King & Spalding announced today that Aaron Lipson, former Associate Director for Enforcement in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Atlanta Regional Office, has joined the firm as a partner on the Special Matters and Government Investigations team in the Atlanta office.
Lipson spent 14 years at the SEC, and in his most recent role, served as the head of the Atlanta Regional Office’s Enforcement program, supervising more than 60 professionals as they conducted investigations into financial fraud, market manipulative practices, insider trading, cyber-intrusions, breaches of fiduciary duty, failures to disclose conflicts of interest and unregistered offerings.
“Aaron is a very significant addition to our securities enforcement practice,” said Wick Sollers, head of the firm’s Government Matters practice group, of which the Special Matters team is a part. “He’s well respected and has experience overseeing and conducting investigations in all facets of the SEC’s enforcement program. Aaron’s perspective from his senior role at the SEC will provide our clients key insights into the current priorities, concerns and personnel of the Commission and Enforcement Division, as well as other agencies that enforce the securities laws.”
While at the SEC, Lipson routinely partnered with federal and state law enforcement and regulatory agencies throughout the nation, including the U.S. Department of Justice, various U.S. Attorneys Offices, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, among others. Lipson was also a senior manager in the agency’s Complex Financial Instruments Specialized Enforcement Unit, focusing on securitizations and the retail marketing of structured products. Additionally, Lipson led one of the SEC’s intra-agency working groups that focused on cross-border transactions as well as attorney and auditor liability.
Lipson received the SEC’s Ellen B. Ross Award in recognition of his “exemplary commitment, enthusiasm and performance in working to fulfill the Commission’s responsibilities for the fair and effective enforcement of the federal securities laws,” and the Chairman’s Award for Excellence for his work in protecting the financial interests of senior citizens. Prior to joining the SEC, he was a litigation associate at Parker, Hudson, Rainer and Dobbs where he represented financial institutions in civil litigation in state and federal courts. Lipson received his undergraduate degree with honors from Yale University and his J.D. with honors from the University of Georgia School of Law.
“We are excited to add talent like Aaron to the Atlanta office, as his regional and national enforcement relationships will be of great value to our clients no matter where they are based,” said Josh Kamin, managing partner of the Atlanta office. “Aaron reinforces the impressive enforcement bench strength we have in this office.”
Lipson joins former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates and former Atlanta U.S. Attorney John Horn, both of whom started as partners in the firm’s Atlanta office last year.
“Given the stellar reputation of King & Spalding’s Special Matters practice and its growth over the past year, I’m thrilled to be joining the team,” said Lipson. “I look forward to putting my expertise and my contacts inside and outside the SEC to work for clients.”
Source: www.kslaw.com
