People sometimes wonder how the SEC will view them if they hire an SEC whistleblower lawyer to help them. The Director of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Enforcement gave a speech answering that question.
The Director gave his speech during the Sixteenth Annual Taxpayers Against Fraud Conference. During his speech, the Director praised the SEC whistleblower program.
He also welcomed it when whistleblowers hire SEC whistleblower lawyers:
The Director gave his speech during the Sixteenth Annual Taxpayers Against Fraud Conference. During his speech, the Director praised the SEC whistleblower program.
He also welcomed it when whistleblowers hire SEC whistleblower lawyers:
“One thing I get asked about a lot is how we view whistleblower counsel. It will come as no surprise to this audience that we welcome the involvement of counsel in whistleblower tips.”
When You Hire An SEC Whistleblower Lawyer, It Helps Both The SEC And You
The Director explained that “While SEC whistleblowers [other than those proceeding anonymously] can engage us without the assistance of counsel, counsel experienced in whistleblower representations” can help the whistleblowers and the SEC in several ways. The Director gave a few of examples of some of the important ways in which an experienced SEC whistleblower lawyer can help both the SEC and the whistleblower:-
- by conducting “up-front triage of tips to identify those that have a nexus with the federal securities laws and that may have merit”;
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- by “work[ing] with whistleblowers going forward to identify information that will be important to us and that will allow us to advance our investigations”;
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- by helping clients to understand what goes on during an SEC investigation and “that the passage of time without contact does not mean we are not taking the allegations seriously”;
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- by helping clients to understand the SEC whistleblower awards process;
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- by helping the SEC to maintain the whistleblower’s confidentiality; and
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- by assisting the SEC “with our outreach efforts … we ask you to help us publicize the program and increase public awareness of it”.
Additional Information
For additional information about how the SEC views it when you hire an SEC whistleblower lawyer, click on the links below:- The SEC Enforcement Director’s Speech. (External link to the SEC’s website.)
- Article about the Director’s speech. (Note: external link to The Pickholz Law Offices website.)
