Securities Regulatory Enforcement & Litigation

Overview

Our dedicated Securities Regulatory Enforcement & Litigation practice defends individuals and companies in government investigations, enforcement proceedings, and litigation throughout the United States concerning alleged individual and corporate misconduct within the securities industry. The practice is chaired by Jerome M. Selvers, a former trial attorney in the U.S. Securities and Exchange (SEC) Division of Enforcement, who is widely recognized as a preeminent securities attorney and highly respected in both the private bar and securities enforcement agencies.

Defense of Industry Participants

We represent brokers, brokerage firms, public and private companies, investment advisers, directors, officers, and individuals in securities investigations, as well as civil enforcement and administrative litigation, throughout the country. Our attorneys are seasoned litigators, representing clients in federal and state court trials and appeals and in disciplinary matters, primarily involving alleged violations of the federal or state securities laws. In government enforcement matters, our team has extensive experience representing clients before the SEC, the New Jersey Bureau of Securities, and other state regulatory agencies and securities authorities, as well as in disciplinary investigations and proceedings brought by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). Our team also has experience with other non-FINRA forums (including the American Arbitration Association) for financial industry general business matters and customer disputes and is able to represent clients in disciplinary investigations and proceedings by membership accreditation organizations that issue professional designations.

Our goal is to help clients avoid charges being brought against them; and, if charges have been brought, to vigorously defend them to avoid or mitigate suspension, sanctions, fines, and penalties. In addition, our team works closely with attorneys in our Criminal Defense and Investigations practices regarding federal and state criminal securities investigations and prosecutions, providing our clients comprehensive defense counsel in securities investigations, enforcement, and litigation. We are also called upon by criminal defense attorneys from other firms to provide advice and counsel in connection with allegations of federal and state securities laws violations by their clients.

In addition, our team represents other securities professionals, including accountants and attorneys, in enforcement proceedings before the SEC arising out of their representation of industry participants.

Investor Rights

Our team represents investors in FINRA arbitrations who have suffered significant financial losses due to misconduct by financial advisors. We represent investors in a broad range of broker negligence and investment fraud matters including unsuitability, excessive trading (churning), breach of fiduciary duty, misrepresentation, omissions, lack of diversification, and unauthorized transactions.

Related Areas

Our Team

Practice Chairs

Jerome M. Selvers
Partner

Professionals

Experience

Representative Matters

Our firm is proud of the results it has achieved for clients, some of which are noted here. Of course, each legal matter is unique on many levels, and past successes are not a guarantee of results in any other pending or future matters.
Represented the founder and CEO of a Silicon Valley Fortune 500 multi-billion-dollar semi-conductor company in connection with DOJ criminal investigation, SEC anti-fraud litigation, and class action in California, and derivative litigation in Delaware in one of the largest, if not largest, back dating stock option cases.
Represented a Bahamian broker-dealer and its President in SEC anti-fraud litigation in Illinois.
Represented an individual in SEC anti-fraud litigation in Nevada.
Served as co-counsel for an individual indicted and at a four-week trial for securities and wire fraud in Florida.
Represented SEC judgment debtor in a SEC civil contempt proceeding at trial in Florida.
Represented an accountant, individually and as Trustee of a domestic trust and as Trust Advisor to three offshore trusts in connection with securities and bankruptcy litigation in New Jersey.
Represented a broker-dealer and its President in SEC market manipulation anti-fraud administrative proceeding in New York.
Represented a broker-dealer and its President in NJBOS anti-fraud litigation in New Jersey.
Represented a New York City attorney in SEC anti-fraud litigation in New York.
Represented former brokers in a FINRA arbitration commenced by the court appointed Trustee in SEC Ponzi scheme case seeking approximately $30,000,000 in damages in Michigan.
Represented a major accounting firm and partners in SEC administrative proceedings, including at hearings in Washington, D.C.
Represented a bank owner, officer, and director in SEC insider-trading litigation in New York.
Represented an officer/analyst of a leading financial credit ratings agency in a class action in New York.
Represented CEO of a public company in an enforcement action by the SEC relating to alleged violations of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Represented individuals in a civil suit by the New Jersey Bureau of Securities alleging fraud in the sale of unregistered notes and the misuse of investor monies.
Representation of numerous clients in various SEC investigations arising out of possible violations of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and successfully avoiding enforcement proceedings.