Michael J. Quinn is a Shareholder in the Litigation practice area at Vedder Price and a member of the firm’s Chambers USA–ranked Government Enforcement & Special Investigations group.

Mr. Quinn focuses his practice on government investigations and securities litigation. He has successfully represented public companies, broker-dealers, officers and directors, investment advisers and individuals in a wide range of complex matters, including civil litigation and investigations by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and state securities regulators or attorneys general.

Mr. Quinn has extensive experience handling complex securities litigation, including regulatory or disciplinary proceedings, class action lawsuits and arbitrations. He routinely leads internal investigations on behalf of public and private companies involving a wide range of issues including whistleblower claims, fraud, embezzlement and accounting irregularities.

Mr. Quinn was previously a Staff Attorney with the SEC, Division of Enforcement. At the SEC, he investigated and litigated securities fraud cases, including matters involving offering frauds, market manipulation, insider trading and accounting fraud.

Experience

• Served as lead counsel in obtaining dismissal of securities fraud class action suit on a motion to dismiss on behalf of a publicly traded healthcare company alleged to have made false and misleading statements in connection with its Initial Public Offering. McClain v. Iradimed Corp., 111 F. Supp. 3d 1293 (S.D. Fla. 2015)

• Served as lead counsel in obtaining key discovery orders against the SEC requiring that it produce its investigating attorneys for deposition and produce its communications with foreign securities regulators. SEC v. McCabe, No. 13-cv-0161, 2015 WL 2452937 (D. Utah May 22, 2015)

• Served as lead trial counsel in successfully defending an owner of a broker-dealer at trial in an SEC Administrative Proceeding on claims that the client violated a prior SEC suspension order. In the matter of SEC v. Elliott, 83 SEC Docket 2056, Initial Decision Release No. 255 (August 17, 2004)

• Obtained a rare Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA) award of attorneys’ fees from the SEC in favor of the preceding client, who was cleared of liability at trial.

• Served as lead trial counsel in winning unanimous jury verdicts on all causes of action in defense of an investment adviser against claims by a customer of fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and breach of contract alleging millions of dollars in damages.

• Served as lead counsel in obtaining complete defense victory in post-merger arbitration, defending large international healthcare company against shareholder claims.    

• Served as lead trial counsel in successfully defending a broker-dealer in a FINRA arbitration on claims by a customer of fraud and market manipulation.

• Served as lead trial counsel in winning verdicts in favor of a securities publishing company for fraud and conversion against a retail supplier.