Michael Piazza focuses his practice on securities and white collar litigation, business litigation and complex commercial litigation. Prior to joining the firm, he was Co-Chair of Dorsey & Whitney LLP’s Securities Litigation and Enforcement practice group. Prior to that, he was the Regional Trial Counsel for the Los Angeles office of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Mike has wide-ranging securities and white collar litigation experience. He was the lead SEC trial attorney in the Commission’s civil lawsuit against ex-Gemstar CEO Henry Yuen, which resulted in one of the largest civil penalties ever obtained against an individual. In that case, U.S. District Judge Mariana Pfaelzer found Yuen liable for masterminding a massive accounting fraud at the company, and ordered that he pay $22.3 million for securities law violations. Mike was also lead SEC trial counsel in a case against a rogue hedge fund operator. After a four-week jury trial in Dallas, he obtained a verdict against the investment advisor on multiple counts of securities fraud. During his time in the Los Angeles SEC office, Mike also was lead trial counsel on other major SEC cases.
Prior to working at the SEC, Mike was a partner with Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP where he was involved in numerous complex commercial litigation matters concerning, among other things, securities class actions, patents, contracts, unfair trade practices and accounting disputes.
Mike regularly handles the defense of individuals and companies faced with allegations of wrongdoing asserted by U.S. regulators (SEC, CFTC, FTC), the U.S. Department of Justice, state attorneys general, and foreign regulators. He is experienced with internal SEC policies concerning the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, as well as the SEC's perspective on FCPA compliance programs. Mike has both led and coordinated internal investigations on various compliance matters, including FCPA exposure. He is admitted to practice in California, New York and Texas, and has tried cases in each of these jurisdictions.
