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Client Reviews

CFTC, IRS, SEC Whistleblower & White Collar Defense Client Reviews

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Original testimonials, and written client approvals to use them on this website, are on file with The Pickholz Law Offices.

Below are actual comments written by some of our clients and former clients.  We are honored that they have been willing to share their thoughts and impressions about our work as their law firm.

"Jason has become widely recognized by those in the know as possibly the single best SEC whistleblower attorney in the entire country"

Over my 25+ year career working as an investment banker on Wall Street, in venture capital, and as a board member and C-Level executive for numerous companies, I have known, hired and interacted with hundreds of top lawyers and the elite law firms in the United States. I knew Jason long before my situation arose, and he always stood out head-and-shoulders above all other lawyers. There is no doubt in my mind that Jason is one of the most elite lawyers in the country. His ability to quickly analyze and understand the most important aspects of any legal situation and present it in a way that is clear, impactful and well received is unparalleled by any lawyer I have ever encountered. In the area of securities law and SEC investigations…He literally wrote the book on Securities Crimes.

When my situation arose, I knew right away that I did not want a plaintiff’s lawyer, a class action lawyer, a general whistleblower lawyer, or any of the people out there who have jumped on the bandwagon and now call themselves “SEC whistleblower attorneys”.

An SEC whistleblower case is first and foremost an SEC investigation. What I wanted was a true securities lawyer who has a lifetime of experience handling all aspects of SEC investigations from start to finish. There was no doubt in my mind the person I had to talk to was Jason. There was no one else even close, and that included all of the high-profile lawyers at the big law firms. This was my life and career on the line. I didn’t need flash; I needed real substance. And that meant Jason.

Before the SEC whistleblower program was even created in 2010, Jason had already established himself amongst my business peers in the industry as one of the premier attorneys in the country, having spent the majority of two decades successfully defending clients in some of the most complicated and high profile securities fraud cases in the nation.

Since 2010, Jason has become widely recognized by those in the know as possibly the single best SEC whistleblower attorney in the entire country. If you hire him, you will see that he stands out not only for his knowledge, experience, and skill, but also for his impeccable character, integrity, honesty, and how much he truly cares about his clients.

By the time we went in to meet with the SEC lawyers on my case, Jason had me fully prepared. From the moment we entered the room at the SEC, it was clear to me that the SEC lawyers all knew and respected Jason. For the entire day, Jason was on top of everything that went on at that meeting; nothing flustered him. He understood everything that was said. More importantly, he understood everything that was not being said. No other lawyer could have given me that much confidence just by his presence in the room next to me.

Except for rare occasions, Jason only writes one SEC whistleblower submission at a time. He tailors each written submission to each particular client and case — and he is the one who actually writes it. He does not pass you off to some young associate, or try to convince you that having numerous other staff who add no substantive value to your case, somehow makes their work better, like happens all the time at the larger law firms. Jason handles your case personally the entire way.

I have even referred three friends and (former and current) Wall Street colleagues to Jason as SEC whistleblower clients.

If you want one of the most elite lawyers in the country to handle your case personally, you need to call Jason. If you want an attorney who will treat your case as though it were his own, you need to call Jason. Whether you are an SEC whistleblower, have a government securities or FINRA issue, or are someone who received an SEC subpoena and needs representation, Jason is simply the best there is at what he does. You owe it to yourself to call him today.

"What has happened afterwards was beyond my imagination"

Initially I was debating as to whether to blow a whistle by myself or to hire an attorney for an SEC submission. At the end I decided to protect my anonymity (and one can only file anonymously through an attorney).

Another reason for filing through an attorney was to increase the chances of SEC to actually review my case in detail, as they receive thousands of submissions every year. My thinking was that an experienced and well-known attorney, such as Jason, would only accept a small percentage of cases on a contingency basis, and in SEC’s eyes that could serve as “passing the first filter” by itself.

After spending quite some time searching various legal aspects of SEC submission online, I’ve found Jason’s website, which stood out as probably the most informative one I’ve seen.

For my first meeting with him, Jason met me in the lobby of his office building to convince the security guard not to check my ID, as I wanted full anonymity and didn’t want my name to be recorded anywhere (even in a building’s security systems 🙂 ).

After the 1st one hour meeting, we’ve had a second for more than 3 hours. After that we’ve worked on the initial SEC submission for about a month, refining it with every new iteration. I was happy but exhausted when we finally finished, and considered our several dozen pages submission to be a rather strong one!

What has happened afterwards was beyond my imagination. And Jason’s brilliance (coupled with many years of experience) shined on every step along the way. After the initial submission government expressed a very strong interest in the case almost immediately. Contrary to what I thought our job was by no means done with the initial submission!

What followed were several exhausting months of additional work to expand the scope of our case manyfold. Countless hours of Jason walking me through all the legal aspects of the case, educating me along the way not only on jurisprudence in general but providing real life examples, storied and anecdotes which one can only gather with many years of experience and the true love for their job.

During those conversations we’ve discussed many other topics – from politics, to economy, to educational system and probably a dozen of other ones! In the process we became good friends. Now Jason is coming to my BBQ! And I need to think how to introduce him, as aside from the government, he’s the only person who knows about my submission…

"a distinguished SEC law professor ... was kind enough to tell me....'there's a guy in New York you really need to speak with...he's THE guy when it comes to this'"

What is the 911 Number for Corporate Fraud?

You won’t find it in the appendix of your Employee Handbook. It’s not in the fine print on your graduate degree. There’s nothing that can prepare you for the moment you realize you’re bearing witness to a crime and you don’t know who to turn to. You feel compelled to do the right thing because people are getting hurt. You take a deep breath and go to the “Powers That Be” because you honestly believe they’ll stop the crime and punish the bad guys. Only, when you do, the “Powers That Be” turn against you. You’re the messenger and the messenger IS the bad guy as far as they’re concerned. So what do you do?

I was incredibly lucky to have the good fortune to have found Jason Pickholz when it happened to me. In [date redacted for confidentiality purposes], the SEC received almost 4,000 whistleblower tips. Due to limited resources, only a fraction of those tips are investigated. The SEC selected my case for investigation due to Jason’s exceptional ability to: 1) gather the evidence, 2) construct the case from the facts and the evidence, and 3) articulate the gravity, complexity, and magnitude of the crime.

I knew I had to find an attorney, but trust and confidentiality were major concerns, so it was critical this person didn’t have any conflicts of interest. My first thought was to consult an academic – someone in the non-profit realm. My research led me to a distinguished SEC law professor and department chair who also happened to be an author and regular columnist in a nationally syndicated newspaper. We had a brief conversation and he was kind enough to tell me….“there’s a guy in New York you really need to speak with…he’s THE guy when it comes to this”…. And he was right!

There’s no way to predict the outcome of the investigation, but I sleep better at night knowing I did the right thing and knowing I found the absolute best person to bring the case to light and to ultimately stop anyone else from getting hurt.

"the professional output of a large firm and the personalized service of a sole practitioner"

My family and I have had more than our share of hiring legal professionals in our life, both large firms and individual lawyers. As anyone can imagine, there are pros and cons to both, so I tread very carefully in the decision on who to hire in representing my legal interests. I can unequivocally attest that Jason Pickholz has truly brought all the pros and none of the cons to this process for me. With Jason, you get the professional output of a large firm and the personalized service of a sole practitioner. I can only describe the latest submission on my behalf as “cathartic”. Jason told my story as if he was a close friend living every moment of it right along with me, while simultaneously hitting every pertinent point and legal angle as if he was working with a huge staff and other top lawyers in a giant firm.

"God forbid you ever find yourself in the position to need his services this man NEEDS to be the first person you contact."

Jason has by far exceeded any of my expectations. During what could be called only the darkest of times in my life, Jason was the voice of strength, reason, and reassurance. He conducts business with the highest degree of professionalism, organization, client service, integrity, and respect.

I felt throughout the entire process that I was speaking to a long time friend. He has a way of extracting the important points by giving tough love when needed, while simultaneously providing a calming friendly influence. The actual written work he constructs is masterful. He extracts the important points and understands how to present them in a way that is interesting and informative.

Jason is truly a leader in his field and all around good person. God forbid you ever find yourself in the position to need his services this man NEEDS to be the first person you contact. The boutique firm he operates and the follow through on the service model is beyond world class.

"the investment bank was shut down and the owner has been bard from practicing investment banking"

I was defrauded by one of the fastest rising investment bankers, who used his political clout to have me indicted for a crime that I did not commit to ruin my credibility so that if I blew the whistle on the fraud he was committing it would fall on deaf ears.

[Redacted]* the whistleblowers motion we filed was so compelling that federal agents got behind my story, which led to charges being filed against the investment bank, my indictment being dismissed, and [redacted]* the investment bank was shutdown and the owner has been bard from practicing investment banking.

I would definitely recommend Jason Pickholz to anyone who wishes to receive legal services in his many areas of expertise, and in blowing the whistle against those who commit fraud.

*[Redacted to comply with the NY Rules of Professional Conduct regarding endorsements.]

"the business reporter suggested I speak with Jason Pickholz. He had dealt with Jason and found him to be very down to earth and trustworthy."

When my original story broke in Canada, an international business writer reached out to me to do a more detailed story about my scenario. During our discussions the concept of filing a whistle blower complaint with the SEC came up. I was hesitant being Canadian and truly foreign to the concept. however the business reporter suggested I speak with Jason Pickholz. He had dealt with Jason and found him to be very down to earth and trustworthy.

Right from my first conversation with Jason I felt at ease and confident in his skills and expertise. Once I decided to file a SEC complaint I worked closely with Jason over the coming weeks. Jason made the entire process very easy and straight forward. His experience reassured me that I had made the right decision to move forward with his law firm. It was clear to me right from the start that my case was a priority for him.

Jason has made the entire process very simple. His calm style and experience has kept me truly focused on the ultimate goal of correcting a wrong. I am truly thankful that Jason is my lawyer during this process.

"I was extremely impressed with [Jason's] way of thinking through the various strategic options"

When I started realizing that my employer was probably committing fraud, I wasn’t sure where to turn. Although I was aware of the SEC’s whistleblower program, how to potentially pursue such a case seemed daunting, and the fear of repercussions, should my employer find out, was overwhelming. After mulling the issue for a little while I happened to learn about Jason Pickholz through an article in the press. After studying his website and learning about his vast and unique experience in the field, I decided to contact him.

I laid out my case for Jason, but also expressed my strong concerns and hesitation with regards to moving forward. Jason was extremely patient and thorough in walking me through the pros and cons of filing a case. He took the time to listen to my story and gave me his very balanced assessment of the situation. He carefully walked me through the process, and explained how any risk of being exposed could substantially be eliminated through diligence and discipline in the process. At no point did I ever feel any pressure to move forward. I took great confidence from his advice and we started preparing the filing shortly thereafter.

While I would probably be considered a fairly sophisticated client in this matter, I was very impressed with the effort Jason put into the preparation of the filing. In particular, I was extremely impressed with his way of thinking through the various strategic options for presenting the story, and making sure that it didn’t get buried in a myriad of facts and information that I at the outset felt should be relevant. Jason is incredibly collaborative, but also firm in his advice. Most clients, including me, will have their own views and have the potential to possibly be self-destructive, but Jason will not let that happen, and that is what I was ultimately looking for in my counsel. His expertise is indisputable.

We ended up filing a very impressive and substantial document, and I would strongly encourage anyone considering going down this path to consult with Jason first.

"there's no way I could've done this without Jason's help. I honestly don't know where I would be or what I would have done."

As a 25-year-old, people would say I don’t have much experience in the world, therefore good luck in whatever you do because whatever hole you find yourself in at this age can be quite a challenge to get out, some have walked away from my life simply because the pressure was too much for them to be around me due to the financial crisis, I was in. That will happen and with that being said, at one point it was just me against the world, but without Jason, there’s no way I could turn my situation for the better.

With cases like these that include hardship, fraud, people, and money. You cannot just hire any lawyer, you need the right lawyer that can push your case to where you need to go, the SEC (Securities Exchange Commission) investigation desk. Jason Pickholz did amazing work on my case. Mr. Pickholz not only identified the type of fraud I was dealing with, but wrote an extensive, detailed document. It was the longest document to date he’s written out of all his cases; to ensure he could provide all imperative information; and stayed in communication with me through the entire process as we were putting this monster document together with a nice bow wrapped around it for the SEC to read over.

Identifying what kind of fraud; I was in, was a huge asset provided by Mr. Pickholz’s. He’s an [redacted]* in his field and provides a path on how, when, and where I will be submitting my case; and if it has potential.

After several months of putting all the pieces on paper. Mr. Pickholz and I began to document the case together, from writing a 142-page document to submission to the SEC. Mr. Pickholz’s work on my case was pure quality. I had all the pieces and Jason put it together, he knows the path ahead and how to approach if the time comes.

The 3rd and foremost important thing for me while working with Mr. Pickholz was the time he invested on my case and the communication with me aside all other things he may be working on. He kept me updated and in communication through the entire process, asked questions he had, would run any changes or editing through me for approval, assigned work to me regarding the case that would help him. We discussed major events that happened across my investment that can give us clues and leads he would have missed on his own. The fact that he would go through my entire investment case in detail gave me the comfort that I picked the best and right lawyer for my case.

In conclusion there’s no way I could’ve done this without Jason’s help. I honestly didn’t know where I would be or what I would have done. I don’t know if I would’ve continued pursuing this case; if it wasn’t for his expertise. Aside from the income that was fraudulently taken from me, I’ll be making a difference in my case. I come from a Latino background and my parents sacrificed everything so my family and I could live the American dream. As I was doing just that and applying my best self, I had everything ripped away from me. I’m extremely grateful to have found Jason’s expertise to ensure I can get this resolved and hopefully help prevent something like this from happening to someone else or a group of people.

*[Redacted to comply with Rule 7.4(a) of the NY Rules of Professional Conduct (“A lawyer or law firm may publicly identify one or more areas of law in which the lawyer or law firm practices … provided that the lawyer or law firm shall not state that the lawyer or law firm is a specialist” or expert).]

"very trust worthy ... and made sure I was comfortable throughout the process!!!"

I found Jason Pickholz online while researching whistle blower cases and how to remain anonymous and I’m glad I did. He explained everything in detail and was able to put me at ease throughout the fact gathering process. With his experience and expertise we put together a detailed document to explain the possible fraud involved while keeping my identity hidden. This put me at ease throughout the process and is the main reason why I would recommend Jason to anyone else in my shoes going forward. He was very trust worthy and detailed in explaining everything, and made sure I was comfortable throughout the process!!!

"3 Questions I Answered About Jason Pickholz And Knew It Was Time To Blow The Whistle"

3 Questions I Answered About Jason Pickholz And Knew It Was Time To Blow The Whistle

One day I found myself in a simple yet complex legal and moral dilemma. I asked myself “Should I talk to an Attorney and see if I have a Whistleblower case or maybe just hire an attorney to get a better understanding about my 2 for 1 dilemma and sort out my options?”

While searching for SEC Attorneys on Google I was amazed by the amount of marketing and online presence of large law firms that all claimed to represent Whistleblowers. I was viewing reviews, articles, and even Whistleblower survivor guides that were appearing within my search results and were originating from very long distances, across several states from my actual location. I was expecting to see various pdf files, journals, and SEC agency related websites. Some of those results I expected to see did appear, but to my surprise there was almost no content that offered information or simple suggestions that would help a Whistleblower qualify an Attorney or firm that claims to represent Whistleblowers.

Within my search results every Attorney or law firm seemed to offer the best representation for Whistleblowers in the nation. I also searched for ideas on the types of questions I should ask or keep in mind before I decide on Consul. The purpose of this review is to share 3 key questions that might be of value for future Whistleblowers when it comes time to “Dare And Compare” SEC Attorneys and why I chose to work with Jason Pickholz.

  1. Is the attorney I am about to call specialize only in SEC Whistleblower cases?

    As you pass through all the eye catching and celebrity style websites of various law firms, be on the lookout to see if you come across the same Attorneys and law Firms stating to specialize in SEC Whistleblower cases and at the same time the firm is marketed in other areas of law outside the scope of securities fraud. If you come across firms that do market their business in that manner, I highly recommend that you continue with your search and scratch those Attorneys or law firms from your call list. In practice, Whistleblowers should expect working 15-20 hours a week with their attorney until the work product is adequately thought out, reviewed, tested, and then deemed “bulletproof.” The formalities, qualifications, verifications, rules, guidelines, and paper work truly require a specialist in SEC Whistleblower cases. With Mr. Pickholz as Consul I realized how Whistleblowers could be persuaded by all the dominant online presence of other firms and Attorneys. A very large law firm already has so many moving parts and if the firm does specialize in various areas of law a simple mistake such as not filing the claim according to the specialized protocol created by the SEC for submissions could then become “Gone With The wind.” Mr. Pickholz always shared and dedicated the time I needed and the amount of time that was necessary due to the nature of such precision that SEC Whistleblower cases require. The amount of time he dedicated for me surpassed my expectations and I never felt rushed nor felt like our discussions on the phone needed to end at a certain time. Jason was more than patient with me, he explained to me the Whistleblower process, and was extremely flexible with his schedule. I felt that we were a great match working together since we were always focused on the quality of our discussions regarding securities fraud. He was also a tremendous mentor walking me through what type of information is relevant for Whistleblower claims and helping me maintain concentration on that topic.

  2. Does the Attorney I am about to call have SEC awards, relevant publications, defense & offense SEC litigation experience, authored securities fraud books, and a featured peer among the Whistleblower legal community?

    If you are about to call an Attorney who doesn’t meet “all the above”, keep searching. As a Whistleblower I understood the risk and I also understood that coming forth with extremely sensitive information to the US Government positioned me in unchartered territory and was way out of my comfort zone. Future Whistleblowers will come across the same scenario, I suggest having a sports like mentality, you want someone on your team who can shoot and score. In [date redacted for confidentiality purposes] The Pickholz Law Firm was the first and is the only legal practice in the United States that has won an award appeal to the commission in Washington. Teaming up with an Attorney who made history in the specialty of SEC litigation had more influence than the fancy online presence of big law firms. In fact, I suggest you Google Mr. Pickholz, go to his website, and view the actual Whistleblower testimonials who were former clients of Jason Pickholz. My takeaway and experience while working with the Jason Pickholz Law Firm is the level of integrity and the quality of the work at which the firm operates.

  3. Is the Attorney I am about to call willing to put “skin in the game?”

    One characteristic about the large SEC Whistleblower law firms who have that heavy online presence that did not appeal to me was the fact that there didn’t seem to be a central person who would have been accountable for my case or someone to stand behind stand the work product. If I had chosen to work with a large law firm it seemed like the work product would have derived from a variety of Attorneys within the firm. I definitely wanted to avoid the possibility of a junior associate or less experienced attorney working on my case. With Jason Pickholz you know who is putting pen to paper and you know he is the only one working on your case and leading the charge. His attention to detail, thoroughness, and time he dedicated to my case far exceeded my expectations. I highly recommend that all future Whistleblowers consult with Jason Pickholz during the decision making process for Consul so they have reference to what is superb professionalism, quality, service, and proper time dedicated to clients.

“a stellar attorney and ... an absolute pleasure to work with”

Jason Pickholz is a stellar attorney and a clear [redacted]* in matters involving securities litigation and SEC matters. His keen intellect, creativity and years of experience make him the ideal partner for any client navigating the complexities of the SEC whistleblower program. Moreover, his responsiveness and easygoing nature make him an absolute pleasure to work with.

*[Redacted to comply with Rule 7.4(a) of the NY Rules of Professional Conduct (“A lawyer or law firm may publicly identify one or more areas of law in which the lawyer or law firm practices … provided that the lawyer or law firm shall not state that the lawyer or law firm is a specialist” or expert).]

“I have no regrets and am very grateful I found Jason Pickholz to represent me”

When I decided to become a whistle blower I called Jason Pickholz first. Jason has been with me every bit of the way during the whole process of becoming a whistle blower. He put me at ease and moved my case forward very quickly. He was thorough and very on point with everything pertaining to my case and I found no need to speak with any other attorneys. I have no regrets and am very grateful I found Jason Pickholz to represent me.

“the thoughtfulness & creativity one seeks in their advocate”

Jason Pickholz brings an expert level understanding to a complex area of the law and approaches each matter with the thoughtfulness & creativity one seeks in their advocate.

"I followed every shred of Jason's advice and it paid off huge."

I was greatly impressed with Jason’s knowledge of the law and negotiating skills. I followed every shred of Jason’s advice and it paid off huge.

He' a real pro.

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The Pickholz Law Offices represents U.S. and international clients in securities and white collar cases. The Firm has helped whistleblowers report frauds to the SEC, CFTC, and IRS, and has defended clients in investigations by the SEC, CFTC, DOJ, FINRA, and other financial and securities enforcement regulators.

The Firm’s founder, Jason Pickholz, is the author of the two-volume book Securities Crimes, has appeared on tv and radio, and has taught continuing legal education courses. A former BigLaw partner, he has been representing clients in financial and securities fraud cases since 1995. In recognition of his many achievements, Mr. Pickholz was elected by his legal peers to be a Fellow of The New York Bar Foundation, an honor limited to just 1% of all attorneys in the New York State Bar Association.

Mr. Pickholz has been counsel in many high-profile cases. He was the first attorney ever to win an SEC whistleblower award on appeal to the Commission, which Inside Counsel magazine called one of the five key events in the history of the SEC whistleblower program. On the defense side, Mr. Pickholz has defended clients in the SEC’s COVID-19 investigations, the CFTC’s cryptocurrency cases, and a former US Senator, among others.

If you want to speak with a CFTC, IRS, or SEC whistleblower lawyer, or with a white collar defense lawyer, you can call the Firm at 347-746-1222.

The above information is not and should not be construed as providing legal advice. It is not and should never be considered as a substitute for consulting with your own lawyer. The use of this web site or this page does not constitute or create any attorney-client, fiduciary, or confidential relationship between The Pickholz Law Offices LLC and anyone using this web site, or anyone else. The information contained on this website is for informational purposes only. The content of this web site may not reflect current developments. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Results of prior cases or matters contained on this web site are not indicative of future results or outcomes, and should not be taken as a prediction, promise, or guarantee of any future result or outcome. No one who accesses this web site should act or refrain from acting based on anything contained on this web site. For additional terms-of-use and conditions governing the use of this web site, please view our full Terms and Conditions.