James Q. Walker
- Firmwide Co-Lead, Fintech Compliance and Enforcement
- New York
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A seasoned leader in securities and regulatory compliance, James offers in-depth guidance to clients at the leading edge of their industries.
James Q. Walker represents companies, including established and developing blockchain-based businesses, in securities enforcement matters, and advises on regulatory compliance and risk mitigation. He represents senior executives in complex investigations of fraud and other misconduct, and guides audit committees through internal investigations of corporate crimes and identification of remedial measures to address shortcomings in corporate controls. His 30-plus years of experience in securities, regulatory and criminal investigations, and in civil litigation, informs his practice. James was identified as a member of the Securities Docket’s 2024 Enforcement Elite, which “honors professionals who not only have the right stuff to handle bet-the-company matters but are also the kind of defensive specialists critical to have on speed-dial should the SEC’s Division of Enforcement come calling.”
An active leader in the legal community, James is the co-chair of the New York State Bar Association Committee on Standards of Attorney Conduct, and serves on the editorial boards of the American Bar Association/Bloomberg Law Lawyers’ Manual on Professional Conduct and Law360’s Legal Ethics Editorial Advisory Board.
Education & Credentials
Education
- Yale Law School, J.D., 1990
- Yale University, B.S., Applied Mathematics, cum laude, 1985
Bar and Court Admissions
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New York
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Connecticut
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
Related Employment
- Richards Kibbe & Orbe LLP, New York, NY, Partner and General Counsel, 1999-2020
- Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, New York, NY, Associate, 1991-1995
Clerkships
- Hon. Earl B. Gillam, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
Professional Recognition
Named a New York Trailblazer by New York Law Journal, 2019
Recognized by The Best Lawyers in America: Criminal Defense: White-Collar, 2013-2023
Recommended by The Legal 500 United States in the area of White Collar Criminal Defense, 2016, 2020
Selected by Super Lawyers Magazine as a New York Super Lawyer in White Collar Criminal Defense, Professional Liability Defense, Corporate Governance, and Compliance, 2009-2023
Named a New York Local Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation, 2018, 2019
Named a Future National Star by Benchmark Litigation, 2016, 2017
Named a fellow of the American Bar Foundation
Impact
Professional Leadership
- New York State Bar Association, Committee on Standards of Attorney Conduct, Vice-Chair
- New York County Lawyers' Association, Chair of Committee on Professional Ethics, Board Member
- The ABA/BNA Lawyers’ Manual on Professional Conduct, Editorial Board Chair
- Law360 Legal Ethics Editorial Advisory Board, Member
- American Bar Association, Standing Committee on Lawyers' Professional Liability, Member
- New York City Bar, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, Member
