MATTHEW PODOLSKY joined Sidley after a distinguished career as a federal prosecutor, most recently serving as the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY). In that role, he oversaw all civil and criminal matters involving the United States, supervising approximately 220 lawyers in one of the nation’s most active jurisdictions.
During his 10 years at the SDNY, and prior to becoming Acting U.S. Attorney, Matt held a series of senior leadership positions, including Deputy U.S. Attorney, Acting Chief Counsel, and Chief of the Securities & Commodities Fraud Task Force. In his senior leadership roles, Matt supervised attorneys handling matters involving financial crimes, cybercrime, Bank Secrecy Act and sanctions violations, public corruption, national security, the False Claims Act, and civil enforcement. As Securities Chief, he oversaw investigations and prosecutions of individuals and companies involving market manipulation, insider trading, accounting and valuation fraud, crypto-asset misconduct, and investment adviser fraud. He frequently coordinated parallel investigations with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and other federal law enforcement agencies.
Matt is a first-chair trial lawyer, known for meticulous preparation, command of complex facts, and persuasive advocacy before juries. As a federal prosecutor, he investigated and tried multiple high-profile fraud and corruption cases to verdict and argued more than a dozen appeals in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. His trial record includes victories in cases involving major financial institutions, senior corporate executives, and public officials.
At Sidley, Matt is a key member of the firm’s national bench of trial lawyers, working seamlessly with colleagues across offices to deliver end-to-end trial strategy and advocacy for clients facing complex litigation and enforcement matters.
Matt is a frequent speaker on topics including securities enforcement, corporate investigations, and financial regulation. Before his government service, Matt was a litigation associate at another global law firm.