Jenner & Block Welcomes Former SEC Leading Trial Lawyer Christian Bartholomew

WASHINGTON, March 31, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Jenner & Block LLP today announces that Christian R. Bartholomew, prominent litigator and former Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) senior trial counsel, has joined the firm as a partner in our D.C. office.  He is a member of the firm's Securities Litigation and Enforcement Practice.

Christian joins a broad-based securities litigation team that is widely recognized as one of the finest in the nation.  He offers more than 20 years of experience in handling securities enforcement matters and has successfully resolved numerous securities investigations by the SEC, Department of Justice, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, and other federal and state regulators enforcement for a broad range of financial institutions and public companies.  As a former undefeated SEC trial lawyer with an equally impressive track record in private practice, Christian is also uniquely positioned to handle both regulatory litigation as well as the private litigation that can arise as a result of these investigations.  He has a well-earned reputation as a fierce client advocate who brings real trial credibility to the table in negotiations and other dealing with regulators.

"With the arrival of Christian, we strengthen our commitment to ensuring that our D.C. office is a destination for handling large, multi-regulator securities investigations and related class actions," said Susan C. Levy, Jenner & Block's managing partner.  "We are pleased to have him on the team."

From his robust experience representing clients in internal and regulatory investigations regarding sensitive whistleblower allegations, Christian has emerged as a recognized leader in the area of the SEC's Dodd-Frank whistleblower rules.  He has written and spoken extensively on the issue.

"We simply could not have found a better fit for us and our clients," said Thomas C. Newkirk, co-chair of the firm's Securities Litigation and Enforcement Practice.  "Christian has strong relationships with in-house counsel, company management, regulators and compliance officials.  With his experience and presence, we are confident that he will bolster Jenner & Block's position as counsel of choice for bet-the-company litigation."

Christian worked the past nearly three years at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, where he was a partner in Weil's Securities Litigation practice and leader of its SEC enforcement practice in Washington and Miami.  From 2000 to 2011, he was a litigation partner at Morgan, Lewis and Bockius LLP, rising to vice chairman of its Securities Enforcement Practice Group.  He earlier served for five years as Senior Trial Counsel for the Southeast Regional office of the SEC, where he was undefeated during his tenure, winning several precedent-setting matters.

Christian said, "Jenner & Block is universally recognized as one of America's truly pre-eminent trial law firms.  That reputation, and the opportunity to be part of a family of like-minded trial attorneys, and not just litigators, is enormously attractive to me, particularly in light of the increased emphasis that regulators are placing on trying cases.  I'm very excited to be a partner at such a firm."

About the Firm's Securities Litigation & Enforcement Practice
Our deep bench of former government lawyers serves as the foundation for a robust practice that regularly represents clients in SEC and other investigations alleging financial fraud, accounting irregularities, disclosure and internal control deficiencies, insider trading, Ponzi schemes, foreign corrupt practices and other misconduct.  As a firm that can pursue claims against accountants, insurance companies and Wall Street, Jenner & Block has the conflicts profile and trial skills of a litigation boutique, with the sophisticated transactional and bankruptcy practice that offers a full range of perspectives on both sides of the docket.  Because of our experience suing Wall Street, we frequently represent institutional investors, such as hedge funds, foreign banks and Fortune 500 companies, in claims to recover losses from complex securities and derivatives, including CDOs, ARS and RMBS.  We also defend private securities claims, representing public and private companies in class actions, derivative shareholder litigation and tender offer litigation.

About Jenner & Block
Jenner & Block (www.jenner.com) is a national law firm with approximately 450 attorneys and offices in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C.  Celebrating its 100^th anniversary in 2014, the firm is known for its prominent and successful litigation practice and experience handling sophisticated and high-profile corporate transactions.  Firm clients include Fortune 100 companies, large privately held corporations, financial services institutions, emerging companies and venture capital and private equity investors.  In 2013, The American Lawyer magazine named Jenner & Block to the AmLaw A-List of the top 20 law firms in the country, for the second consecutive year and the fifth time overall since the ranking was established a decade ago.  The firm also has been named by American Lawyer as the nation's leading pro bono firm in four of the past six years.

SOURCE Jenner & Block LLP