Ashley is a criminal defense attorney with more than a decade of experience defending clients in state and federal courts. She focuses her practice on white collar criminal defense, internal investigations and corporate compliance matters in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. She frequently conducts regulatory investigations and defends clients in grand jury proceedings. Her clients include individuals, professionals, and corporations in the securities, financial, energy and life sciences sectors as well as higher education entities.
Ashley has extensive experience in providing counsel in various complex fraud cases, including healthcare, bankruptcy and financial frauds, as well as criminal tax violations. Ashley also has experience representing individuals in administrative proceedings, such as Title IX investigations and the collegiate student conduct process.
She is an accomplished trial advocate with experience in multiple jurisdictions, and has presented numerous appeals to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
Ashley is co-chair of the Young Lawyer’s Group for the Women’s White Collar Defense Association – Philadelphia Chapter; a member of the Federal Criminal Law Committee for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania; and a member of the Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey. She is also a member of the White Collar Committee, Education Committee, and the NextGen Committee of the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
What Clients Can Expect
Ashley is a strong advocate both in and out of the courtroom. Her clients often say that she is calming, non-judgmental and no-nonsense. She is known for her communication and client management skills, ensuring the client is aware of every step of the process and is informed of all developments. She is someone who gets things done, no matter how difficult or complex.
Ashley was able to take a very stressful situation and handle it swiftly and diligently. We couldn't have asked for a better outcome and it was 100% thanks to Ashley and her dedication, intelligence and care.
Outside the Office
In college, Ashley was a Division I rower for the University of Central Florida Women’s Rowing team. Today she remains a fitness enthusiast. Ashley also mentors law students and new lawyers as they begin their careers and she is a dedicated aunt.
Proof Points
- United States v. M.R.; U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of PA (2019) – Obtained a dismissal of all charges relating to the alleged improper filling of two out of date propane cylinders, in violation of DOT Hazardous Materials regulations, that resulted in a deadly explosion on a food truck in Philadelphia. The client pled guilty to two counts of regulatory violations involving the failure to properly train and document training of two employees at a U-Haul facility he managed in 2014. Despite the government’s efforts to obtain a period of incarceration, the defendant was sentenced to two years of probation, a small fine, and community service.
- Obtained an official pardon from New Jersey Governor Chris Christie for a client who was arrested in 2013 and convicted of unlawful possession of a handgun. The client, a Pennsylvania business owner who had no prior criminal record, had been target shooting and inadvertently left his hunting rifles in his vehicle when driving in New Jersey. Ashley filed a Petition for Executive Clemency on the client’s behalf, and, following numerous phone calls, emails and in-person interviews, Gov. Christie granted the pardon, which is one of only 27 granted in his eight years in office.
- Commonwealth v. K.K. – Represented a Temple University student served with a civil Protection From Abuse Act petition, charged with felony strangulation and related misdemeanor offenses, and later charged with violations of the Student Code of Conduct stemming from an incident during a break up with his then girlfriend, also a Temple student. After a detailed investigation and fact gathering, Ashley built a student conduct hearing defense for the client who was later found not responsible for multiple alleged student conduct violations following a full hearing before the Title IX adjudicator. Following this demonstration of innocence, Ashley was able to get the Philadelphia D.A.’s Office to drop all of the charges if the client completed an anger management course and if he agreed to a temporary PFA without admission of any wrongdoing. As such the client did not face expulsion from college, he does not have a criminal record after the expungement of this arrest from his record, and he only had an 18 month restraining order without admission or a finding of liability in the civil courts.
- Obtained an unprecedented furlough from FCI-Ft. Dix for a client to attend his son’s funeral.
- U.S. v. “M.V.”, U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey (2018) – Represented client CEO who was accused of embezzling more than $1 million from the company over the course of several years. Client faced advisory federal sentencing guidelines that called for a period of incarceration of 15 to 21 months, but received a sentence of 6 months.
Awards
- 2021 Best Lawyers: Ones To Watch recognition for Corporate Governance and Compliance Law and Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, Rising Star – White-Collar Defense 2019-2020
- New Jersey & Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, Rising Star – Criminal Defense 2016 - 2018, 2020
- The Legal Intelligencer, Lawyers on the Fast Track 2017
Affiliations
Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Federal Bar Association, Criminal Law Committee
Women’s White Collar Defense Association -Philadelphia & New Jersey Chapter.
Camden County Bar Association