Current Employment Position(s)

Vice Chair, Securities Department

Lawyer Overview

Stephanie Avakian is vice chair of the firm's Securities Department, and a member of the Securities Litigation and Enforcement Practice Group. She joined the firm in 2000.

Practice

Ms. Avakian is resident in the firm's New York office, where she focuses on securities enforcement and regulatory matters, including internal corporate investigations and securities regulatory investigations, examinations and actions. She represents major investment banks, public companies and individuals before the US Securities and Exchange Commission, the Department of Justice, securities self-regulatory organizations and state authorities. 

Ms. Avakian has conducted and overseen internal corporate investigations of potential violations of the federal securities laws and has advised on a variety of regulatory compliance issues. She has represented corporations, financial institutions and individuals in a wide variety of government investigations and examinations, including into matters such as IPO-allocation practices, broker sales practices, mutual fund market timing, financial fraud, insider trading, bank fraud, executive compensation disclosure and trading practices.

Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Avakian worked in various capacities at the SEC from 1995 through 1999. From 1998-1999, she served as counsel to Commissioner Paul R. Carey, advising the Commissioner and making recommendations on all legal and policy matters, including the institution and settlement of enforcement actions. From 1995-1998, she was an attorney in the Division of Enforcement, serving as Branch Chief from 1997-1998. In this role, she investigated and prosecuted violations of the federal securities laws and, as Branch Chief, supervised five attorneys and managed over twenty investigations and litigations.

Professional Activities

Ms. Avakian is a member of the Corporate Advisory Board of Inwood House in New York. 

Speaking Engagements

• ACA Compliance Group's Spring 2008 Compliance Conference – panel moderator for "What to Do When You Have a Material Compliance Issue" – Scottsdale, Arizona – March 12, 2008
• The Association of the Bar of the City of New York – "Securities Enforcement in the New Era, View from the Inside and Out" – New York, New York – May 3, 2005

Areas of Practice

• Securities
• Securities Litigation
• Litigation and Enforcement

West Practice Categories

Securities Law

Bar Admissions

• New York
• New Jersey

Education

• Temple University Beasley School of Law, 1995
  JD
  Honors: magna cum laude
• Trenton State College, 1992
  BA
  Honors: magna cum laude

Address

399 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10022

Phones

+1 212 230 8845 (Business Phone)

Faxes

+1 212 230 8888 (Business Fax)

Emails

Contact Us (Business Email)

Websites

www.wilmerhale.com