Stephen J. Crimmins

Partner

T 202.661.7031 Washington, D.C.
T 212.880.3624 New York
M 202.317.0037
    •  
Download vCard Download bio Print this page

Steve defends enforcement matters involving the Securities and Exchange Commission and other financial regulators. He protects clients during regulatory inquiries, including investigative testimony. He advocates with regulators in meetings and white papers, including SEC Wells submissions, to obtain "closing letters" and otherwise negotiates for fair and appropriate consent decrees. When needed, he fights for clients in federal court, including jury trials and appeals, and in administrative proceedings.

Based on peer surveys, U.S. News-Best Lawyers in America named Steve its "Securities Regulation Lawyer of the Year for New York City" in 2017, and in 2021 and 2022 recognized his group as national "Securities Regulation Law Firm of the Year," ranking Steve individually for both securities litigation and securities regulation for well over a decade. Chambers USA has ranked him nationally since 2009 for "complex and sensitive SEC enforcement actions and investigations on behalf of public companies and broker dealers," with "significant strength in financial fraud and accounting issues." Chambers has reported peer comments that he is "a real leader of the SEC enforcement Bar" and that "you will find no one who knows more about how to litigate at the SEC."

Steve testified three times before Congress, in 2019 at a House Financial Services Committee hearing on SEC enforcement reforms and cryptocurrency regulation and twice during the financial crisis. He has chaired both the Federal Bar Association's Securities Law Section, and the DC Bar's Corporation, Finance and Securities Law Section. He presents CLE and other panels, including PLI's Hedge Fund and Private Equity Enforcement and Regulation 2024. He publishes on SEC developments, including "Insider Trading: Where Is the Line?" in the Columbia Business Law Review (favorably noted in The Economist), an article on the SEC's controversial "shadow trading" theory in the Columbia Blue Sky Blog, and a chapter in PLI's 2025 SEC Compliance and Enforcement Answer Book. He has guest-taught securities law classes and symposia at Columbia, Georgetown, Maastricht (Netherlands), and other law schools.

During 14 years at the SEC, Steve co-managed its Enforcement Division's Trial Unit in prosecuting jury and non-jury securities cases in federal courts around the country and administrative proceedings. First joining the SEC as a senior trial counsel at headquarters, Steve continued to personally litigate and try cases after promotion to leadership and the Senior Executive Service. He earned the SEC-wide Productivity Improvement Award for his management skills. A Brooklyn native, he graduated from Columbia Law School and began his career at a large New York law firm before joining the SEC.

Since returning to private practice, Steve has achieved successful outcomes in securities enforcement matters for both entities and individuals. He has advocated for clients in investigations and litigation spanning the SEC enforcement program, including the following:

  • 2025: Completed taking depositions and briefed cross-motions for summary judgment in SEC revenue recognition litigation.
  • 2024: Represented former CFO in preparation for four days of trial testimony as Government witness in criminal trial leading to convictions in case alleging ponzi-like scheme.
  • 2024: Prepared white paper presentation demonstrating client's efforts to comply with SEC industry bar order.
  • 2024: Obtained formal SEC closing letter confirming, following multiple white papers, that SEC was terminating investigation of broker-dealer in municipal securities matter.
  • 2023: Wells submission resulting in SEC closing letter terminating investigation as to lawyer in ponzi matter that had resulted in SEC and DOJ charges against the lawyer's client.
  • 2023: Wells submission resulting in SEC closing letter terminating investigation as to CFO of large investment adviser in SEC case settled by his employer.
  • 2022: Multiple Wells submissions resulting in SEC closing letter terminating investigation as to General Counsel of investment adviser in SEC case settled by his employer and other executives. Teamed with other counsel in resolving parallel investor litigation.
  • 2022: Represented CEO of a substantial public company in preparing for and providing testimony in SEC case settled by his employer and another executive.
  • 2021: Multiple Wells submissions and detailed negotiations resulting in settlement of SEC and CFTC disclosure claims against a commodity pool and commodity pool operator.
  • 2020: White paper resulting in SEC closing letter terminating insider trading investigation of CEO with no charges.

Steve was a partner at Mayer Brown LLP and K&L Gates LLP, and then a shareholder at SEC defense boutique Murphy & McGonigle PC until it combined with Davis Wright Tremaine in 2022.