Lauren C. Jackson focuses her practice on securities and derivatives regulatory compliance and enforcement matters. She has represented top-tier global financial institutions, broker-dealers, investment advisors, swap dealers, and commercial commodities traders as well as other registered entities, registered individuals, and professionals in response to all phases of examinations, investigations, and enforcement proceedings brought by state and federal regulators and self-regulatory organizations including: the U.S. SEC, CFTC, FINRA, DOJ, OCC, CBOE, CME, NFA, NASSA task force groups, and state securities divisions and attorneys general.
Lauren regularly assists clients in conducting internal investigations into potential violations of regulations and in identifying steps necessary to obtain compliance with such regulations, and when required in self-reporting and negotiating favorable terms for a resolution with the applicable regulator(s).
Lauren also advises clients regarding a broad range of compliance and regulatory matters relating to retail brokerage (e.g., registration and reporting obligations, churning, suitability, unauthorized trading, KYC, marketing, and disclosures), supervision (e.g., review of electronic correspondence, trading surveillance), trading and markets (e.g., the Market Access Rule, order marking, frontrunning), regulatory recordkeeping, and technology governance.
Such guidance includes recommendations for system, policy, procedure, and control enhancements designed to avoid violations of securities laws and tailored to the client’s unique business and operating model.
Prior to joining the firm, Lauren was a senior associate with the Securities and Derivatives Enforcement and Regulatory team at an international law firm headquartered in Chicago. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Lauren worked in media- and public- relations in Washington, DC, on matters relating to the U.S. Congress and Supreme Court.
Throughout her career, Lauren has been actively engaged in her firm’s attorney recruitment, mentoring and pro bono efforts, particularly regarding matters relating to the retention and promotion of women and matters affecting families and members of the military.
Lauren supports a range of philanthropies, primarily those aimed at assisting children and their families, including Winston-Salem’s Ronald McDonald House and Brenner’s Children’s Hospital.
Experience:
- Represented multiple firms investigated and/or disciplined by FINRA, the CFTC and/or NFA for deficiencies relating to the preservation of required regulatory records by broker-dealers and swaps dealers in the prescribed form and manner (including that such records be kept in “WORM” format pursuant to SEC Rule 17a-4(f) and CFTC Rule 1.31). Assisted firms in conducting expansive remediation programs including top-down inventory of all required regulatory records, and the overhaul of related technology, governance and supervisory systems.
- Conducted internal investigation into potential violations of the Investment Company Act of 1940 in the pricing of certain mutual fund orders received by a brokerage unit of a Fortune 500 insurance and investment management company. Coordinated with in-house counsel, outside consultants, and business personnel to self-report findings to FINRA and to negotiate favorable settlement terms for resolution of matter and restitution to impacted investors.
- Managed a top-tier global financial institution’s response to a complex regulatory inquiry into the possible manipulation of key interest rate indices, including LIBOR, TIBOR, and EURIBOR. Responded to separate but coordinated investigations by the DOJ, CFTC, SEC, UK FSA, and EC. Conducted an internal investigation of the firm ‘s corporate treasury, chief investment office, and six business lines. Managed outside consultants and assisted litigation counsel in their efforts to respond to related civil and criminal inquiries and class action litigation.
- Represented one of nation’s largest independent broker-dealers in resolving multi-state investigations and subsequent global settlements regarding allegations relating to the sale of certain alternative investments, and compliance with so-called “Blue Sky” securities requirements.
- Represented one of the nation’s largest broker-dealers in resolving dozens of separate enforcement matters relating to alleged violations of SEC Rule 15c3-5 (the Market Access Rule) and related exchange supervisory rules relative to trading on the NYSE, CBOE, NASDAQ, and Bats.
- Represented four of five broker-dealers in NASAA task force sweep investigation into the supervision and state-registration status of retail brokerage sales assistants and in negotiating and executing subsequent global multistate settlements resulting in total penalties of more than $32 million.
- Advised client’s internal governance committee in reaching determinations regarding whether discipline imposed against associated persons during the annual incentive compensation review process and otherwise throughout the year required a reporting to FINRA pursuant to FINRA Rule 4530.
- Represented investment banking and retail brokerage businesses in response to DOJ, SEC, and state securities divisions’ inquiry into the handling of information and treatment of different categories of customers relative to the initial public offering of Facebook, Inc.
- Represented broker-dealer in negotiating an end to an ongoing administrative hearing, including a settlement that absolved individual executives of all sanctions sought, and provided favorable terms for the repurchase of outstanding auction rate securities. Served as the point-person for the ARS buyback program required under the terms of the settlement and coordinated discovery in related spin-off litigation handled by separate litigation counsel.
Education:
- University of Richmond School of Law (2008)magna cum laude
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.A., Journalism and Public Relations (2004)
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.A., Political Science (2004)
Admissions:
- District of Columbia (2009)
- North Carolina (2011)
Court Admissions:
- District of Columbia Court of Appeals (2009)
Cost
Rate : $$$
