“Securities attorney” can mean very different things depending on the context.
Investors, companies, and financial professionals all have unique needs—and not all securities lawyers handle the same kinds of cases.
In this guide, we break down the main categories of securities lawyers and help you understand which type may be right for your situation.

1. Securities Transaction Attorneys

Who they represent:
Primarily companies—both private and public—that are issuing securities or seeking financing.

What they do:
– Draft and file registration statements (e.g., S-1, Form D) with the SEC.
– Advise on Regulation D private placements, crowdfunding, Reg A offerings, and IPOs.
– Ensure compliance with federal and state securities laws during fundraising.
– Negotiate and draft offering memoranda, subscription agreements, and disclosure documents.
-Counsel Boards of Directors on various obligations, including fiduciary duties and insider trading.

When you need one:
– You’re a startup or company raising capital.
– You’re preparing for a public or private securities offering.
– You, a Board or employees need help complying with SEC, FINRA, or Blue Sky laws.

2. Securities Litigation Attorneys

a. Class Action Lawyers (Plaintiffs’ Firms)

Who they represent:
Large groups of investors (usually shareholders in public companies) in class action lawsuits.

What they do:
– File suits against publicly traded companies for securities fraud, accounting irregularities, or misleading statements.
– Often triggered by stock drops, SEC investigations, or restatements.
– Common under Rule 10b-5 or Section 11/12 of the Securities Act.

-Fiduciary violations by Boards and employees.

Examples:
– Shareholder lawsuits after a tech company misses earnings projections.
– Class actions following restated financials or regulatory enforcement.
-Various fiduciary violations.

Note:
These attorneys rarely represent individual investors one-on-one.

b. Investor Attorneys (Like Us)

Who we represent:
Individual investors and groups of investors who were defrauded or misled—often by a financial advisor, broker or brokerage firm.

What we do:
– File FINRA arbitration claims against broker-dealers
– We also file cases against advisors in Court, JAMS and AAA Arbitration.
– Bring cases for misrepresentation, unsuitable recommendations, overconcentration, Ponzi schemes, unauthorized trading, failure to supervise, theft and breach of fiduciary duty.
– Recover damages from financial institutions and financial professionals.

When to call us:
– You lost money because of investment fraud or bad advice.
– A broker or investment advisor put you in risky or unsuitable products.
– You’re not sure what happened, but your account losses don’t add up.
-You’re money has been lost or stolen.

Key advantage:
Investor attorneys are one of the few types who work directly for individual investors, not companies or funds.

c. Defense Attorneys (what we do not do)

Who they represent:
Broker-dealers, investment advisors, and company executives being investigated or sued.

What they do:
– Defend clients in SEC, FINRA, or state regulatory investigations.
– Represent financial professionals in enforcement actions or customer arbitrations.
– Help firms respond to subpoenas, Wells Notices, or administrative complaints.
– Help with various reputational matters, including expungements from CRD.
-Represent financial professionals in litigation with their past or present employers.

When to hire one:
– You’re a registered rep under investigation by FINRA or the SEC.
– A customer has filed a complaint against you or your firm.
– You’ve been subpoenaed in connection with securities fraud allegations.
– You have a problem with your CRD disclosures or your past or present employers.

d. Enforcement Attorneys.

You don’t actually hire and enforcement attorney.  The work for agencies like FINRA, the SEC or state securities regulators.

These attorneys work to punish bad actors in the securities industry through fines and suspensions or license revocations.  It is important to note that they do not work to get your money back, rather, they work sole to punish bad actors.

3. How to Choose the Right Securities Lawyer for Your Situation

– Are you an investor, a company, or a financial professional?
– Do you need help recovering losses, defending your reputation, or structuring a deal?
– Do you need someone licensed in your state, experienced in FINRA arbitrations, or familiar with SEC filings?

A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work. Choose a lawyer who focuses on your type of issue—and who has experience dealing with the specific regulator, court, or arbitration forum your case involves.

4. Why Investors Trust Israels & Neuman

– We are securities attorneys who focus on helping investors recover losses and pursue justice.
– Our firm is not limited to one strategy—we tailor our approach based on what’s best for each client’s case, whether through FINRA arbitration, court, or class actions.
– We’ve helped clients recover millions of dollars in FINRA arbitration and securities litigation across the country.
– Our attorneys are licensed in multiple states with offices in Denver, Phoenix, Chicago, Seattle, and Grand Rapids.

Contact Us Today

If you lost money due to misconduct by a financial advisor, brokerage firm, or investment product, we can help.

Call us at 720-599-3505 or visit www.israelsneuman.com to schedule your free consultation.