Jessica Magee

Jessica Magee is chair of the firm's Securities Enforcement Defense Team, a member of the White Collar Defense and Investigations Team and co-editor of the firm's SECond Opinions blog. Recognized by Chambers USA for her work in securities enforcement and white collar and government investigations defense, Ms. Magee focuses her practice on helping companies and individuals navigate operational and governance challenges, internal investigations, and inquiries and allegations by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and other federal and state agencies.

Ms. Magee is a seasoned trial attorney, former general counsel and former senior officer in the SEC's Division of Enforcement. She has significant experience handling complex investigations and litigation matters involving alleged accounting or disclosure violations, securities offerings, securities trading, cryptocurrency and blockchain, investment adviser and broker-dealer duties and conduct, and more. She also has significant experience advising clients on matters of strategic planning, regulatory compliance, disclosure, risk mitigation, and matters involving corporate and shareholder rights, partnership disputes, director and officer disputes and federal receiverships.

Industry sources praise Ms. Magee on her securities enforcement, white-collar and government investigations practice saying:

Jessica is exceptional… She is very smart, with great judgment… Jessica is a super strong lawyer.

– Chambers USA – America's Leading Business Lawyers, 2024 guide

Ms. Magee regularly represents companies, boards of directors and their committees, and individual officers and directors in government investigations and enforcement actions. She has considerable experience representing court-appointed receivers, and also works with private equity funds and their portfolio companies in multi-jurisdictional litigation and arbitration matters.

Chambers USA directories have praised Ms. Magee for providing "a level of service that is above and beyond what is normally expected. Her knowledge and awareness of matters is unmatched. She provides a fresh perspective to situations and possible outcomes, both positive and negative." Chambers USA – America's Leading Business Lawyers, 2022 guide

Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Ms. Magee was a senior officer with the SEC, where she led the organization's trial unit and regional enforcement program.

Ms. Magee also previously served as in-house general counsel for a financial services company, where she led the legal and compliance department. In this role, she advised the board and senior leadership on a wide array of legal, regulatory and corporate governance issues, and led the company's legal efforts through numerous strategic transactions.