Hayley Trahan-Liptak is a partner in the Investigations, Enforcement, and White Collar practice group. She advises national and global clients on government investigations, regulatory enforcement actions, internal investigations, white-collar defense, and complex civil litigation matters.
Hayley represents public companies, individuals, investment advisors, and financial institutions in connection with investigation and enforcement actions before various state and federal regulators, including the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), and state attorneys general.
Hayley has conducted investigations spanning the globe, including in the U.S., Russia, China, Korea, and parts of Europe. Her work encompasses a variety of industries including manufacturing, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, financial services, and energy. She is adept at identifying legal and business risks that may materialize during an enforcement matter or investigation and working with clients to strategize effective resolutions.
Her experience includes, among other things:
- Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and other anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws, including matters with a focus on China and Russia;
- Securities enforcement, including insider trading, accounting fraud, record keeping issues and other securities fraud allegations;
- Internal investigations and compliance program reviews, including anti-corruption, internal controls, accounting practices, and anti-money laundering;
- Data privacy and cross-border transfer of data in compliance with global data privacy laws; and
- Responding to investigations by state attorneys general into consumer protection, highly regulated consumer goods, and other state law issues.
Hayley maintains an active pro bono practice and works with Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) and the Political Asylum/Immigration Representation (PAIR) project, representing unaccompanied immigrant children in immigration proceedings. She serves as an Executive Board Member for the Massachusetts 4-H Foundation and is a member of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce’s City Awake Advisory Board.
In addition to her experience as a member of the Investigations, Enforcement, and White Collar practice group, Hayley has a background in financial service litigation, class action defense, appellate advocacy, and general business litigation matters. She also has experience in the firm's Corporate department, assisting with mergers and acquisitions, stock financings, IPOs, and commercial contracts. While a student at Boston College Law, Hayley worked in the Trial Division of the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General. She was a summer associate at K&L Gates.
- Recognized by The Legal 500 United States as a Recommended Lawyer for Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense: advice to individuals and Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense: advice to corporates, 2024
- Member, Women in White Collar Defense Association
- Executive Board Member, Massachusetts 4-H Foundation
- Attorney Coach, Westford Academy Mock Trial, Massachusetts High School Mock Trial
- Member, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce City Awake Advisory Board
- “Next Up: US Securities and Exchange Commission Zooms in on Investment Adviser as Part of Ongoing Off-Channel Communication Sweep,” The Investment Lawyer, August 2024
- “The Department of Justice Wants You to Call. And It Wants You to Put Its Number on Speed Dial,” The Journal of Federal Agency Action, September-October 2024
- “PE Firms Should Prepare For False Claims Scrutiny,” Law360, 5 August 2024
- “Message Received: SEC Zeros in on Off-Channel Communication,” The Investment Lawyer, July 2023
- “Lenders May Be the Next Government Focus for PPP Fraud,” The Banking Law Journal, June 2023
- Note, Prohibiting Barriers to the Booth: The Case for a Limited Extension of Nationwide Preclearance, 34 B.C. J.L. & SOC. JUST. (2013)
- Contributing Author, Breaking Barriers, The Unfinished Story of Women Lawyers and Judges in Massachusetts (Patti Saris, Margot Botsford, Barbara Berenson eds., 2012)
- Quoted, “16 Biggest Fines in SEC's Texting Crackdown,” ALM/Think Advisor, 12 June 2024
- Quoted, “SEC Brings First Enforcement Action Against a Stand Alone Investment Adviser for Off Channel Communication Violations,” Private Equity Law Report, 30 May 2024
- Quoted, “SEC Can’t Disgorge Value of Ex-Wife’s BMW in Securities case,” Mass Lawyers Weekly, 30 December 2023
- Quoted, “Lawyer Breaks Down SEC’s Sweep of Advisors’ Texts,” Think Advisor, 26 April 2023
