THE PATEL LAW FIRM

• Admitted to practice in California, New York and Missouri.

• J.D., Southwestern University School of Law, May 1994

• National Moot Court Tax Competition in Florida - Won First Place Team & Third Place

• Brief Awards

• Recipient: American Jurisprudence Award - Conflict of Laws; Exceptional Achievement

• Award - Crimes Transactions

• Selected for participation in Southwestern Journal of Law & Trade, 1993-1994

• M.B.T. (Master in Business Taxation), University of Southern California, 1990

• C.P.A. (Certified Public Accountant - inactive), California 1987

• B.S., (Business Administration), California State University, Northridge, 1986

​
​ PREVIOUSLY ASSOCIATED WITH
​

• SECURITIES & EXCHANGE COMMISSION – LOS ANGELES OFFICE

• SUELTHAUS & WALSH; THE BUSCH FIRM - Transactional Law Firms

• ERNST & YOUNG; DELOITTE & TOUCHE – Public Accounting Firms

• BARNES CROSBY FITZGERALD & ZEMAN; ROQUEMORE PRINGLE & MOORE –

       Civil Litigation Firms

​

EXPERIENCE SUMMARY
Ms. Patel was Associate Regional Director for the SEC’s Los Angeles office, appointed
by SEC Chair Mary Jo White to co-lead that office’s Enforcement staff. In that role for
over 7 years, she managed a staff of more than 60 attorneys, accountants and other
professionals and oversaw the office’s enforcement investigations and litigation. Under
her supervision, the office filed a variety of cases in various district courts as well as
administrative proceedings that involved financial and accounting fraud, offering fraud,
Ponzi schemes, emergency actions seeking temporary restraining orders and asset
freezes, insider trading, cybersecurity, initial coin offerings, cases under Foreign Corrupt
Practices Act (FCPA violations), investment adviser and broker-dealer fraud, and other
securities’ violations. In her role as Associate Regional Director and other positions at
the SEC, Ms. Patel developed contacts at, and coordinated matters with, the

Department of Justice, FBI, and local law enforcement regulators in various states. She
also participated in various conferences as a speaker and/or panelist to educate
corporate counsel, the defense bar and other regulators on key securities law
developments.

Prior to joining SEC, as a litigator in private practice, Ms. Patel represented plaintiffs
and defendants in civil actions for fraud, breach of contract, fiduciary liability, real estate
transactions, partnership disputes, etc. She was involved in all aspects of discovery,
law and motion, including summary judgment, writs, appeals, trial and pre-trial
preparation, and settlements. She has conducted numerous depositions, argued
motions, acted as a second chair, and examined and cross-examined witnesses in trial. 

Ms. Patel has also represented issuers and investors of several start-up companies
regarding corporate formation, financing through private placements, employment
matters, and securities filings. She has experience with merger and acquisition
transactions including performing due diligence, drafting agreements, preparing anti-
trust filings, and evaluating corporate governance issues. She has worked on real
estate transactions, Section 1031, exchanges, lease agreements, tenant estoppels, and
loan guaranties. Additionally, Ms. Patel has served as a tax consultant for various
corporate structuring matters as well as establishing corporate strategies in connection
with sale or acquisitions of subsidiaries. She is also well versed with all tax aspects of C
and S corporations, limited liability companies, and partnerships.