Securities & Futures Enforcement

If allegations of misconduct are made, we have the knowledge and experience to conduct internal investigations and defend adversarial government-led investigations. In these investigations, we provide outstanding representation to a wide variety of clients including financial services organizations, banks, private equity funds, public companies, fund advisers, accounting firms and other major market participants, as well as individuals.

We also have a robust regulatory practice, responding to increasingly frequent and probing inquiries from government regulators and self-regulatory organizations (SROs), and preparing our clients for potential resulting enforcement actions. Our deep understanding of complicated financial products and breadth of experience — ranging from representation of top, multinational bulge bracket investment banks and alternative-asset management firms, to individual traders facing enforcement actions — makes us uniquely positioned to counsel our clients through an increasingly aggressive financial enforcement space.

Advising an investment bank on its response to the SEC as part of an industry-wide investigation into communications between certain issuers and the research analysts that cover them.

Representing an investment advisory firm in connection with an examination and subsequent enforcement action by the SEC.

Represented international financial services firm in SEC, FINRA, CFTC, and exchange investigations into securities, futures, and derivatives trading.

Representing the broker-dealer arm of a global financial services firm in a money-laundering investigation being conducted by the SEC, FINRA, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, and the National Futures Association.

Representing the former CEO of a major corporation in an SEC investigation related to alleged insider trading.

Represented a private fund advisor in a CFTC enforcement action regarding alleged cross-market spoofing activity by a now former trader in 2013-2014. In 2018, we successfully negotiated a penalty reduction and settlement that minimized reputational impact to the client.

Represented a mutual fund manager in an enforcement action regarding alleged improper Exchange for Related Position (EFRP) trades. The matter was settled favorably in 2018.

Represented a leading investment adviser and its associated hedge funds in an SEC investigation into potentially unlawful securities trading by certain of the funds’ investors.

Represented a leading private equity investment firm in the SEC’s “pay-to-play” investigation relating to certain pension funds.

Represented a public company in an SEC investigation into possible accounting and disclosure fraud and potential Regulation FD violations.

Represented individual traders in DOJ, SEC, CFTC, and state investigations into futures and derivatives trading practices, including alleged market manipulation, front running, and insider trading. 

Represented major Swiss bank in SEC inquiry into trading and tax reporting practices of bank clients. 

Represented multinational financial services firm in responding to regulatory inquiries and exams, with a focus on futures and swaps trading.

Represented investment advisers and private equity fund managers in connection with responses to deficiency letters and investigative subpoenas.

Secured favorable settlement for private equity firm and investment management firm in investigations into fee allocation practices.