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On June 22, 2020, in Liu v. SEC, the Supreme Court affirmed in an 8-1 ruling that the Securities and Exchange Commission may continue to pursue disgorgement awards under the federal securities law provided that the award is capped at the defendant’s net profits, and further, provided that the award is made for the benefit of wronged investors. In so holding, the Court struck a middle ground by narrowly preserving one of the most powerful enforcement mechanisms available to the agency but limiting the awards more closely than the awards the SEC has sought over the years.

Read the full GT Alert, “SEC Disgorgement Lives to See Another Day After Supreme Court’s Liu v. SEC Ruling.”

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Photo of Elaine C. Greenberg Elaine C. Greenberg

Elaine C. Greenberg has over 30 years of securities law experience, including a 25-year tenure at the SEC. Her practice focuses on SEC, FINRA, DOJ, State Attorneys General and other securities and financial services regulatory matters, examinations, investigations, enforcement actions, and litigation; white…

Elaine C. Greenberg has over 30 years of securities law experience, including a 25-year tenure at the SEC. Her practice focuses on SEC, FINRA, DOJ, State Attorneys General and other securities and financial services regulatory matters, examinations, investigations, enforcement actions, and litigation; white collar defense and corporate investigations; and public finance. She has represented, advised, and counseled: major financial institutions and other financial services firms and their associated persons, including banks, underwriters, broker-dealers, investment advisers, investment companies, and municipal advisors; issuers of securities, including public companies and their officers and directors, and state and local governmental entities and their officials; and other organizations and individuals.

Prior to entering private practice, Elaine served as a senior officer in the SEC’s Enforcement Division in dual roles. As the inaugural Chief of the Specialized Unit for Municipal Securities and Public Pensions, she built and led a nationwide unit to oversee the SEC’s enforcement efforts in the multitrillion-dollar municipal securities and public pensions marketplaces. As Associate Director of the Philadelphia Regional Office, she was responsible for overseeing the SEC’s enforcement program in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Photo of Sarah M. Mathews Sarah M. Mathews

Sarah M. Mathews focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation, white collar criminal matters, and regulatory investigations. She is experienced in handling government investigations from inception through trial. Sarah has represented clients in federal and state investigations relating to securities and commodities fraud,

Sarah M. Mathews focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation, white collar criminal matters, and regulatory investigations. She is experienced in handling government investigations from inception through trial. Sarah has represented clients in federal and state investigations relating to securities and commodities fraud, antitrust, public corruption, and government contracts.

In addition to her investigations experience, Sarah has a wealth of experience litigating against the federal government, including expertise in challenging agency regulations pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act.