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Enforcement Actions Confidentiality Agreements

Perkins Coie

Whistleblower Protection Remains SEC Priority

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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

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

DarrowEverett LLP

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

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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

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

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

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

Morrison & Foerster LLP

Top 5 SEC Developments (September 2023)

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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

Proskauer - The Capital Commitment

Words Matter: Three Key Steps to Mitigate SEC Enforcement Risks Relating to Whistleblower Carveout Language

Since 2015, the SEC has brought nearly two dozen enforcement actions for violations of the whistleblower protection rules under Rule 21F-17(a) against employers for actions taken to impede reporting to the SEC. The bulk of...more

Womble Bond Dickinson

Recent Whistleblower Enforcement Actions Highlight SEC Focus On Employee Agreements

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In September, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) announced the settlement of three enforcement actions for violations of SEC whistleblower protection laws. In the actions, the SEC asserted that the...more

SECIL Law

Companies Should (Again) Review Releases They Sign With Departing Employees—The SEC Is Not Going To Lose Interest In This Issue

SECIL Law on

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), in a couple of recent settled actions, continues to warn companies that the practice of requiring departing employees to sign comprehensive releases in return for...more

Allen Matkins

More Than Four Score Law Firms File Amicus Brief Opposing SEC Assault On Client Confidentiality

Allen Matkins on

In several recent posts, I have discussed Covington & Burling LLPs opposition to an SEC subpoena demanding that the law firm "name names".   Now more than 80 law firms from across the country have filed an amicus brief...more

Locke Lord LLP

SEC Turns Workplace Misconduct into Disclosure Controls Violation; ‎ Clarifies Protection for Whistleblowers

Locke Lord LLP on

The SEC announced on February 3, 2023 a settled enforcement action against Activision Blizzard, Inc., finding that it failed to have adequate controls for reporting widespread workplace misconduct to management and used...more

DarrowEverett LLP

The Hunger Games: Can Competition Be Stopped?

DarrowEverett LLP on

On Jan. 5, the United States Federal Trade Commission (the “FTC”) proposed a new rule which acts as a complete ban—both prospectively and retroactively—on all non-competition agreements (“non-compete(s)”) (the “Proposed...more

Proskauer Rose LLP

Be Ready For SEC Scrutiny Of Employee Confidentiality Pacts

Proskauer Rose LLP on

In 2011, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission adopted Rule 21F- 17 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. It prevents companies from, among other things, using confidentiality agreements to impede whistleblowing to...more

Foley & Lardner LLP

Whistleblower Newsletter Q2 2022

Foley & Lardner LLP on

Whistleblower Developments is a periodic report covering significant cases, decisions, proposals, and legislation related to whistleblower statutes and how they may impact your business. Recent developments include:...more

Stinson - Corporate & Securities Law Blog

SEC Fires Another Warning Shot on Confidentiality Agreements that Violate Whistleblower Provisions

The SEC brought an enforcement action against The Brink’s Company for using confidentiality agreements that the SEC alleged violated Exchange Act Rule 21F-17. That rule prohibits any person from taking any action to impede an...more

Proskauer - Whistleblower Defense

SDNY: Confidentiality Agreement Impeded Investors from Whistleblowing

On November 17, 2021, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York held that a company and its CEO violated Rule 21F-17 of the Exchange Act by entering into confidentiality agreements with investors that...more

Foley & Lardner LLP

Review of Recent Whistleblower Developments - October 2021

Foley & Lardner LLP on

Whistleblower Developments is a periodic report covering significant cases, decisions, proposals, and legislation related to whistleblower statutes and how they may impact your business... SEC to Study Amended...more

Proskauer - Whistleblower Defense

SEC Alleges Employer’s Compliance Manual Violates Rule 21F-17

On June 23, 2021, the SEC announced that Guggenheim Securities, LLC (“Company”) agreed to settle charges that it violated Rule 21F-17 by including language in its compliance manual and training materials that allegedly...more

Stinson - Corporate & Securities Law Blog

SEC Charges Alternative Asset Manager with Failing to have Sufficient Policies to Prevent Use of MNPI

In 2016, Ares Management LLC, a subsidiary of a global alternative asset manager, invested several hundred million dollars in client funds in a portfolio company in the form of debt and equity. Confidentiality provisions in...more

Proskauer - Whistleblower Defense

NLRB Permits Confidentiality Restrictions During Internal Investigations

As reported in Proskauer’s Labor Relations Update blog, the NLRB issued an important opinion on December 17, 2019 relating to employer rules requiring confidentiality from employees during workplace investigations. Apogee...more

Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP

SEC Accuses Issuer and CEO of Violating Whistleblower Protection Laws to Silence Investor Complaints

On Nov. 4, 2019, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed an amended complaint against Collectors Café and its CEO, Mykalai Kontilai, to add charges against defendants for alleged violations of whistleblower...more

Perkins Coie

Washington State Poised to Impose Significant Restrictions on Noncompetition Agreements

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Last week, the Washington State Legislature passed a proposal that, once signed into law, will significantly restrict the use of noncompetition agreements in Washington. We fully expect Governor Jay Inslee to sign this law,...more

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