Timothy W. Hoover

Tim is a white collar defense attorney with extensive trial, appellate, and grand jury experience in federal and state courts. He represents corporate and individual clients in white-collar criminal cases, complex fraud cases, tax cases, environmental cases, and joint defense matters at the federal, state, and local levels. Tim is experienced in helping clients obtain exoneration, avoid charges, receive immunity, and in negotiating other favorable resolutions. He is equally experienced in the courtroom, where he has won acquittals in jury trials and outright dismissals in charged federal and state criminal cases. Deeply versed in all aspects of federal criminal practice, he also has extensive experience leading internal investigations. He is the President of the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Tim is an accomplished appellate advocate as well.  He regularly appears in federal and state appellate courts, having argued 44 appellate matters. He has presented argument in 36 cases before the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. In 2015, he won a unanimous decision from the New York Court of Appeals, New York’s highest court that reversed his client’s conviction and resulted in dismissal of the indictment.

In addition, Tim handles federal administrative investigations and suspension and debarment matters across a broad spectrum of federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Labor, Environmental Protection Agency, and the Internal Revenue Service. 

He likewise represents clients in state and local investigations and administrative matters involving the Office of the New York State Attorney General, Office of the New York State Comptroller, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New York State Department of Financial Services, and New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, among other agencies.  He has significant criminal tax investigation and representation experience. 

Tim has extensive experience handling False Claims Act investigations and matters on behalf of defendants in a diverse range of industries. His False Claims Act practice includes Medicare and Medicaid, pharmaceutical, and health care matters; government grants; defense contracting; tax; federal securities law; and procurement. 

In addition, Tim litigates various other civil, constitutional, Surrogate’s Court, and commercial matters, including having represented a family who lost a loved one in the tragic crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407 in Clarence Center, New York, and litigating a constitutional challenge to the 2008 Amendments to New York State’s Wicks Law. He is experienced in class action and collective action matters, as well as original proceedings and petitions in New York state courts. 

Tim is regularly called upon by federal courts to provide pro bono representation to litigants in trial and appellate matters.

Prior to joining Hodgson Russ in 2015, Tim was a partner at a large Buffalo law firm, where he co-chaired and led its white-collar defense practice team from 2008 to 2015. He previously served for seven years as an assistant federal public defender in Buffalo.  He began his career as a litigation associate at Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP in Columbus, Ohio.

• Listed, Best Lawyers in America (Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White-Collar) 2018 - 2021
• Listed, Buffalo Business First/Buffalo Law Journal's Legal Elite of Western New York, 2013 - 2017, 2020
• Listed, Upstate New York Super Lawyers, (Criminal Defense: White Collar) 2012 - 2020
• ECBA Volunteer Lawyers Project Immigration Award Recipient, 2020
• Listed, Buffalo Business First/Buffalo Law Journal's Legal Elite Top 10, 2015
• Listed, Buffalo Business First/Buffalo Law Journal Who’s Who in Law, 2009, 2011, 2012
• Order of the Coif
• Phi Beta Kappa

• President, New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
• Bar Association of Erie County (BAEC)
• Member, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
• Member, U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York Local Rules Committee
• Chair, BAEC Federal Practice Committee, 2009-2013
• Member, BAEC Judiciary Committee, 2010
• Past Member, New York State Unified Court System, Criminal Courts, Electronic Filing Advisory Committee
• Past Member, New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) Criminal Justice Section, executive committee
• Past Member, NYSBA Committee on Courts of Appellate Jurisdiction
• Past Member, NYSBA Special Committee to Ensure Quality of Mandated Representation
• Past Member, NYSBA Special Committee on Immigration Representation

• Member, Pro Bono Panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
• Member, Pro Bono Volunteer Panel, United States District Court for the Western District of New York
• Participating Attorney, Appellate Pro Bono Program, Monroe County Public Defender's Office
• Member, Niagara Frontier Lacrosse Officials Association
• Buffalo Toronto Public Media (WNED), Secretary of board of trustees (2014-2015), trustee (2009-2015, 2020-present)

• Fairport-Perinton Dollars for Scholars board of directors (2019-2020)

• Sisters Hospital Foundation board of directors (2011-2017)
• New York State CLE board, member (2013-2016)
• Neighborhood Legal Services, board of directors (2008-2015), President of board (2013-2015)
• Ambassador recruitment co-chair, Buffalo Dining Out for Life benefit for AIDS Community Services of WNY, 2009-2010
• Co-chair, Buffalo Dining Out for Life benefit for AIDS Community Services of WNY, 2007