As a former federal prosecutor I am, at my core, a trial lawyer. I know how to build a case and how to defend it aggressively, and I can quickly ascertain what is important to a judge in order to advance my argument effectively. That said, litigation often extracts a significant emotional and financial toll on a client. I believe my clients appreciate the empathy, sincerity and ‘humanity’ with which I handle their matters, while remaining a fierce advocate on their behalf.
Ms. Toscano focuses her practice on white collar criminal defense, internal corporate investigations and complex civil litigation. Her work encompasses the defense of clients in criminal investigations, RICO actions, contract and business disputes, and allegations of legal malpractice. She is experienced in all aspects of litigation, including internal investigations on behalf of financial institutions and other corporate entities, pre-trial motions and plea negotiations, and trial and post-trial proceedings, and has tried numerous cases to verdict.
Prior to entering private practice, Ms. Toscano gained extensive experience as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey for over ten years. In her role as Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division, she managed all aspects of litigation from investigation through conviction, supervising the Office's violent crime, narcotics, organized crime and gang-related caseload and serving as the Office's Grand Jury coordinator. In addition, as Chief of the General Crimes Unit, her responsibilities included the oversight of a variety of cases, including those involving mail fraud, wire fraud, healthcare fraud and tax fraud.
Ms. Toscano's background also includes her tenure as a trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division, where her work encompassed the investigation and prosecution of complex international narcotics, money laundering and narco-terrorism cases.
Honors & Awards
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© (a trademark of Woodward/White, Inc.) in the Commercial Litigation and Criminal Defense: White-Collar practice areas (2023)
- Selected for inclusion by the New Jersey Law Journal on the 2022 list of "Women Lawyers of the Year," the publication's annual listing of female attorneys making an impact at a law firm, in-house legal department, government agency or public interest organization in New Jersey
- Recipient of a U.S. Department of Justice Attorney General's Award for Excellence in Management (2020)
- Recognized by proclamation by Mayor Ras Baraka for Outstanding Achievements in Violent Crime Reduction in the City of Newark (2019)
- Recipient of the Honorable Patty Shwartz Leadership Award (2018)
- Recipient of a Law Enforcement Partnership Award from the Newark Police Department (2018)
Representative Matters
- Successfully defended a client in an arbitration hearing against allegations of legal malpractice, resulting in all claims being dismissed and no award being issued
- Representation of an individual charged with money laundering and tax fraud related to a $722 million fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme
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Successfully defended a company that operates a post-acute network of skilled nursing and assisted living facilities in federal court, securing an order to dismiss a complaint alleging $10 million in damages for a range of due process and emotional distress claims
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Representation of a physician charged in a $3.4 million federal healthcare fraud prosecution
- Representation of a defendant in a mail and wire fraud investigation involving allegations of $9 million in fraudulent business practices
- Representation of a corporation against allegations involving the False Claims Act
Uniquely NJ
- Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey; Trustee
- New Jersey State Bar Association
- New Jersey Women Lawyers Association
- Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers of New Jersey
- Women's White Collar Defense Association, New Jersey Chapter
- Essex County Bar Association; Trustee
- Newark Police Foundation; Board member
- Daniel Anderl Judicial Protection Project; Board member
More Activities & Experience
- Ms. Toscano served as an appellate court attorney in the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court (2005-2007)
- Buffalo Law Review; Managing Editor (2004-2005), Associate Member (2003-2004)
- Proficient in spoken and written Spanish
Presentations & Speaking Engagements
- Panelist, Nuts and Bolts of Criminal LawSponsor: Essex County Bar Association, November 22, 2022
- Sponsor: Essex County Bar Association, November 16, 2022
- Panelist, IRS Criminal Investigation - Traditional Criminal TaxSponsor: Agostino & Associates, June 2022
- Sponsor: New Jersey State Bar Association, May 18, 2022
- Panelist, Violent Crimes in Aid of RacketeeringÂSponsor: United States Department of Justice, August 2020
- Panelist, Trial IssuesSponsor: United States Department of Justice, August 2020
- Panelist, Ethics & Professionalism for Criminal AttorneysSponsor: New Jersey Association for Justice, August, 2020
- Sponsor: Essex County Bar Association, June 1, 2020
- Panelist, The First Step Act: Its Impact on the Law in New Jersey and NationwideSponsor: New Jersey State Bar Association, May 2019
- Panelist, Witness and Cooperator IssuesSponsor: United States Department of Justice, May 2019
- Panelist, Managing Complex CasesSponsor: United States Department of Justice, May 2018
- Panelist, Select Issues in Digital Evidence, Social Media and DiscoverySponsor: C. Willard Heckel Inn of Court, May 2018
- Panelist, Retrieval of Digital Evidence - a Technical Education for the Non-Technical AttorneySponsor: Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers of New Jersey, October 2016
- Panelist, Electronic EvidenceSponsor: New Jersey Association for Justice, May 2016
- Panelist, Pre-Arrest and Pre-Indictment Strategies for Prosecutors and the DefenseSponsor: New Jersey Association for Justice, April 2015
- Panelist, Advocacy in State and Federal SentencingSponsor: New Jersey Association for Justice, May 2014
Publications & Alerts
- New Jersey Law Journal, January 30, 2023
- New Jersey Law Journal, November 7, 2022
- New Jersey Globe, August 23, 2022
News
Departments
Practice Groups
Education
State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law, J.D. cum laude, 2005
Georgetown University, B.A. magna cum laude, 2002
Bar Admissions
- New Jersey, 2018
- New York, 2006
- U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, 2019
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, 2021
- U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit, 2008
- U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit, 2007