Government Enforcement Partner Jason Brown Appointed to New York Attorney General’s Office

November 19, 2015

Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced the appointment of Ropes & Gray government enforcement partner Jason Brown to Chief Deputy Attorney General. Mr. Brown will be leaving Ropes & Gray at the end of 2015 to join the AG’s office effective January 4, 2016.

Attorney General Schneiderman also announced the appointment of Chief Deputy Attorney General Janet Sabel. Mr. Brown and Ms. Sabel will serve as the top deputies to Attorney General Schneiderman, with Mr. Brown responsible for criminal prosecutions and defensive counsel and Ms. Sabel responsible for affirmative civil litigation.

“I am delighted to announce the appointment of two first-rate legal minds to serve as my office’s Chief Deputy Attorneys General,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “Jason Brown’s unmatched experience prosecuting high profile criminal cases will be a tremendous addition to our team. Both Chief Deputy Attorney General Brown and Chief Deputy Attorney General Sabel bring a wealth of experience to their new posts and are first-rate public servants. As part of my senior leadership team, both will be invaluable in helping to advance the mission of my office to ensure equal justice under the law.”

Mr. Brown was previously Chief of the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of New York, where he served nine years as a federal prosecutor. He investigated and prosecuted hundreds of criminal cases, including securities fraud, government contract fraud, and public corruption.

For over 25 years, Mr. Brown has practiced law in the areas of criminal law and complex civil litigation. Mr. Brown has worked on criminal cases as varied as securities fraud, government contract fraud, antitrust, tax, insurance, and environmental crimes. Mr. Brown’s civil litigation work includes complex commercial disputes, fraud, and civil RICO cases. Mr. Brown received his B.A. from Princeton University and his J.D. from Harvard Law School.

“It is an honor to join the incredibly talented team that Attorney General Schneiderman has assembled in his office,” Mr. Brown said. “Having worked in the legal profession for over 25 years, including time both as a federal prosecutor and defending clients in the courtroom, I am eager to put my experience to work for the people of New York State.”

Ms. Sabel was promoted from her former position as First Deputy Attorney General of Affirmative Litigation. Ms. Sabel has served in the New York Attorney General’s Office since January 2011, first as Executive Deputy Attorney General for Social Justice before being promoted to First Deputy Attorney General Of Affirmative Litigation and now as Deputy Attorney General.

“I would like to thank Attorney General Schneiderman for this appointment and for his continued confidence in my service to this office,” Ms. Sabel said. “I look forward to working with the Attorney General and the rest of our leadership team to continue to serve the people of New York through high-quality legal work and an abiding commitment to public service.”

Ms. Sabel joined the New York State Attorney General’s Office in January 2011 as the Executive Deputy Attorney General for Social Justice and was promoted in 2013 to First Deputy Attorney General of Affirmative Litigation. Under Ms. Sabel’s direction, the Attorney General’s office has conducted dozens of significant enforcement actions. Previously, she was General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer of The Legal Aid Society where she held a number of positions since 1985 and where she worked on federal and class action litigation on disability and health issues; managed the Lower Manhattan Neighborhood Office and the Society’s Health Law Unit; and was Attorney-in-Charge of Legal Aid’s citywide Immigration Law Unit. Ms. Sabel served as Law Clerk to the Honorable Frank M. Coffin, U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Ms. Sabel received her B.A. from Harvard/Radcliffe College and her J.D. from New York University School of Law, where she was a Root- Tilden Scholar.