Karen R. King specializes in complex commercial litigation, regulatory enforcement relating to BSA/AML and U.S. economic sanctions compliance, internal investigations, securities litigation, and strategic advice. She represents global financial institutions, international companies, and individuals in federal and state court cases around the country, as well as before U.S. regulators and law enforcement. Karen was named a “Distinguished Leader” by New York Law Journal in September 2022 and a “Notable Woman in Law” by Crain’s New York Business in June 2023.
In March 2022, Karen argued before the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of the petitioner in Golan v. Saada (20-1034), a case involving international treaty interpretation and the risk to children in households with domestic violence. In June 2022, the Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in favor of Karen’s client and provided important guidance that will assist other domestic violence survivors and their children in the future.
In addition to her regular practice, Karen has demonstrated a commitment to pro bono service throughout her career. She is the recipient of the 2023 American Bar Association Pro Bono Publico award, and has previously been honored with the Federal Bar Council’s Thurgood Marshall Award for Exceptional Pro Bono Service, and the Pro Bono award from the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association. She is a member of the Second Circuit Pro Bono Panel and the Asian American Bar Association of New York’s Anti-Asian Violence Task Force. She is a co-editor of two papers on the rise of hate and violence against Asian Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also successfully litigated a decade-long Title VII case on behalf of Asian-American police officers at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Her pro bono clients include students with learning disabilities, victims of gun violence, and prisoners on civil rights issues.
Karen is a graduate of Harvard Law School where she was an editor on the Journal of Law and Technology, and Yale University, where she majored in philosophy and political science. She speaks Mandarin.
Selected Representations
- Represented multiple financial institutions in enforcement actions and investigations relating to BSA/AML and sanctions compliance program deficiencies, including before the NY DFS, Fed, OFAC, FinCEN, and DOJ.
- Represented various global companies (including in the financial, pharmaceutical, entertainment, and technology sectors) in securities class actions, derivative actions, ERISA class actions, and antitrust class actions.
- Lead trial attorney in a federal Hague convention trial and appeal, including before the Second Circuit and U.S. Supreme Court.
- Lead trial attorney for § 1983 action alleging excessive force by police during arrest.
- Lead trial attorney in multiple employment discrimination and retaliation actions in federal court.
- Represented fast food company in litigations involving allegations of racial discrimination in business practices relating to franchisees.
- Represented multiple international companies in litigations involving disputes over personal jurisdiction in U.S. courts.
- Represented European-based global bank in multi-year sanctions investigation and enforcement proceedings by DOJ, OFAC, Fed, and DFS, and grand jury subpoenas.
- Represented U.S. bank in multi-year federal grand jury investigation of its compliance with BSA/AML requirements, also involving banking regulators.
- Represented cryptocurrency exchange in litigations and regulatory investigations relating to U.S. jurisdiction, contractual obligations, and AML/sanctions compliance.
- Represented government entity in adversary proceeding relating to contract claims.
- Represented multiple pharmaceutical companies in securities fraud actions and related matters relating to public statements about safety profile of blockbuster medications.