Michael D. Wolk

MIKE WOLK focuses his practice on SEC, exchange and FINRA compliance and enforcement matters, with a particular focus on equity and fixed income trading and sales practice issues. During the last 25 years Mike has practiced in the securities industry; he has represented broker-dealers, associated persons, investment advisers, hedge funds, public companies, exchanges and self regulatory organizations in highly complex investigations and hearings; he has conducted internal investigations and has been an expert witness and consultant on trading issues in Federal Court, FINRA proceedings and arbitrations. Mike also regularly counsels his clients on regulatory and compliance issues. He is a member of Sidley’s global 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.

His experience encompasses:

• Representation of Exchanges, self-regulatory organizations and employees in SEC Office of Compliance, Investigations and Examinations and SEC Enforcement matters.
• Representation of a worldwide, high-frequency trading firm regarding numerous unique and complex trading issues and master/sub-account considerations. 
• Representation of a broker-dealer regarding sales practice and suitability concerns regarding Exchange Traded Funds. 
• Representation of numerous broker-dealers in equity and fixed income best execution, markup and pricing matters 
• Representation of broker-dealers and hedge funds in mutual fund SEC market timing investigations. 
• Representation of broker-dealers and associated persons in SEC and FINRA PIPE offering investigations.

Mike is a frequent speaker at financial industry seminars. Before private practice, he served as vice president and chief counsel of the Market Regulation Department at the NASD (now FINRA). In that position he managed the legal section of the department; oversaw enforcement investigations and disciplinary litigation; and provided advice and counsel to NASD staff, industry professionals and lawyers. Mike served as a branch chief of the Division of Enforcement at the SEC, where he was responsible for conducting investigations of insider trading, accounting fraud and manipulation. He also previously worked for the IRS in the Criminal Tax Division, Office of Chief Counsel, in Washington, D.C., where he helped negotiate a memorandum of understanding between the Departments of Justice and Treasury concerning investigatory jurisdiction of money laundering crimes.

Awards

• Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business — Financial Services Regulation: Securities Regulation: Enforcement (2008–2020)
• Leading lawyer in Securities Law, The Best Lawyers in America (2010–2019)
• Lawyer of the Year for Securities Litigation, The Best Lawyers in America (2014)