In That Case: Securities and Exchange Commission v. Jarkesy
The Justice Insiders Podcast: SEC Plays Chicken with Jarkesy
Key Takeaways - - The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit vacated a $57 million fine levied by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) against AT&T. - The court ruled the FCC's in-house enforcement proceedings...more
The Fifth Circuit on April 17 vacated a $57 million FCC forfeiture against AT&T, ruling the agency violated the company’s Seventh Amendment right to a jury trial under the Supreme Court’s 2024 decision in SEC v. Jarkesy. ...more
On April 17th, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals held that an FCC penalty violates the Seventh Amendment based on the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in SEC v. Jarkesy. The Seventh Amendment provides for the...more
On April 9, the White House issued a memorandum directing federal executive departments and agencies to repeal regulations deemed unlawful pursuant to certain U.S. Supreme Court decisions. This directive aims to address...more
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Division of Enforcement wields immense power in civil enforcement actions. It often seeks financial sanctions, including hefty financial penalties, and injunctive relief that can...more
As employers navigate the complexities of a new political era and evolving regulatory framework, staying ahead of these changes isn't just advisable — it's essential. Several executive actions have already influenced...more
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) drastically reduced its accounting and auditing enforcement activity in fiscal year 2024, the final year of Gary Gensler’s administration, ending two consecutive years of...more
Last week, Corp Fin issued a new statement providing its views on whether “meme coins” were securities or, if offered and sold, involved securities transactions. Meme coins are more like collectibles, the staff explained,...more
Key Points - - In 2024, securities litigation remained consistent with historical averages, with a slight increase in core filings and cases related to COVID-19 and artificial intelligence. - The U.S. Supreme Court had an...more
“The Times They Are a-Changin’” isn’t just a Bob Dylan song title—it is also a fairly accurate description of what has been happening in the arena of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the...more
The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) continued to expand its enforcement in the final year of the Biden administration, reaching the highest level of enforcement actions since 2017, according to a new report...more
On February 20, Acting Solicitor General Sarah M. Harris wrote to Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA), President pro tempore of the Senate, and Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA), Speaker of the House, to disclose that, pursuant to 28 U.S.C....more
On February 18, 2025, President Trump issued executive order 14215, titled “Ensuring Accountability for All Agencies,” with the stated purpose of making federal agencies, including independent regulatory ones like the...more
This is the fourth in our 2025 Year in Preview series examining important trends in white collar law and investigations in the coming year. We will be posting further installments in the series throughout the next several...more
For decades, the SEC has relied on its in-house administrative proceedings to enforce alleged violations under the federal securities laws, including under its own rules of practice....more
On Nov. 19, 2024, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. issued a notice of assessment finding that between December 2018 and August 2020, CBW Bank — a single-branch bank in Weir, Kansas — failed to maintain an adequate...more
On January 8, 2025, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a stipulation and consent agreement between its Office of Enforcement and an energy company (the “Company”) to resolve a dispute pending since 2016...more
Last June, the Supreme Court issued its decision in Securities and Exchange Commission v. Jarkesy, which holds that the Seventh Amendment entitles a defendant to a jury trial when the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)...more
In 2016, a new play called Hamilton was dominating Broadway, Pokémon Go was all the rage, and the Summer Olympics were held in Rio. Also that year, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“Commission” or “FERC”) issued an...more
Four Ward and Smith team members delivered concise, actionable insights on projected governmental and policy changes resulting from the recent elections, the Corporate Transparency Act, the implications of the Chevron...more
Our Workplace Safety thought leaders have pulled together their top predictions for the new year so that employers can get a running start to 2025....more
Federal government contractors and many others have been closely watching the drafting, introduction, consideration, debate, amendment, and passage of the annual National Defense Authorization Act (“NDAA”)....more
Readers, thank you for journeying with us through all nine (and this, our 10th and final!) installments of Season's Readings. In this final piece, we turn from the past and look ahead to what may be in store from the SEC's...more
2024 was yet another active year in the labor and employment landscape. While 2025 and the new administration could bring any number of changes to workplace laws and enforcement, the timing and extent of such changes is...more
2024 marks the final year of Gary Gensler's term as Chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The Gensler SEC has been aggressive on both the enforcement and rulemaking fronts. In response, the financial...more