Russell C. Weigel, III Profile

During more than a decade at the SEC, between 1990 and 2001, Mr. Weigel supervised and conducted over 80 investigations and litigated over 35 civil injunctive and administrative proceedings nationwide, most involving allegations of fraud, sales of unregistered non-exempt securities, or regulatory compliance violations by stock promoters, public companies, broker dealers, investment advisers, and stock transfer agents, among others. Mr. Weigel also supervised investigations and litigated cases involving securities issuers’ Ponzi schemes and false financial reporting. For example, Mr. Weigel directly supervised the financial reporting investigation of W.R. Grace & Co. and its auditors, and the accountant independency investigation of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, and filed and litigated the civil injunctive case against W.R. Grace & Co., materially participating in the negotiated settlement involving the filing and simultaneous settlement of administrative and cease-and-desist proceedings against the company. Mr. Weigel has particular experience in the collection of court-ordered disgorgement in pro-debtor states like the State of Florida and State of Texas. Mr. Weigel developed particular expertise in investment adviser performance advertising and compliance, having investigated and litigated a number of such cases. Mr. Weigel also started and led an investigative task force of bank broker dealer sales practices.

In addition to his SEC experience, between 1989-90, Mr. Weigel served as a Florida assistant state attorney where he tried bench and jury trials in criminal prosecutions. Mr. Weigel earned his B.A. from Vanderbilt University in 1986 and his J.D. from the University of Miami in 1989.

Mr. Weigel is an AV-rated* securities lawyer, admitted to practice law in the state courts of Florida and New York and in the District of Columbia, in the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals, in all three federal district courts in Florida, and in the Eastern District of Michigan Eastern and the Southern Districts of New York. He is licensed as a FINRA Dispute Resolution Arbitrator and Mediator and has served as a court-appointed receiver and special master in the United States District Court, Southern District of Florida.

Mr. Weigel is a member of the following national organizations:
Securities Industry & Financial Markets Association, Inc., Compliance & Legal Division
Florida Securities Dealers Association, Inc.
Association of Securities and Exchange Commission Alumni, Inc.
Christian Legal Society.

 

Ed’s practice areas are Corporate and Securities Litigation as well as Corporate Counseling.  Ed has worked on a range of cases representing clients actions brought by regulatory agencies such as the SEC and FINRA in .  Ed also drafts corporate governance documents and SEC filings. Prior to his legal career, Mr. Averbuch was a Series 7 and Series 63 registered broker at GunnAllen Financial, Inc., in New York City.
 
Education:
B.A. University of Connecticut (2004)
J.D. New York Law School (2008)
 
Bar Admissions:
Florida and New York (2009)
U.S. District Courts for the Southern District of Florida and Eastern and Southern Districts of New York