Lara Shalov Mehraban

Lara Shalov Mehraban joined Sidley after serving 15 years at the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC). Lara has held various positions with the SEC, most recently as the acting director of the New York Regional Office. Prior to her appointment, Lara supervised the New York Office’s Enforcement Division as an associate regional director.

During her time at the SEC, Lara oversaw complex and high-stakes enforcement examinations and investigations and litigations covering all areas of the securities laws, including issues involving broker-dealers, investment advisers, exchanges, securities offerings, insider trading, cyber and public companies. As acting director of the New York Regional Office, she was responsible for supervising a large team of examiners, attorneys, investigators, accountants, and paralegals dedicated to examining registrants and investigating potential violations of the federal securities laws and litigating violations in federal courts. As associate regional director, Lara oversaw some of the SEC’s most complex and high stakes enforcement matters, including complex accounting frauds and some of the SEC’s first matters involving cryptocurrencies. Lara began her SEC career as a staff attorney and also served as a member of the Asset Management Unit and an assistant regional director. Lara’s experience gives her deep insight into the current priorities, policies, and practices of the SEC.

Lara brings a wealth of experience conducting investigations involving high profile and sensitive allegations. With a profound understanding of securities law, Lara advises her clients on all types of investigations, enforcement, and regulatory matters. Lara focuses her practice on representing individuals and companies before the SEC, the Department of Justice, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and state attorneys general. Lara is a frequent speaker on securities enforcement.

Earlier in her career, Lara was a litigation associate at two New York law firms where she handled white collar and securities enforcement matters and she clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.