News & Analysis as of

Confidentiality Agreements Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

Husch Blackwell LLP

Thought Leadership SEC Charges Public Companies with Violations of Whistleblower Protection Rule

Husch Blackwell LLP on

On September 9, 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced settlements with seven public companies for using employment, separation, and other agreements that violated rules prohibiting actions to impede...more

WilmerHale

SEC Continues Scrutiny of Provisions That Might Impede Whistleblowers

WilmerHale on

On September 9, 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced settled charges against seven public companies for violations of certain whistleblower protections provided by Rule 21F-17 under the Securities...more

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP

SEC alleges whistleblower protection violations in customer gag clauses

On September 4, the SEC announced it had settled charges against three affiliated registrants (the respondents) accused of violating the whistleblower protection rule. According to the SEC order, from May 2021 through...more

Perkins Coie

Whistleblower Protection Remains SEC Priority

Perkins Coie on

Last week, the SEC announced settled charges against seven public companies for use of agreements that the SEC alleges have provisions that violate the whistleblower protection rule. Coincidentally, I recently recorded a...more

Proskauer - Corporate Defense and Disputes

Court Upholds SEC’s Victory in “Shadow Trading” Case

A federal court in California refused to grant a judgment or a new trial to a defendant who was found to have engaged in insider trading when he purchased securities of one company based on material nonpublic information...more

Allen Matkins

Does The SEC's Jurisdiction Really Extend To Any Person?

Allen Matkins on

Last week, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced that it had settled charges against a broker-dealer and two investment advisers for impeding their clients from reporting securities law violations to the SEC. ...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

CFPB Warns Employee NDAs, Confidentiality Agreements May Violate Whistleblower Laws

On July 24, 2024, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued guidance putting financial regulators and employers on notice that requiring employees to sign broad confidentiality or nondisclosure agreements that...more

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP

CFPB circular warns against unlawful NDAs

On July 24, the CFPB issued a circular to law enforcement agencies and regulators clarifying that overly broad confidentiality agreements required by certain employers may violate Section 1057 of the CFPA, which protects...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

CFTC Fines Commodities Trader $55 Million in First-Ever Whistleblower Rule Enforcement Action

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has joined the list of federal agencies targeting employment nondisclosure agreements and other restrictive covenants that allegedly restrict employees from making reports to...more

Troutman Pepper

CFPB Tries to Stretch Section 1057 of the CFPA to Reach Nondisclosure Agreements

Troutman Pepper on

This week, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) issued Circular 2024-04 warning financial institutions about the potential illegality of nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) that could deter whistleblowing....more

Paul Hastings LLP

SEC Wins Trial Involving First-Ever Shadow Trading Case

Paul Hastings LLP on

On April 5, 2024, a federal jury in the Northern District of California found defendant Matthew Panuwat liable for insider trading in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) first-ever case involving the so-called...more

Proskauer - Corporate Defense and Disputes

SEC Wins Insider-Trading Suit Alleging “Shadow Trading”

A federal jury in California agreed with the SEC that a corporate official engaged in insider trading when he purchased securities of a company based on material nonpublic information (“MNPI”) about a different company. The...more

DarrowEverett LLP

Actions vs. J.P. Morgan, Monolith Serve as SEC Compliance Check Reminders

DarrowEverett LLP on

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently settled charges against J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (JPMS) for impeding hundreds of advisory clients and brokerage customers from reporting potential securities law...more

K&L Gates LLP

SEC Enforcement Targets Anti-Whistleblower Practices in Financial Firm's Release Agreements With Retail Clients

K&L Gates LLP on

As the year gets underway, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC or Commission) is continuing its ongoing enforcement efforts to target anti-whistleblower practices by pursuing a broader range of entities and...more

Lowenstein Sandler LLP

SEC Says Language in J.P. Morgan-Affiliate Release Agreements Violates Whistleblower Protections

Lowenstein Sandler LLP on

On January 16, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced an $18 million settlement order (Order) with J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (JPMS) that finds that the language of release agreements JPMS entered into with...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

SEC Takes on Nondisclosure Agreements to Protect Whistleblower Program; Fines Firm $10 Million

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in recent years has taken an aggressive stance against employers over employment agreements that the agency believes impede its whistleblower program—as highlighted by a $10...more

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Guide to Maintaining the Confidentiality of Commercially Sensitive Information in Agreements Filed With the SEC – 2024 Update

Editor’s note: This is an updated version of our January 12, 2023, client alert. This update covers new staff SEC guidance addressing the options companies have when existing confidential treatment orders approach expiration....more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

SEC Continues to Police Confidentiality Provisions for Theoretical Whistleblower Suppression

Seyfarth Shaw LLP on

The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) levied an $18 million fine against J.P. Morgan Securities, LLC (“JPMS”) for allegedly including overbroad release provisions in settlement agreements. This marks the continuation...more

White & Case LLP

How to Avoid Risk of SEC Whistleblower Rule Violations in Connection with Settlement Agreement Confidentiality Provisions

White & Case LLP on

In March 2023, we published an alert concerning the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") whistleblower protection rule and how to minimize the risk of violations in connection with employee-related documents.1 Last...more

BakerHostetler

Employers Beware: Broad Confidentiality and Severance Clauses May Violate Whistleblower Protection Laws

BakerHostetler on

Employers should check their confidentiality and severance agreements for a common oversight that, for some, is becoming a costly error. Recent enforcement activity by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of Rule...more

Bond Schoeneck & King PLLC

Eyes on 2024: Will the SEC Continue Its Aggressive Enforcement of Whistleblower Laws in 2024?

The Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC or Commission) made clear in 2023 that it intends to aggressively enforce its whistleblower protection laws, namely Rule 21F-17, which prohibits employers from taking any action...more

MoFo Employment Law Commentary (ELC)

Whistleblower Roundup - Cal. Labor Code Section 1102.5, SOX, And More

Each year seems to bring significant developments in whistleblower law, and 2023 has been no exception. As whistleblower activity increases, so, too, has the scope of its protections. From state to federal government, from...more

Akerman LLP - HR Defense

Jingle All the Way to the SEC: Employers (Even Privately Held) Under Scrutiny for Language in Separation Agreements Impeding SEC...

While jingle bells have only just begun to ring, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) enforcement bells have been ringing steadily throughout year. In recent months, the SEC announced significant settlements with...more

Proskauer - Corporate Defense and Disputes

SEC Defeats Summary Judgment in Insider-Trading Suit Alleging “Shadow Trading”

The SEC defeated a motion for summary judgment brought by a defendant whom the SEC accused of engaging in insider trading based on news about a not-yet-public corporate acquisition when he purchased securities of a company...more

Morrison & Foerster LLP

Top 5 SEC Developments (September 2023)

Morrison & Foerster LLP on

In order to provide an overview for busy in-house counsel and compliance professionals, we summarize below some of the most important SEC enforcement developments from the past month, with links to primary resources....more

181 Results
 / 
View per page
Page: of 8

"My best business intelligence, in one easy email…"

Your first step to building a free, personalized, morning email brief covering pertinent authors and topics on JD Supra:
*By using the service, you signify your acceptance of JD Supra's Privacy Policy.
- hide
- hide