Mayer Brown’s Securities Litigation & Corporate Governance practice represents clients in a wide variety of securities-related matters throughout the country. Our lawyers offer a broad base of experience in civil and criminal trial and appellate litigation, SEC enforcement proceedings and Department of Justice investigations. Many of our lawyers are veterans of key governmental positions with the SEC, the Solicitor General’s office and the Department of Justice. Our litigators in these fields have tried scores of cases covering all manner of civil and criminal subjects.

We assist clients, including issuers, accounting firms, investment banks, investment advisers, broker-dealers and corporate officers and directors, with internal and government investigations, civil and criminal litigation, appeals and legislative initiatives. The integration of our trial and appellate capabilities is particularly beneficial to our clients in securities litigation, where heightened pleading standards and judicial decisions such as Stoneridge, Dura Pharmaceuticals and Tellabs, have made it easier to obtain dismissal of securities cases at the outset of litigation.

Our detailed understanding of the unique defenses available in class, derivative and securities cases is frequently the difference in achieving ultimate, or even early, victory. Likewise, our experience with regulatory bodies and familiarity with the complexities of the myriad regulatory issues facing clients has proved valuable in efforts to dissuade formal charges from ever being brought. And our involvement in dozens of internal investigations helps to bring about an efficient and effective investigation and to avoid costly mistakes.

The integration of Mayer Brown’s Litigation, Supreme Court & Appellate and Securities Enforcement & Investigations groups means that the same lawyers who represent a client before the SEC will also be able to assist in any collateral or resulting litigation. Many of our SEC enforcement and civil securities litigators also have federal criminal experience, which results in a sophisticated understanding about the potential criminal implications of securities litigation and charges in today’s climate. And our knowledge of internal investigations is instrumental in helping us advise clients in connection with such issues as potential litigation and regulatory action, civil discovery, privilege issues, and government cooperation.