November 16, 2012
SEC Releases Annual Report on the SEC Whistleblower Program: First Full-Year Analysis Reveals Positive Growth
Labaton Sucharow
Yesterday, the SEC released its annual report to Congress on the SEC Whistleblower Program, the first full-year analysis of the program since its enactment by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. According to the report, the SEC received 3001 tips, complaints and referrals from whistleblowers in all 50 states, the District of...
Articles & Perspectives
November 14, 2012
Whistleblowing in the Corporate World Series: The SEC Enforcement Process
Labaton Sucharow
As federal agencies heighten regulatory scrutiny, and programs like the SEC Whistleblower Program invite everyday citizens to play a role in the enforcement process, it is critical to understand how the SEC and its enforcement process work. In An Insider Guide to the SEC Enforcement Process, the fourth in our six-part webinar series presented with...
Articles & Perspectives
November 1, 2012
Corporate Ethics: The Brand You Can’t Buy
Labaton Sucharow
I was fortunate to speak on a panel recently at the prestigious Commit! Forum, an annual conference organized by Corporate Responsibility Magazine, for a session entitled “The Best Brand You Can’t Buy–Establishing an Ethical Brand.” Joined on the panel by Jennifer Prosek, the founder and CEO of communications firm Prosek Partners, we addressed how responsible...
Articles & Perspectives
October 23, 2012
Get There and Get it Right: 2012 Corporate Whistleblowing Forum–December 4, 2012
Corporate Ethics isn’t just something I blog about, it’s something I believe in, something that [Jordan Thomas][prior firm][‘s] has been committed to strengthening for 50 years. With that in mind, I am pleased to announce a program I am chairing, the 2012 Corporate Whistleblowers Forum, which will take place in New York City later this...
Articles & Perspectives
October 16, 2012
Whistleblowing Can Be Fun…
Labaton Sucharow
I am pleased to share an animated video created by my former colleague at the SEC, David Smyth. Through his short film, Whistleblower!, Smyth, who now works in the private sector at the law firm of Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP, outlines some of the key provisions of the SEC Whistleblower Program. The...
Articles & Perspectives
October 3, 2012
Thomson Reuters’ Legal Education Arm and [Jordan Thomas][Prior Firm][‘s] Join Forces: Six-Part Webinar Series Launched
Labaton Sucharow
In August, we launched the first in a six-part series, Whistleblowing in the Corporate World, presented with West LegalEd, part of Thomson Reuters. Our first webinar kicked off with “The Advent of the SEC Whistleblower Program” in which I provide an overview of the origins, mechanics, scope and implications of this important investor protection program....
Articles & Perspectives
October 1, 2012
Op-Ed in International Business Times: Political Response to Corruption May Lead to Watershed Moment in November
Labaton Sucharow
Is corporate corruption a top-of-mind issue for most Americans? It certainly is. Recent data from our 2nd Annual Ethics & Action Survey underscores that a majority of Americans not only see a causal connection between corporate misconduct and the economic crisis, but the political response to corporate corruption is likely to be a significant factor...
Articles & Perspectives
September 25, 2012
Overwhelming Majority of Americans Oppose Corporate Corruption, So Why Aren’t Political Parties Listening?
International Business Times
A year ago, protestors gathered in New York City’s Financial District kicking off Occupy Wall Street, a grassroots movement protesting economic inequality, greed and corruption. With a rallying cry of “We are the 99 percent,” the protests quickly grew in size and spread to cities across the country. Ultimately, Occupy Wall Street has failed to...
Articles & Perspectives
September 24, 2012
Federal Whistleblower Programs at Work: IRS to Pay Whistleblower $104 Million
Labaton Sucharow
On the heels of the SEC’s announcement of its first whistleblower award, the IRS announced last week that it would pay one of its first awards—a startling $104 million—to a former UBS banker, Bradley Birkenfeld, who aided the government in connection with its investigation into the bank’s practice of helping wealthy U.S. taxpayers hide billions...
Articles & Perspectives
September 12, 2012
Rebel With a Cause?
The ABA Journal, a publication of the American Bar Association, has just announced its Legal Rebels for 2012. I was honored to be counted in the list of 11 Legal Rebels who come from a wide range of practices and firms across the nation. Now in its fourth year, this is the journal’s “annual nod...
Articles & Perspectives
August 23, 2012
A Powerful Partnership in Full Swing: SEC Issues First Award to Whistleblower
Labaton Sucharow
Yesterday, just one year after the final rules of the SEC Whistleblower Program became effective, the agency has issued its first whistleblower award. This is a pivotal moment for prospective whistleblowers, investors and the public at large. There are several remarkable points to note about this first award. First, the timing of this award underscores...
Articles & Perspectives
August 21, 2012
When Can an Officer Blow the Whistle?
Risk Management Magazine
Articles & Perspectives