Steven Farina is Co-Chair of Williams & Connolly’s Accounting Malpractice and Securities Litigation and Enforcement practice groups. He has extensive experience in the areas of complex civil litigation, class actions, regulatory investigations, professional liability defense, and financial services litigation.
Mr. Farina has defended issuers, underwriters, accounting firms, and corporate officers and directors in securities litigation brought under the 1933 Securities Act and the 1934 Securities Exchange Act. He also has represented issuers, accounting firms, corporate officers and directors, and other individuals (including lawyers and accountants) in investigations and enforcement actions by the Securities and Exchange Commission, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.
Mr. Farina has represented national accounting firms and their partners in more than three dozen matters, including work for three of the “Big Four” firms. Mr. Farina defended a Big Four accounting firm in a malpractice action arising out of one of the largest corporate frauds in U.S. history. After more than two years of trial in arbitration, the panel issued an award in favor of the accounting firm, dismissing all claims. Mr. Farina also recently defended a Big Four accounting firm in a malpractice action arising out of the failure of a large insurance company. After a three-week arbitration trial, the panel issued an award in favor of the accounting firm, rejecting all claims.
Mr. Farina represented Richard Grasso in his successful fight with the New York Attorney General over Mr. Grasso’s compensation from the New York Stock Exchange. After more than four years of contentious litigation, all of the claims against Mr. Grasso were dismissed by the New York appellate courts. Mr. Farina later represented the NYSE in two “high-frequency trading” class action litigation matters.
Mr. Farina has defended corporations, professional firms, venture capital firms, investment banks, and individuals in a variety of other complex civil matters, including commercial litigation and bankruptcy litigation.