David S. Petron

DAVID PETRON has for more than a decade defended a wide variety of clients in U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigations and other government enforcement matters. He is a member of the firm’s Securities Enforcement and Regulatory practice, which received the 2019 Chambers USA Award for Financial Services Regulation, and was named the “Law Firm of the Year” for Securities Regulation in 2020 and 2017 by U.S. News – Best Lawyers. David’s practice has included cases before the SEC, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the National Futures Association (NFA) and other regulators. David has handled matters involving alleged securities fraud, insider trading, accounting fraud, disclosure irregularities, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) violations, investment adviser misconduct, and broker-dealer matters.

David has defended public companies and other clients in a variety of SEC investigations related to potential accounting frauds, financial reporting and disclosure violations, and other matters arising under the federal securities laws. David has handled investigations involving revenue recognition, valuation, goodwill, intangible assets, securitizations, alleged pyramid schemes and insider trading.

David regularly advises clients on all aspects of compliance with the FCPA, including the development and implementation of FCPA and anti-corruption compliance programs and procedures. David has led comprehensive reviews of companies’ FCPA compliance programs and advised clients on FCPA issues related to mergers and acquisitions. He has defended companies in FCPA investigations and conducted FCPA internal investigations.

David’s experience includes the following:

• In the Matter of Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC (2015) – represented a registered investment adviser in an SEC investigation of alleged violations of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
• In the Matter of IBFX, Inc. (2014) — represented a retail foreign exchange dealer in the CFTC investigation relating to minimum net capital requirements.
• Represented several multinational life sciences companies in FCPA investigations before the SEC and the DOJ.
• Represented Kyle Sampson in Congressional and other investigations relating to the removal of several U.S. Attorneys in 2006.
• SEC v. Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated (2006) — represented a broker-dealer in an SEC investigation of e-mail retention and production issues.
• SEC v. Raytheon Company (2006) — represented a defense contractor in an SEC investigation of accounting and disclosure issues.

David is also a member of the firm’s Appellate team with a practice that includes regulatory matters involving the First Amendment. He has been heavily involved in free speech cases challenging the FCC’s regulation of broadcast indecency before the FCC and all levels of the federal courts, including a victory in the Supreme Court in FCC v. Fox Television Stations, Inc. David has also been involved in religious liberty litigation on a variety of church-state issues. He has briefed cases in the Supreme Court and a variety of federal circuit courts and personally argued cases before the D.C. Circuit and the D.C. Court of Appeals.

David also has substantial experience with complex electronic discovery matters, including predictive coding and technology-assisted reviews.

David joined the firm following clerkships with Judge Susan H. Black of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals and Chief Judge D. Brooks Smith of the Western District of Pennsylvania. During the latter clerkship, he assisted Judge Smith with matters related to his nomination and ultimate confirmation to the Third Circuit.