Ari is a trial attorney with a focus on compliance and investigations. His practice encompasses a wide range of matters, including, but not limited to, advising corporate clients with regard to legal compliance, performing internal investigations, and litigating disputes at both the trial and appellate court levels. As a former Special Assistant District Attorney in the Roxbury Division of the Boston Municipal Court, Ari is able to leverage his pre-trial and trial experience in each client matter that he works on.
Ari's experience through the Firm's Corporate Compliance & Internal Investigations practice includes:
· Assisting a major national corporation comply with anti-money laundering ("AML") laws and regulations by updating its Suspicious Activity Report ("SAR") Manual.
· Working with an international client to obtain guidance from the Office of Foreign Assets Control ("OFAC") with regard to the transfer of funds from a foreign country currently subject to U.S. sanctions.
· Leading a company's supplemental internal investigation concerning claims of discrimination and retaliation made by a former employee.
· Participating in a corporation's internal investigation concerning alleged misconduct by a former employee.
· Serving as co-counsel to a principal and his company that were under investigation by the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office. The Attorney General's Office ultimately decided not to bring charges against the principal or his company.
Ari's litigation experience includes:
· Co-authoring a Supreme Court amici brief on behalf of the Anti-Defamation League ("ADL"), the American Israel Public Affairs Committee ("AIPAC"), and other major Jewish organizations in support of the petitioner in Zivotofsky v. Clinton. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the petitioner.
· Serving as co-counsel to two international clients who were denied entry into the United States by Customs and Border Protection ("CBP"). Both clients were ultimately admitted into the country.
· Assisting in the defense of a prominent Boston employer against discrimination claims before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ("EEOC"). The EEOC ultimately made a "no cause" finding.
· Representing clients in asylum proceedings before the Executive Office for Immigration Review ("EOIR"). All clients obtained asylum before the Boston Immigration Court.
· Prosecuting roughly 300 criminal cases as a prosecutor in the Roxbury section of Boston.
Ari takes great pride in his civic involvement. He is co-chair of the Boston Bar Association - Criminal Law Steering Committee's Public Policy Subcommittee, and serves on a committee drafting the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination's ("MCAD") regulations concerning sexual harassment in the workplace. Ari is also a member of the Combined Jewish Philanthropies - Boston-Haifa Young Leaders Committee and Young Adult Israel Advocacy Committee. Further, Ari has advised congressional candidates with regard to their white papers concerning Israel and the U.S.-Israel relationship.
Ari received his B.S. (with honors) from Cornell University (2005), where he was a member of the Meinig Family Cornell National Scholars and studied abroad at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's Rothberg International School. While in Israel, Ari interned at the State of Israel's Ministry of Justice - Department for International Agreements and International Litigation. Ari earned both his J.D. (2008) and M.A. in International Affairs (2011) from American University. Prior to joining Mintz Levin in 2008, Ari worked as a legal intern for the United States Department of Justice ("DOJ") - Office of International Affairs ("OIA"), and as a legal extern for the United States Department of Homeland Security ("DHS") - Immigration and Customs Enforcement ("ICE").
Ari is admitted to practice in Massachusetts and New York, as well as before the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. He is fluent in Hebrew.