Spencer Fane LLP is pleased to announce Michael MacPhail joined the firm’s Denver office as a partner in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice group.
Mike is a securities industry defense lawyer who represents investment advisors, broker-dealers, publicly traded corporations, transfer agents, accounting firms, law firms, and licensed individuals in a wide variety of high-stakes civil and criminal investigations, enforcement actions, and private litigation. He also represents clients in parallel criminal investigations by federal grand juries, U.S. Attorney’s Offices, and the U.S. Department of Justice.
Backed by more than three decades of experience in securities regulation and enforcement, including 13 years of experience as a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) enforcement attorney, Mike frequently advises and represents clients in investigations and litigation before the SEC and other national and state regulatory authorities.
“Mike’s extensive experience and background in complex investigations and litigation matters will add great strength and depth to our firm for the benefit of our clients,” said Ron Fano, Office Managing Partner for Spencer Fane in Denver. “We look forward to how his unique knowledge and skill set will contribute to our Denver team as well as our diverse, cross-office litigation practice.”
In addition to securities litigation, Mike frequently handles civil matters involving shareholder and cryptocurrency disputes, defending corporations, officers, and directors against claims, including those brought as putative class actions or as derivative claims. He has particular experience in prosecuting or defending statutory or common law claims involving alleged fraud, fraudulent concealment, and breach of fiduciary duty and has represented several cryptocurrency companies in private disputes involving, among other things, short-selling and disclosure issues.
Mike also represents clients in disputes concerning advertising, consumer lending, mortgage foreclosures, debt collection and franchisee issues, and he has specialized experience defending publicly held companies and their officers and directors, accounting firms and CPAs in government investigations.
After receiving his bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College, Mike earned his Juris Doctor at the University of California (UC) Hastings College of the Law, now UC Law San Francisco. Early in his career, he worked as a staff attorney for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, where he advised panels of judges including current U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.