Ann-Elizabeth Ostrager

Employment Law

Litigation

• Lexeo Therapeutics in connection with defending against alleged theft of trade secrets claims and asserting counterclaims for trade secret misappropriation and breach of NDA against a competitor in the SDNY. S&C successfully convinced the court to dismiss plaintiff’s unfair competition claim. Based on S&C’s dual offensive and defensive strategy, the plaintiff then settled the remaining claims on favorable terms with no admission of liability.
• A biotechnology company in the successful resolution of employment-related claims
• A leading consumer food and beverage company as coordinating litigation counsel across various litigations involving the company
• A pharmaceutical company in connection with a dispute raised by a former board member
• Goldman Sachs in a class action accusing the bank of discriminating against over 3,000 women in pay and promotions
• Ally Bank in a putative class action filed in the Eastern District of California alleging that Ally Bank discriminated against certain customers based on their alienage and immigration status as recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
• An international manufacturing company in employment discrimination litigation concerning the termination of a high-ranking senior executive
• A biotechnology company in ongoing trade secret litigation
• A financial and bank holding company in an arbitration involving executive pay

Government Investigations

• A university in connection with an investigation by the DOJ Office of Civil Rights into the University’s scholarships compliance with federal anti-discrimination laws
• Wells Fargo in resolving high-profile SDNY and SEC investigations into allegations concerning the bank’s diversity hiring practices, both of which were closed without any action taken against the bank
• A biotech company and a supply chain technology company in SEC whistleblower investigations in connection with the SEC’s enforcement sweep of companies’ use of confidentiality provisions in employment and other documents as alleged impediments to whistleblower activity

Internal Investigations

• A global equipment and services company across a range of matters including a high-stakes, expedited internal investigation related to compensation practices implicating the company’s CEO and a pay equity review
• An American machine tool building company in a workplace investigation of potential improprieties at the company’s Chinese affiliate
• A digital asset broker in advising on employment matters
• A financial services company in an investigation of allegations that a senior executive at a financial services company engaged in discrimination against a direct report and violated the company’s gifts and entertainment policy on multiple occasions. S&C advised the company in connection with its findings in this investigation, including providing suggested updates to policy language
• An internal investigation of alleged gender pay discrimination and retaliation

Criminal Defense and Investigations

• Allianz in the resolution of investigations by the SEC and DOJ in Structured Alpha hedge funds managed by Allianz and in settling a related series of individual and putative class actions filed in the Southern District of New York by investors
• An alternative investment firm in a non-public SEC investigation arising out of a SPAC transaction
• A media company in a non-public SEC investigation
• Kinross Gold in its favorable settlement with the SEC stemming from an FCPA investigation arising from the company’s activities in West Africa, as well as in a parallel investigation by the DOJ, which closed its investigation and declined to pursue charges
• A global bank in an ongoing criminal investigation conducted by the DOJ concerning compliance with U.S. anti‐money laundering and other applicable laws. The investigation is focused on the bank’s correspondent banking relationships with certain financial institutions headquartered in the Middle East
• A global financial institution in connection with a civil investigation led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts into the client’s arrangement and administration of a syndicated loan to a healthcare diagnostics company
• The former CEO of SBM Offshore in criminal investigations in the United States, Brazil, and the Netherlands related to alleged corruption in Brazil, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, and other countries
• A private investment firm in SEC and DOJ insider trading investigations
• An individual in an insider trading prosecution
• The principal of a trading company, in a landmark case, the first-ever criminal prosecution alleging a violation of the “anti-spoofing” provision of the Commodity Exchange Act. In advance of trial, S&C advanced constitutional and other arguments in support of a motion to dismiss the indictment, and then litigated the case at trial 

Securities Litigation and Complex Commercial Disputes

• JPMorgan Chase in securities and bankruptcy litigation arising out of the bankruptcy of Millennium Health, a drug testing company
• New York Racing Association in obtaining the dismissal of a high-profile action filed by Thoroughbred horse trainer Bob Baffert stemming from Baffert’s suspension from racing after his horse, Medina Spirit, was disqualified for testing positive for controlled substances following the Kentucky Derby
• A U.S. bank and senior executives in a putative securities class action and stockholder derivative action filed in the Northern District of California regarding the bank’s diversity hiring practices, as well as in a Section 220 demand for books and records regarding diverse slates allegations
• W2007 Grace Acquisition I, Inc., a Goldman Sachs-affiliated real estate investment vehicle, in successfully securing the dismissal, upheld on appeal, in a suit brought by its former preferred shareholders alleging breach of the stock purchase agreements, breach of the duty of good faith and fair dealing and 10 separate fraud-based claims
• A major energy company in a securities fraud case
• A major financial institution in a securities and bankruptcy litigation, which followed a DOJ investigation that was successfully resolved without any action against her client
• Global financial institutions in separate fraudulent conveyance and Article 78 actions in New York State court against MBIA Inc. and its subsidiaries challenging their 2009 multi-billion-dollar restructuring

Recent Publications, Podcasts and Speaking Engagements

• Spoke on American Arbitration Association’s Employment Arbitration and Mediation Today conference panel “Mass Employment Arbitration” (March 2026)
• Spoke on New York City Bar’s Trade Secrets Symposium 2026 panel “Ethical Issues in Trade Secret Cases” (February 2026)
• Co-authored the “Summary Judgment Strategy” chapter of the ABA’s Class Action Strategy & Practice Guide (2d ed. 2025)
• Spoke at GIR Live’s Investigations Meeting New York panel “Use of the False Claims Act in Procurement and Civil Rights Violations” (September 2025)
• Spoke on the NYU School of Law Conference on Labor & Employment Law panel “Discrimination on Account of Religion” (June 2025)
• Co-recorded the S&C Critical Insights podcast series “Trade Secrets: A Five-Part Podcast Series on Legal Issues and Strategy” (March 2025)
• Spoke on the NYCBA’s panel “Ethics Issues in Employment-Related Trade Secret Cases” (March 2025)
• Co-authored the “USA Trends and Developments” chapter of the Chambers HR Internal Investigations Guide 2025 (February 2025)
• Co-recorded the PLI One Hour Briefing presentation “Trade Secrets Litigations, Investigations, and Employment Issues” (January 29, 2025)
• Co-recorded S&C Sidebar podcast “A Conversation with Jay Clayton and Annie Ostrager” (October 2024)
• Co-recorded S&C's Critical Insights podcast “An Update on the FTC’s Non-Compete Rule, Part 2” (September 2024) 
• Co-recorded the S&C webinar “FTC’s Final Rule Banning Non-Competes: Key Takeaways” (May 2024)
• Co-recorded S&C's Critical Insights podcast “An Update on the FTC’s Non-Compete Rule” (May 2024)
• Co-recorded S&C's Critical Insights podcast “A Discussion of Non-Compete Agreements and Their Enforceability” (April 2024)
• Co-recorded the S&C video “Crisis Management: Navigating an Active Crisis” (March 2024) 
• Co-recorded S&C's Critical Insights podcast “Enforcement Actions Related to Alleged Impairment of Whistleblower Activity and New Whistleblower Programs” (March 2024) 
• Co-spoke on the NYSBA’s “Ethical Issues in Internal Investigations” panel (January 2024)
• Co-spoke on the “Expert Q&A: SEC Scrutiny of Employment Agreements and Policies” article for Practical Law (January 2024)
• Co-spoke on the NYCBA’s panel “Ethical Issues in Trade Secret Cases” (December 2023)
• Co-authored the “Internal Investigations: Witness Interview Strategy and Planning” for Lexis News (December 2023) 
• Spoke on the Crypto Banking & Compliance Summit’s panel “Standing Up A Bank’s Crypto Compliance Program” (September 2023)
• Moderated the 25th NYU Employment Law Workshop for Federal Judges’ panel “Evidence and Use of Experts” (September 2023)
• Spoke on the Commercial Bar Association: North America and Offshore Meeting’s panel “Cryptoasset Litigation and Financial Crime” (June 2023)
• Co-recorded S&C's Critical Insights podcast “Supreme Court’s Recent Polansky Decision on the False Claims Act” (July 2023)
• Co-recorded S&C's Critical Insights podcast “Recent Developments with SEC’s Whistleblowing Program” (July 2023)
• Co-authored the article “What To Expect From High Court’s Whistleblower Case,” for Law360 (July 2023) 
• Co-recorded S&C's Critical Insights podcast “A Discussion of Recent Federal Arbitration Act Decisions” (March 2023)
• Co-recorded S&C's Critical Insights podcast “Update on Recent Whistleblower Enforcement in the U.S.” (January 2023)
• Co-recorded S&C’s Critical Insights podcast “Supreme Court Business Review: Viking River Cruises v. Moriana and Southwest Airlines Co. v. Saxon” (September 2022)
• Co-authored the article “Increased focus on corporate culture and implications for workplace investigations” for Financier Worldwide (May 2022)
• Co-recorded S&C’s Critical Insights podcast “Lessons From the 2020 Proxy Season: Board Diversity” (October 2020)
• Co-recorded S&C’s Critical Insights podcast “Updates to Anti-Fraternization Policies and Issues Raised by McDonald’s” (September 2020)
• Co-recorded S&C’s Critical Insights podcast “Supreme Court Business Review: Labor & Employment in Bostock and Comcast” (August 2020)
• Co-recorded S&C’s Critical Insights podcast “Anti-Fraternization Policies” (July 2020)
• Co-recorded S&C’s Critical Insights podcast “Understanding Common Issues in Divestitures” (June 2020)
• Co-recorded the S&C webinar “Critical Labor and Employment Insights” (April 2020)
• Co-authored the article “Employers’ Guide to Return-to-Work Considerations During the COVID-19 Outbreak” for Reuters Westlaw (April 2020)
• Co-recorded S&C’s Critical Insights podcast “Return-To-Work Considerations For Employers Following COVID-19” (April 2020)
• Co-recorded S&C’s Critical Insights podcast “The Impact of COVID-19 on the Aviation Industry” (April 2020)
• Co-authored the article “Employers’ Guide to the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act During the Coronavirus Outbreak” for Reuters (March 2020)
• Co-recorded S&C’s Critical Insights podcast “COVID-19 Poses Critical Issues for Employers” (March 2020)
• Co-authored the article “Bias Case Gives Justices Chance to Rethink Title VII” for Law360 (January 2020)
• Co-authored the article “#MeToo and Separating Arbitration from Non-Disclosure Agreements” for the Labor and Employment Law Journal (December 2019)
• Authored the article “DOJ’s 2019 Enforcement Activities Demonstrates a Continued Commitment to FCPA Enforcement” for Anti-Corruption Report (August 2019)
• Co-authored the article “Whistleblowers Increasingly Shape SEC, CFTC Enforcement” for Law360 (July 2019)
• Authored the article “Will the SEC Take an Expansive Approach to the Extraterritorial Reach of Its Jurisdiction?” for the New York Law Journal (April 2019)
• Authored the practice note “Statutes of Limitations: Agreements to Shorten Limitations Periods on Employee Claims” for LexisNexis (January 2019)
• Co-authored the article “The Limitations of NY’s Anti-Sexual Harassment Law” for Law360 (September 2018)

Pro Bono Work

Ms. Ostrager has been named an Empire State Counsel Honoree by the New York State Bar Association for her commitment to pro bono. Her pro bono work has included a matter involving the Free Exercise and Establishment clauses of the First Amendment, litigation involving the foster and adoption practices of the State of Michigan, as well as a representation of multiple individuals pursuant to the Criminal Justice Act.

Professional Activities

She is a member of the Federal Bar Council Second Circuit Courts Committee, the New York City Bar Association’s Women in the Legal Profession: White Collar Crime Subcommittee, the New York State Bar Association, S&C’s Women’s Initiative Committee, Friends of Mount Sinai Hospital and also serves as a member of the Alumnae Board of The Spence School and on the Alumni Schools Committee for Princeton University.