Jenner & Block LLP today announces that Christian R. Bartholomew, prominent litigator and former Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) senior trial counsel, has joined the firm as a partner in our D.C. office. He is a member of the firm’s Securities Litigation and Enforcement Practice.
Christian joins a broad-based securities litigation team that is widely recognized as one of the finest in the nation. He offers more than 20 years of experience in handling securities enforcement matters and has successfully resolved numerous securities investigations by the SEC, Department of Justice, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, and other federal and state regulators enforcement for a broad range of financial institutions and public companies. As a former undefeated SEC trial lawyer with an equally impressive track record in private practice, Christian is also uniquely positioned to handle both regulatory litigation as well as the private litigation that can arise as a result of these investigations. He has a well-earned reputation as a fierce client advocate who brings real trial credibility to the table in negotiations and other dealing with regulators.
“With the arrival of Christian, we strengthen our commitment to ensuring that our D.C. office is a destination for handling large, multi-regulator securities investigations and related class actions,” said Susan C. Levy, Jenner & Block’s managing partner. “We are pleased to have him on the team.”
From his robust experience representing clients in internal and regulatory investigations regarding sensitive whistleblower allegations, Christian has emerged as a recognized leader in the area of the SEC’s Dodd-Frank whistleblower rules. He has written and spoken extensively on the issue.
“We simply could not have found a better fit for us and our clients,” said Thomas C. Newkirk, co-chair of the firm’s Securities Litigation and Enforcement Practice. “Christian has strong relationships with in-house counsel, company management, regulators and compliance officials. With his experience and presence, we are confident that he will bolster Jenner & Block’s position as counsel of choice for bet-the-company litigation.”
Christian worked the past nearly three years at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, where he was a partner in Weil’s Securities Litigation practice and leader of its SEC enforcement practice in Washington and Miami. From 2000 to 2011, he was a litigation partner at Morgan, Lewis and Bockius LLP, rising to vice chairman of its Securities Enforcement Practice Group. He earlier served for five years as Senior Trial Counsel for the Southeast Regional office of the SEC, where he was undefeated during his tenure, winning several precedent-setting matters.
Christian said, “Jenner & Block is universally recognized as one of America’s truly pre-eminent trial law firms. That reputation, and the opportunity to be part of a family of like-minded trial attorneys, and not just litigators, is enormously attractive to me, particularly in light of the increased emphasis that regulators are placing on trying cases. I’m very excited to be a partner at such a firm.”
