Securities Industry Veteran Paul A. Merolla Joins Murphy & McGonigle Law Firm

NEW YORK,  June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Murphy & McGonigle law firm announced that securities industry veteran, Paul A. Merolla, has joined the firm in its New York office.  Merolla has had a distinguished career in the securities industry, having served as General Counsel for Instinet Group Incorporated as well as previously serving in senior legal positions at Goldman Sachs Co., Inc.  Merolla was most recently the group leader for the Financial Services Practice Group at the LeClairRyan law firm in New York.  Merolla is also a Past President of the SIFMA Compliance & Legal Division (2005-2006).  Merolla will be the partner in charge of Murphy & McGonigle's New York office.

"We are thrilled to have someone of Paul's stature within the financial services industry join us in New York," said James A. Murphy, chairman of Murphy & McGonigle.  "Paul brings a great depth of knowledge, sound judgment and an insider's perspective on the important issues the financial services industry is facing today," added Murphy.  

"This is an exciting opportunity for me," said Merolla.  "I have worked with these lawyers at our previous firm and they truly are an All-Star team of financial services industry experts.  The Murphy & McGonigle law firm model provides the tools and the platform I need to continue to grow my practice."  Merolla added, "The firm's Litigation Support Group, based in Virginia, provides all of the resources and administrative support of a large firm but allows the lawyers to practice in a lean, efficient and bureaucracy free environment where we can focus exclusively on providing world-class service and great value to our clients."  

In private practice, Merolla has served as the independent consultant for a national securities broker-dealer in connection with its settlement with the Securities & Exchange Commission over its gifts and entertainment policies.  Merolla currently serves as an independent consultant in connection with a settlement between a major financial institution and the U.S. Government concerning cross border regulatory matters.  He is also acting as an independent consultant for a global inter-dealer broker in connection with its recent settlement with the SEC regarding certain fixed income trading issues.  

Murphy & McGonigle represents public companies and their officers and directors in high stakes litigation matters as well as governmental investigations and enforcement proceedings.  The firm's Washington, D.C. based SEC Enforcement Group, led by Thomas J. McGonigle, includes six partners who formerly served in the SEC's Division of Enforcement.  The Litigation Group, headed by Murphy, has served as lead counsel for financial institutions in some of the highest stakes cases brought in recent years, including securities class actions, auction rate securities cases, the "bank sweep" cases and the current wave of mortgage securitization litigation.

Murphy & McGonigle operates out of offices in New York, Washington, D.C. and Richmond, Virginia.  For more information on the firm, please visit www.murphymcgonigle.com.  

SOURCE Murphy & McGonigle, P.C.