNY).
- Defense counsel for Ravi Chermala in a food safety criminal case, U.S. v. Ravi Chermala (C.D. Ill.). Successfully negotiated a plea agreement to strict liability misdemeanors rather than the felonies sought by the DOJ, and obtained a sentence of community service.
- Defense counsel for Motorola Solutions in a putative class action lawsuit, Courtemanche v. Motorola Solutions (D. Mass.).
- Government contractor in connection with investigations conducted by the Office of the Inspector General and various Congressional Committees.
- Financial institution in connection with an anti-money laundering and sanctions-related investigation.
- Carbon credit organization in connection with investigations conducted by SDNY, the CFTC, and New York Attorney General.
- Retail company in connection with a food safety investigation conducted by the New York Attorney General.
- Consumer products company in connection with an investigation conducted by the FTC.
Perspectives
Recognition
Credentials
Education
- J.D., Yale Law School, 2008
- B.S., Economics, The Wharton School, The University of Pennsylvania, 2002, summa cum laude; Phi Beta Kappa
Admissions
- New York
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces
- Supreme Court of the United States
Government & Military Service
- Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
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Major, United States Marine Corps
Clerkships
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, The Honorable Paul A. Engelmayer
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, The Honorable José A. Cabranes
Activities
- Board Member, Goodwill Industries of New York and Northern New Jersey
- Board Member, New York City Convention Host Committee
- Board Member, Young Invincibles
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Member, Asian American Bar Association of New York
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Former Term Member, Council on Foreign Relations
- Member, Civic Education Task Force for the New York City Bar