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White-Collar/Regulatory

Texas Lawyers Lead SEC, AT&T $6.25M Lawsuit Settlement

AT&T and the SEC announced they have agreed to settle a lawsuit that accused the Dallas-based telecom giant of selectively leaking confidential financial information to Wall Street analysts in hopes of potentially manipulating revenue projections during the first quarter 2016. Two AT&T in-house counsel and a slew of lawyers from Norton Rose Fulbright, Tillotson Johnson & Patton, Willkie Farr and Haynes and Boone represented AT&T and its executives.

David Peavler Leaving SEC is ‘A Big Loss’

For nearly two decades, David Peavler has roamed the offices of the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Fort Worth Regional Office – first as a rookie lawyer in its enforcement position, later as assistant regional director and for the past three-and-a-half years as the head of the office. The SEC announced Thursday that Peavler is stepping down as the director of the Fort Worth Regional Office this Saturday. Associate regional directors Eric Werner and Marshall Gandy will fill the role until a replacement is announced. Experts say Peavler scored huge successes during his time at the SEC and his departure is a major loss.

The Use (or Abuse?) of the Mail and Wire Fraud Statutes

Ask any fraud prosecutor what their bread-and-butter criminal statute is, and you’ll surely hear about mail fraud or wire fraud. Taken together, they account for a significant percentage of fraud prosecutions at the federal level. Both statutes are broad and malleable, requiring a fraudulent scheme to obtain money or property, a criminal intention to defraud someone and either a mailing or interstate wire transmission. And, properly drafted, just about every type of economic crime can be cabined into a charge of mail or wire fraud. The U.S. Supreme Court is revisiting the scope of property rights protected under the mail and wire fraud statutes this term in Ciminelli v. United States.

SEC Shifts Focus on Employees’ Off-Channel Business Communications to Investment Advisers

Over the last year, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has been laser-focused on the use of personal devices by employees of the large Wall Street banks to conduct company business. The SEC’s investigations have focused on whether the banks complied with the “books and records” requirement that they preserve all communications that relate to company business. The SEC’s actions are having a ripple effect in civil litigation as well.

Check That Off My Bucket List: SMU Dedman Law Alumni at SCOTUS

Eleven SMU Dedman School of Law alumni and the school’s new dean were sworn in before the nation’s high court in a live ceremony before all nine justices this month. The group also heard oral arguments in two related administrative law cases.

“It was like being on the 50-yard line at the Super Bowl. But better,” Amy Osteen, a 2000 graduate of the law school, said.

Energy Policy Remains on the Ballot

Whatever the outcome of Tuesday’s mid-term election, the results will likely have great influence over U.S. energy policies in years to come. The various directions of those policies were discussed in a webinar involving partners at Akin Gump. Nushin Huq has their observations on the possibilities.

Biden Nominates Three for U.S. Attorney Slots in Texas

Long-awaited nominations are in to lead prosecutions for the Northern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas. Two of the nominees are veteran federal prosecutors; the third was El Paso’s DA for 27 years. Still to come: a nominee as U.S. attorney in the Eastern District. Bruce Tomaso has the details.

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