Jason S. Pinney

Jason has extensive experience litigating against securities regulators. Recently, he represented a trade organization in a federal court action against a state securities regulator and obtained a complete victory on summary judgment, earning national honors from Law360 and AmLaw. He has also litigated against the SEC and other regulators in federal and state court, as well as in administrative tribunals. Additionally, Jason has  served as national coordinating defense counsel for major brokerage firms facing multiple regulatory and litigation matters.

Jason is active in pro bono and nonprofit work. He serves on the Boston Advisory Board for Harlem Lacrosse, a school-based nonprofit that mentors at-risk youth in five cities. Jason previously served as a board member and pro bono counsel for MetroLacrosse. He also leads a team that serves as counsel to the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance, a nationally recognized nonprofit that protects and serves the local fishing community. Jason has testified before US Congress in connection with his pro bono work, and has been profiled in Above the Law, The American Lawyer, and other publications.

Jason formerly served as the hiring partner for Morgan Lewis’s Boston office and as the chair of the Boston office’s Pro Bono Committee.

Before joining Morgan Lewis, Jason was a partner in the financial institutions regulatory, enforcement, and litigation practice at another international law firm. 

• Secured a complete victory on summary judgment for a trade organization challenging two novel rules issued by a state securities regulator; the rules were invalidated as preempted and unconstitutional, and the client was awarded attorneys’ fees
• Successfully defended broker-dealer in litigation brought by the SEC in federal court; this was the first litigated action charging a firm with violating Regulation Best Interest
• Part of a team that challenged a first-in-the-nation state fiduciary rule on behalf of a national broker-dealer
• Successfully resolved multiple matters for different brokerage firms facing allegations from FINRA and state regulators regarding options applications 
• Part of a team serving as national coordinating defense counsel to a major Wall Street brokerage firm responding to more than 75 arbitrations related to employee stock and stock options
• Part of a team serving as national coordinating defense counsel to a major clearing broker-dealer defending against hundreds of claims relating to mortgage-backed securities
• Part of a team serving as national coordinating defense counsel to a major Wall Street brokerage firm responding to a series of auction rate securities claims
• Successfully represented independent trustees involved in Section 30(b) excessive fee litigation
• Successfully represented a major Wall Street brokerage firm in defending against a series of regulatory investigations concerning research analysts
• Successfully represented a major Wall Street brokerage firm in resolving SEC and FINRA investigations, litigation, and arbitrations relating to a structured product
• Successfully defended the CEO of a public company in an SEC investigation
• Successfully defended a major brokerage firm responding to multiple wire transfer claims brought in federal court and in FINRA arbitrations