Published by Gbaf News
Posted on May 10, 2018
Lawyer responsible for federal and civil litigation in high-profile matters becomes a partner in the firm’s New York office
Morrison & Foerster, a leading global law firm, is pleased to announce that Michael D. Birnbaum has joined the firm’s Securities Litigation, Enforcement and White-Collar Defense Practice Group (SLEW) as a partner in New York. Coming from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mr. Birnbaum follows numerous other senior government officials who have joined Morrison & Foerster over recent years. He will represent financial institutions, corporations, and individuals in regulatory enforcement proceedings, internal and government investigations, and civil securities litigation.
Mr. Birnbaum spent the last 11 years at the SEC, most recently as Senior Trial Counsel. He previously spent eight years in private practice.
Michael Birnbaum
“Michael’s extensive trial and investigations experience will further strengthen our already deep bench of securities and enforcement litigators,” said Jordan Eth, co-chair of Morrison & Foerster’s SLEW Group. “Michael brings up-to-the-minute SEC enforcement knowledge and an impressive investigative and enforcement background.”
Joel Haims, co-chair of Morrison & Foerster’s SLEW Group, added: “Michael is the latest in a series of high-profile additions that bring significant government experience to our white collar and investigations practice, particularly on the East Coast. We’re proud to have Michael join the ranks of our most recent former government lawyers, including former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carrie H. Cohen and Joshua Hill, Jr.; top FCPA prosecutors Chuck Duross and James Koukios; and national security attorneys John P. Carlin and Robert S. Litt, from the Department of Justice and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, respectively.”
At the SEC, Mr. Birnbaum was involved in matters regarding domestic and foreign financial companies, including commercial and investment banks, audit and accounting firms, investment advisers, and broker-dealers. He has a wide range of investigative experience, including insider trading, Investment Advisers and Investment Company Act violations, disclosure fraud, data breaches, and cryptocurrency matters.
Mr. Birnbaum has significant trial experience in cases facing the financial services industry, including allegations of fraudulent securities offerings and registration violations, and supervisory failures related to the sale of securities. Among his many successfully resolved cases, Mr. Birnbaum secured a settlement in one of the largest Customer Protection Rule matters in the SEC history to date and obtained unprecedented injunctive relief in the Reserve Fund litigation stemming from the 2008 financial crisis. Other representative matters include Reliance Financial Advisors LLC, et al., Donald Anthony, et al. (fraud case against McGinn, Smith & Co. brokers), and SEC v. Empire Development Group.
“Morrison & Foerster has a global reach and a reputation as a litigation powerhouse,” said Birnbaum. “I look forward to working with the firm’s growing ranks of former fellow government officials and the rest of my new colleagues. The firm offers a great fit for my practice and I’ve been consistently impressed by the firm’s culture and attorneys.”
Lawyer responsible for federal and civil litigation in high-profile matters becomes a partner in the firm’s New York office
Morrison & Foerster, a leading global law firm, is pleased to announce that Michael D. Birnbaum has joined the firm’s Securities Litigation, Enforcement and White-Collar Defense Practice Group (SLEW) as a partner in New York. Coming from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mr. Birnbaum follows numerous other senior government officials who have joined Morrison & Foerster over recent years. He will represent financial institutions, corporations, and individuals in regulatory enforcement proceedings, internal and government investigations, and civil securities litigation.
Mr. Birnbaum spent the last 11 years at the SEC, most recently as Senior Trial Counsel. He previously spent eight years in private practice.
Michael Birnbaum
“Michael’s extensive trial and investigations experience will further strengthen our already deep bench of securities and enforcement litigators,” said Jordan Eth, co-chair of Morrison & Foerster’s SLEW Group. “Michael brings up-to-the-minute SEC enforcement knowledge and an impressive investigative and enforcement background.”
Joel Haims, co-chair of Morrison & Foerster’s SLEW Group, added: “Michael is the latest in a series of high-profile additions that bring significant government experience to our white collar and investigations practice, particularly on the East Coast. We’re proud to have Michael join the ranks of our most recent former government lawyers, including former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carrie H. Cohen and Joshua Hill, Jr.; top FCPA prosecutors Chuck Duross and James Koukios; and national security attorneys John P. Carlin and Robert S. Litt, from the Department of Justice and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, respectively.”
At the SEC, Mr. Birnbaum was involved in matters regarding domestic and foreign financial companies, including commercial and investment banks, audit and accounting firms, investment advisers, and broker-dealers. He has a wide range of investigative experience, including insider trading, Investment Advisers and Investment Company Act violations, disclosure fraud, data breaches, and cryptocurrency matters.
Mr. Birnbaum has significant trial experience in cases facing the financial services industry, including allegations of fraudulent securities offerings and registration violations, and supervisory failures related to the sale of securities. Among his many successfully resolved cases, Mr. Birnbaum secured a settlement in one of the largest Customer Protection Rule matters in the SEC history to date and obtained unprecedented injunctive relief in the Reserve Fund litigation stemming from the 2008 financial crisis. Other representative matters include Reliance Financial Advisors LLC, et al., Donald Anthony, et al. (fraud case against McGinn, Smith & Co. brokers), and SEC v. Empire Development Group.
“Morrison & Foerster has a global reach and a reputation as a litigation powerhouse,” said Birnbaum. “I look forward to working with the firm’s growing ranks of former fellow government officials and the rest of my new colleagues. The firm offers a great fit for my practice and I’ve been consistently impressed by the firm’s culture and attorneys.”
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