SEC enforcement investigations cover a wide range of targets and witnesses, from the big investment banks and their employees, to public companies to private companies who are soliciting investments, small companies. The SEC conducts its investigations privately, and does so by requesting voluntary cooperation or issuing subpoenas for documents and […]
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Arbitration
Ninth Circuit Refuses to Vacate FINRA Arbitration Award Because Proceedings Were Not Recorded
From JD Supra: The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals refused to vacate an arbitration award even though the proceedings were not recorded. In Uddin v. TD Ameritrade, Inc., 2026 WL 982854 (9th Cir. Apr. 13, 2026) (Not for Publication), the appellant appealed an award by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) to […]
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Insider Trading, Corp Finance
SEC Charges Corporate Attorneys with Insider Trading
SEC Charges 21 Individuals in Alleged Decade-Long Insider Trading Scheme The Securities and Exchange Commission has charged 21 individuals for their alleged roles in a wide-ranging insider trading scheme involving confidential information allegedly stolen from multiple global law firms. According to the SEC, the scheme ran for years and generated […]
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Enforcement, Compliance
Musk Settles. Violation earned him $150 Million, Fine is $1.5 million
Look, we understand, it was not fraud, it is a reporting violation, but what is the point of financial penalties if they do not have any impact on the defendant, or have no relationship to the amount of benefit he received? Musk purchased Twitter for $44 billion in a leveraged buyout […]
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Enforcement
Chairman Atkins Launches ‘Material Matters’ Podcast
The Securities and Exchange Commission announced the launch of Material Matters With SEC Chairman Paul Atkins, a new podcast that provides stakeholders and the investing public with exclusive interviews and insights around the agency’s policy and rulemaking agenda. Play the inaugural episode Chairman Atkins will be joined by guests across […]
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Enforcement
SEC’s Revisions to its Enforcement Manual – February 2026
By Mark J. Astarita, Esq. The Securities and Exchange Commission has announced what it labels “comprehensive revisions” to its Enforcement Manual, marking the first update since 2017. The SEC claims that the changes are designed to strengthen fairness, transparency, and procedural consistency in enforcement investigations, while improving efficiency and resource […]
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Insider Trading
The Insider Trading Compliance Checklist: 21 Red Flags Every Firm Must Monitor
By Mark J. Astarita, Esq. Introduction Insider trading remains one of the most aggressively enforced areas of securities regulation. Firms must monitor not only the conduct of executives and employees, but also the actions of contractors, vendors, consultants, and even family members of insiders. This checklist highlights 21 critical red […]
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Brokers, Enforcement, Insider Trading, Investors
Insider Trading Lawyer & Compliance Defense
Insider Trading Lawyer for SEC & FINRA Investigations – Protect your reputation, your license, and your future. If you or your firm is facing questions about insider trading, early counsel is critical. Regulatory agencies—including the SEC, FINRA, and the Department of Justice—prioritize insider trading enforcement and aggressively pursue civil and […]
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Brokers, Compliance
SEC Subpoenas – Tips for Responding – 2025
How you respond to an SEC subpoena makes a difference. Tips from an experienced securities attorney.
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Arbitration, Brokers, Featured Articles, Investors, Primer
What is Securities Arbitration?
Securities arbitration has become the most often-used method of resolving disputes in the securities industry. Since the late 1970’s, FINRA and its predecessors have required brokerage firms and stock brokers into securities arbitration to resolve their disputes with each other, and with their customers. That requirement led to brokerage firms […]
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Whistleblower
Understanding the SEC Whistleblower Program
A look into the workings of the SEC Whistleblower Program. Is it any surprise that Whistleblowers who are represented by securities attorneys might do better presenting tips than those who are represented by non-securities attorneys? What is the SEC Whistleblower Program? The SEC Whistleblower Program is a vital component […]
Recent Posts
Insider Trading
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SEC Attempts to Expand Insider Trading Liability
March 28, 2024They continue to attempt to expand insider trading prohibitions and to do so by bringing lawsuits based on new theories rather [...] -
SEC Charges Police Chief Four Others in Connection with Insider Trading Before Pharmaceutical Merger
June 29, 2023The Securities and Exchange Commission filed insider trading charges against five individuals, including a police chief in [...] -
Insider Trading Attorney
July 15, 2018Whistleblowers
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Sallah Astarita & Cox Obtains $12 Million Whistleblower Award
October 21, 2024SEC Awards $12 Million to Whistleblowers Exposing Penny Stock Fraud Last week, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) [...] -
SEC Issues Awards Totaling $98 Million to Two Whistleblowers
August 23, 2024The SEC’s Landmark Whistleblower Awards The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently made headlines by awarding [...] -
SEC Whistleblower Award: A $37 Million Milestone
July 17, 2024The SEC has granted over $37 million to a whistleblower. This individual provided previously unknown information to the [...] -
Supreme Court Upholds Corporate Whistleblower Protections
February 9, 2024February 8. 2024 – The U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling holding that whistleblowers do not need to prove that [...] -
Monolith Resources Settles SEC Charges Violating Whistleblower Protection Rules
September 8, 2023Sept. 8, 2023 — The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced settled charges against Monolith Resources LLC, a [...]
- Record-Breaking SEC Whistleblower Awards: $104 Million Rewarded to Seven Individuals
- Inside the SEC Whistleblower Office
- SEC Awards More Than $104 Million to Seven Whistleblowers
Financial Professionals
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FINRA’s Immunity
March 10, 2026Russ Ryan argues that the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Galette v. New Jersey Transit Corporation may undermine decades of [...] -
FINRA Proposes Increase to Gift Rule
January 15, 2026FINRA has filed a proposed rule change to amend FINRA Rule 3220 (Influencing or Rewarding Employees of Others). The change will [...] -
Responding Effectively to FINRA Rule 8210 Requests: Key Strategies and Why Legal Support Matters
December 29, 2025A request under FINRA Rule 8210 is a very serious regulatory event. It can be addressed by a registered representative, a [...] -
What the SEC’s 2026 Examination Priorities Mean for Investment Advisers
November 17, 2025Every year the SEC publishes its Examination Priorities for the coming year. We reviewed those priorities with a focus on SEC [...] -
9 Proven Strategies for Defending an SEC Investigation
November 14, 2025In today’s complex regulatory environment, facing an SEC investigation can pose an existential threat for public companies. It [...] -
Tips for a Successful Securities Mediation
November 11, 2025Securities arbitration is a proven method for resolving disputes in the securities industry. It is a quicker and more [...]
- Should Brokers and Firms Share a Lawyer?
- SEC’s Division of Investment Management to Host Third Annual Conference on Emerging Trends in Asset Management
- By Building Wealth, Investors Power U.S. Economy
Investors
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Tips for a Successful Securities Mediation
November 11, 2025Securities arbitration is a proven method for resolving disputes in the securities industry. It is a quicker and more [...] -
SEC Seeks Public Comment to Improve Rules on Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities and Asset-Backed Securities
September 26, 2025The SEC recently issued a concept release inviting public input aimed at refining the regulatory framework for residential [...] -
SEC Charges Water Machine Manufacturer and Portfolio Manager in $275 Million Fraud Scheme
August 14, 2025$275 Million Fraud Case The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed charges against Ryan Wear, founder of Water [...] -
SEC Releases New Data on Broker-Dealers, M&A, and BDCs: Key Insights for Investors
June 29, 2025On June 26, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Economic and Risk Analysis (DERA) published new reports [...] -
SEC’s Division of Investment Management to Host Third Annual Conference on Emerging Trends in Asset Management
May 27, 2025The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Investment Management announced it will host the third annual Conference [...] -
By Building Wealth, Investors Power U.S. Economy
April 2, 2025How Investing Fuels the U.S. Economy and Builds Your Financial Future The SEC Shines a Light on Investing During National [...]
- What is a Ponzi Scheme
- SEC Extends Compliance Dates for Amendments to Investment Company Names Rule
- SEC Seeks Candidates for Membership on the Investor Advisory Committee
Arbitration
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Ninth Circuit Refuses to Vacate FINRA Arbitration Award Because Proceedings Were Not Recorded
May 8, 2026From JD Supra: The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals refused to vacate an arbitration award even though the proceedings were not [...] -
FINRA’s Immunity
March 10, 2026Russ Ryan argues that the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Galette v. New Jersey Transit Corporation may undermine decades of [...] -
IPO Mandatory Arbitration Back in the News
January 3, 2026One of the most consequential developments in securities litigation has been the SEC’s shift toward permitting companies to [...]
- FINRA Arbitration Reorganizes
- Tips for a Successful Securities Mediation
- What is Securities Arbitration?
Enforcement
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Responding Effectively to FINRA Rule 8210 Requests: Key Strategies and Why Legal Support Matters
December 29, 2025A request under FINRA Rule 8210 is a very serious regulatory event. It can be addressed by a registered representative, a [...] -
9 Proven Strategies for Defending an SEC Investigation
November 14, 2025In today’s complex regulatory environment, facing an SEC investigation can pose an existential threat for public companies. It [...] -
Should Brokers and Firms Share a Lawyer?
November 7, 2025By Mark J. Astarita, Esq. A repeating question on my website comes from brokers who are named in an arbitration proceeding by [...]
- What is Securities Arbitration?
- What is a Ponzi Scheme
- How SEC Investigations Work: Process, Defense Strategies & Legal Guidance
Featured Articles
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9 Proven Strategies for Defending an SEC Investigation
November 14, 2025In today’s complex regulatory environment, facing an SEC investigation can pose an existential threat for public companies. It [...] -
Time to Update the SEC’s Wells Process
September 6, 2025We have written about the SEC’s Wells process in the past. A Wells Notice is a notice from a regulator that it intends to [...] -
What is Securities Arbitration?
June 1, 2025Securities arbitration has become the most often-used method of resolving disputes in the securities industry. Since the late [...]
- SEC Charges Multiple Individuals and Entities in Relationship Investment Scams
- Federal Securities Law, a Securities Lawyer Guide
- What is a Security?
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Other News
SEC Charges 21 Individuals with Alleged Wide-Reaching Insider Trading Scheme
The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged 21 individuals for their alleged involvement in a decade-long insider trading scheme that used information misappropriated from multiple global law firms and resulted in millions of dollars in illicit… SEC Press Release For more information, contact the securities lawyers at Sallah Astarita & […]
SEC Divisions of Investment Management and Corporation Finance Issue Staff Guidance Supporting Retirement Plans for Small Businesses
Staff in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Divisions of Investment Management and Corporation Finance issued guidance addressing certain questions regarding the application of the federal securities laws to pooled employer plans (PEPs), which help… SEC Press Release For more information, contact the securities lawyers at Sallah Astarita & Cox, at […]
SEC Proposes Amendments to Permit Optional Semiannual Reporting by Public Companies
The Securities and Exchange Commission today proposed rule and form amendments that would give public companies the option of filing semiannual reports in lieu of quarterly reports to meet their interim reporting obligations under the federal securities… SEC Press Release For more information, contact the securities lawyers at Sallah Astarita […]
SEC Refocuses Enforcement on Fraud, Investor Protection in FY 2025
The SEC released its FY 2025 enforcement results, marking a shift away from the prior Commission’s emphasis on headline-driven case volume and toward a more traditional, fraud-centered enforcement philosophy. Chairman Paul S. Atkins and Commissioner Mark Uyeda emphasized a return to Congress’s original intent by prioritizing cases that directly protect […]
SEC and CFTC Jointly Propose Amendments to Reduce Private Fund Reporting Burdens
Washington D.C., April 20, 2026 — The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) jointly proposed amendments to reduce private fund reporting burdens while enabling the continued collection of necessary and appropriate information. The agencies proposed to amend Form PF, the confidential reporting form for […]
SEC Seeks Public Comment on the Consolidated Audit Trail and Other Audit Trails and Data Sources
The Securities and Exchange Commission today issued a concept release soliciting public comment in support of a comprehensive review of the Consolidated Audit Trail (CAT) and other audit trails and related data sources currently used in the regulation of… SEC Press Release For more information, contact the securities lawyers at […]
SEC Small Business Advisory Committee to Explore Ways to Encourage More IPOs
The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee announced that it will hold a meeting on Tuesday, April 28, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. to explore ways to encourage more companies to go public.The meeting will be open… SEC Press Release For more information, contact the securities lawyers […]
SEC Approves Exemptive Order and Proposed Rule Change to Permit Customer Cross-Margining in the U.S. Treasury Market
The Securities and Exchange Commission today issued a conditional exemptive order that permits customer cross-margining of cash market positions in U.S. Treasury securities cleared by a registered clearing agency and futures positions in U.S. Treasury… SEC Press Release For more information, contact the securities lawyers at Sallah Astarita & Cox, […]
SEC Appoints David Woodcock as Director of the Division of Enforcement
The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that David Woodcock has been appointed Director of the Division of Enforcement, effective May 4, 2026. Mr. Woodcock is currently a partner in the Dallas and Washington, D.C. offices of Gibson, Dunn… SEC Press Release For more information, contact the securities lawyers at […]
SEC Announces Enforcement Results for Fiscal Year 2025
The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced enforcement results for the fiscal year that ended on September 30, 2025.Central to an effective enforcement program is determining which cases to bring and responsibly stewarding Commission… SEC Press Release For more information, contact the securities lawyers at Sallah Astarita & Cox, at […]
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