Holland & Knight is pleased to announce that Cameron G. Stout has joined the firm’s West Coast Litigation Group as a partner. As a litigator and trial lawyer, he defends nationally known firms in securities arbitrations as well as in federal and state court actions, filed both by individuals and as class actions.
Stout’s trial and arbitration practice will focus on several primary areas. Prior to joining the firm, he represented financial services firms and he has defended hundreds of customer claims both in court and before arbitration panels, many of which went to final award. Over a three-year period, he oversaw the arbitration and resolution of over 650 securities arbitration claims brought against a major brokerage firm in an expedited arbitration process overseen by the SEC. Stout has acted as national counsel defending a series of arbitrations arising out of alleged mutual fund losses. He has represented institutions and individuals in regulatory enforcement investigations and prosecutions, including mutual fund management, market timing and late trading investigations.
Stout is also experienced in defending financial institutions in cases involving auction rate securities and complex derivative products. Through his representation of brokerage firms and banking clients, he has also developed specific expertise in the area of white-collar crime, particularly in Ponzi scheme, embezzlement, check forgery and money laundering issues arising under the Bank Secrecy Act, the Patriot Act, the Uniform Commercial Code, and the California Business and Professions Code.
In addition, he has defended a broad array of employment litigation cases, including federal and state court claims for wrongful termination, retaliation, discrimination and harassment. His experience in this field includes representing financial services clients in employee non-competition and trade secret misappropriation injunctive relief actions.
“We are very excited to have Cameron join our litigation team in San Francisco,” said Mathew Vafidis, head of Holland & Knight’s Litigation Section practice on the west coast. “His extensive litigation, advisory and regulatory experience in the defense of financial services institutions and in securities regulatory matters, combined with his employment defense expertise and experience in white-collar money laundering and embezzlement cases, make him an invaluable asset to our clients.”
“This firm has assembled a very talented team of litigators, and I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of it,” said Stout. “I look forward to continue using my civil litigation and regulatory compliance experience to assist clients.”
A graduate of Princeton University and the University of San Francisco School of Law, Stout is active in the community and currently serves on the advisory council of The Salvation Army’s Kroc Community Center in San Francisco’s Tenderloin District. He also has been honored as a “Northern California Super Lawyer” by Super Lawyers magazine.
