Kurt Gottschall, the former Director of the Denver Regional Office of the Securities and Exchange Commission, has joined Haynes Boone’s Denver Office as a partner in the firm’s SEC Enforcement, Government Enforcement and Litigation, and U.S. Criminal Investigations and Prosecutions Practices.
Kurt joins the firm after more than 22 years of service with the SEC. As Director of the SEC’s Denver office from 2018 to 2022, he oversaw all of the office’s enforcement investigations, litigation and examinations of SEC registrants in an eight-state region. Kurt also served previously as Associate Regional Director of Enforcement and Assistant Director of the Asset Management Unit in Denver.
During his tenure, Kurt managed many high-profile investigations and litigation concerning public companies and their officers and directors, auditors, investment advisers, broker-dealers, and other capital markets participants. Among other things, Kurt led groundbreaking SEC enforcement matters regarding revenue recognition and disclosure, audit deficiencies, insider trading, mutual fund share class selection and disclosure, undisclosed conflicts of interest, and Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) deficiencies.
“It is rare to be able to hire a lawyer with the depth and breadth of Kurt’s SEC experience,” said Partner Kit Addleman, who serves as co-chair of the Litigation Practice Group and chair of the firm's SEC Enforcement Practice Group. Kit previously served as Director of the Atlanta Regional Office of the SEC. “Based on my government service and having worked with Kurt in the Denver regional office, I know first-hand the sort of valuable insight and guidance that he will be able to provide to our clients facing not only securities issues but also investigations by the DOJ, FINRA, PCAOB, state attorneys general, and other governmental agencies. We are thrilled to have him join our team.”
In an SEC release announcing Kurt’s departure, SEC Chair Gary Gensler lauded Kurt’s service. “Under Kurt’s leadership, the Denver Regional Office has protected the public through significant enforcement matters, investigations, and examinations across an eight-state region,” he said.
Kurt said he was attracted to Haynes Boone’s national and international footprint and the formidable reputation of the White Collar and Government Investigations Practices. “I really look forward to leveraging Haynes Boone’s longstanding strengths in securities, capital markets, investment management and private equity to help the firm continue to expand and grow the White Collar and Government Investigations practices in Denver and nationally.”
In its 2022 directory, Chambers USA (Chambers and Partners) ranked Haynes Boone Band 1 (the top tier) in Texas in the “Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Gov't Investigations” category, noting: “Top-drawer white-collar criminal practice with a strong track record in defending clients facing bet-the-company regulatory actions. Offers [experience] in issues ranging across healthcare fraud, FCPA violations, securities claims and criminal antitrust matters. Houses a number of experienced former prosecutors among its stable of litigators.”
Haynes Boone is an international corporate law firm with offices in Texas, New York, California, Charlotte, Chicago, Denver, Washington, D.C., London, Mexico City and Shanghai, providing a full spectrum of legal services in energy, technology, financial services and private equity. With 600 lawyers, Haynes Boone is ranked among the largest U.S.-based firms by The National Law Journal, The American Lawyer and The Lawyer. It was recognized in the BTI Consulting Group’s 2022 “A-Team” report, which identifies the law firms that in-house counsel commend for providing superior client service.
Kurt joins the firm after more than 22 years of service with the SEC. As Director of the SEC’s Denver office from 2018 to 2022, he oversaw all of the office’s enforcement investigations, litigation and examinations of SEC registrants in an eight-state region. Kurt also served previously as Associate Regional Director of Enforcement and Assistant Director of the Asset Management Unit in Denver.
During his tenure, Kurt managed many high-profile investigations and litigation concerning public companies and their officers and directors, auditors, investment advisers, broker-dealers, and other capital markets participants. Among other things, Kurt led groundbreaking SEC enforcement matters regarding revenue recognition and disclosure, audit deficiencies, insider trading, mutual fund share class selection and disclosure, undisclosed conflicts of interest, and Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) deficiencies.
“It is rare to be able to hire a lawyer with the depth and breadth of Kurt’s SEC experience,” said Partner Kit Addleman, who serves as co-chair of the Litigation Practice Group and chair of the firm's SEC Enforcement Practice Group. Kit previously served as Director of the Atlanta Regional Office of the SEC. “Based on my government service and having worked with Kurt in the Denver regional office, I know first-hand the sort of valuable insight and guidance that he will be able to provide to our clients facing not only securities issues but also investigations by the DOJ, FINRA, PCAOB, state attorneys general, and other governmental agencies. We are thrilled to have him join our team.”
In an SEC release announcing Kurt’s departure, SEC Chair Gary Gensler lauded Kurt’s service. “Under Kurt’s leadership, the Denver Regional Office has protected the public through significant enforcement matters, investigations, and examinations across an eight-state region,” he said.
Kurt said he was attracted to Haynes Boone’s national and international footprint and the formidable reputation of the White Collar and Government Investigations Practices. “I really look forward to leveraging Haynes Boone’s longstanding strengths in securities, capital markets, investment management and private equity to help the firm continue to expand and grow the White Collar and Government Investigations practices in Denver and nationally.”
In its 2022 directory, Chambers USA (Chambers and Partners) ranked Haynes Boone Band 1 (the top tier) in Texas in the “Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Gov't Investigations” category, noting: “Top-drawer white-collar criminal practice with a strong track record in defending clients facing bet-the-company regulatory actions. Offers [experience] in issues ranging across healthcare fraud, FCPA violations, securities claims and criminal antitrust matters. Houses a number of experienced former prosecutors among its stable of litigators.”
Haynes Boone is an international corporate law firm with offices in Texas, New York, California, Charlotte, Chicago, Denver, Washington, D.C., London, Mexico City and Shanghai, providing a full spectrum of legal services in energy, technology, financial services and private equity. With 600 lawyers, Haynes Boone is ranked among the largest U.S.-based firms by The National Law Journal, The American Lawyer and The Lawyer. It was recognized in the BTI Consulting Group’s 2022 “A-Team” report, which identifies the law firms that in-house counsel commend for providing superior client service.
