Overview
(September 9, 2026, New York) – Steptoe LLP is pleased to announce that Della Sentilles has joined the firm's New York office as a partner in its Investigations, White-Collar Defense & Compliance group.
A veteran trial lawyer and former senior attorney in the US Department of Justice's Fraud Section, Della has extensive experience handling complex white-collar criminal matters, government investigations, and corporate compliance issues. She joins Steptoe from Morgan Stanley, where she served as Executive Director in Global Financial Crimes, US Investigations.
Della's practice spans securities and commodities fraud, federal program fraud, anti-corruption enforcement, money laundering, asset forfeiture, and financial crimes compliance. Throughout her career, she has led high-profile government investigations, tried landmark cases, and reviewed and assessed corporate compliance programs, providing feedback on regulatory expectations and enforcement-related risks. Her arrival further enhances Steptoe's ability to help clients respond to criminal and regulatory scrutiny, conduct internal investigations, and manage sensitive matters with significant business and reputational implications.
Before joining Morgan Stanley, Della served as Senior Litigation Counsel in the DOJ’s Market Integrity and Major Frauds Unit, where she handled some of the government's most significant fraud prosecutions and emerging enforcement matters. Her experience uniquely positions her to advise financial institutions, public companies, boards, and executives facing government investigations and enforcement actions.
"Companies today face a rapidly changing enforcement environment, where financial crime risks, regulatory expectations, and global compliance obligations continue to evolve," said Ryan Poscablo, chair of Steptoe's Investigations, White-Collar Defense & Compliance group. "Della combines exceptional trial skills with deep experience across the enforcement landscape, from securities and commodities fraud to anti-corruption and anti-money laundering matters. Just as importantly, she understands the challenges clients face from both government and corporate perspectives. Her arrival further strengthens our ability to guide clients through their most consequential investigations and compliance challenges."
In addition to her extensive courtroom experience, Della has worked closely with corporate stakeholders on anti-money laundering, fraud prevention, market abuse, and emerging cryptocurrency-related compliance issues. Her blend of prosecutorial and in-house experience adds valuable depth to Steptoe's global investigations platform.
"Steptoe has built a reputation for handling some of the most sophisticated investigations and enforcement matters in the market," Della said. "The firm's collaborative culture, trial strength, and global platform create an outstanding environment for helping clients navigate risk and resolve their most challenging legal issues. I'm excited to join this talented team and contribute to the firm's continued growth."
While at the DOJ, Della played a leading role in several precedent-setting cases, including securing the first-ever conviction involving insider trading through Rule 10b5-1 trading plans and bringing the first criminal commodities insider trading case under Rule 180.1. She also served in the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Unit and the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, leading international investigations and enforcement actions involving multinational corporations, foreign officials, and complex financial transactions.
Della earned her J.D., with honors, from the University of Texas School of Law and her B.A., cum laude, from Yale University. She has received numerous honors throughout her career, including the Attorney General's John Marshall Award, the DOJ’s highest award for attorneys.
About Steptoe
In more than 110 years of practice, Steptoe has earned an international reputation for vigorous representation of clients and innovative thinking before governmental agencies, successful advocacy in litigation and arbitration, and creative and practical advice in structuring business transactions. Steptoe has more than 500 lawyers and other professional staff across offices in Beijing, Brussels, Chicago, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. For more information, visit www.steptoe.com.
