Keri Curtis Axel is a trial and appellate lawyer who practices white-collar criminal and government enforcement defense, as well as complex civil litigation.
A former Assistant U.S. Attorney and former SEC enforcement staff attorney based in Los Angeles, Keri draws on her considerable government experience to help her clients navigate government enforcement actions as well as fight criminal charges around the country. Keri represents individuals and companies in investigations by state and federal agencies, including the DOJ, SEC, CFPB, FTC, and the California Attorney General.
She has defended clients in investigations involving allegations of securities, tax, money laundering, and consumer finance violations, and in public corruption matters. Keri also has substantial experience in cross-border criminal investigations, and in immigration and procurement fraud matters.
Keri also represents executives, entrepreneurs, and financial services professionals and companies in FINRA matters and civil litigation, where she draws on her extensive experience in tax, accounting, and the securities industry.
Keri is a first-chair trial lawyer and has successfully litigated and argued many Ninth Circuit Appeals. A graduate of Harvard Law School, Keri is also sought after by the media to provide commentary and perspective on complex criminal and regulatory investigations.
Representative Engagements
- Represented an individual in a joint investigation by a New Jersey United States Attorney’s Office and the SEC involving a blockchain company, resulting in no charges against the individual or his company.
- Represented company founders in SEC investigation regarding potential registration violations involving the initial sale and distribution of digital tokens and obtained declination.
- Represented employees in student debt relief investigation by the CFPB, responding to Civil Investigation Demand (“CID”) and litigating against the CFPB.
- Obtained declination by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California in matter in which client was accused of cross-border structuring as part of an alleged unlicensed money remission scheme involving Bitcoin.
- Represented company in grand jury investigation by U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California involving alleged public corruption, including producing documents and representing company witnesses in interviews or proffers.
- Negotiated civil resolution of wire fraud/unlicensed money transmission/asset forfeiture investigation and client was not criminally charged.
- As SEC attorney, investigated financial reporting and disclosure violations by Fortune 500 technology company in quarterly and annual reports and brought and litigated enforcement complaint against company and its CEO, CFO and Controller.
- As AUSA, tried complex securities and tax case involving embezzlement and securities fraud by President of SEC-registered broker-dealer.
