Brian Lane, a partner with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, is a corporate securities lawyer with extensive expertise in a wide range of SEC issues. He counsels companies on the most sophisticated corporate governance and regulatory issues under the federal securities laws. He is a nationally recognized expert in his field as an author, media commentator, and conference speaker. BTI Consulting Group named Mr. Lane as a 2019 and 2018 BTI Client Service All-Star among the lawyers “who truly stand out as delivering the absolute best client service”, and a 2014 BTI Client Service All-Star for delivering "outstanding legal skills enveloped in a rare combination of practical business knowledge, extraordinary attention to client needs and noteworthy responsiveness." He was also:
- Recognized for over 18 consecutive years by The Best Lawyers in America® for Securities /Capital Markets Law, securities regulation, corporate governance and compliance law.
- Recognized in Who's Who of Corporate Governance Lawyers by Who's Who Legal.
- Selected by Chambers and Partners as a Leading Lawyer in Securities Regulation in its Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business Guide for since 2013. Clients praise him for his "incredible practical advice," with one suggesting: "I don't think there is any other attorney in private practice that has his level of reach and authority when interacting with the SEC staff."
- Ranked as one of the world's leading Corporate Governance attorneys in Expert Guides' 2014 Guide to the World's Leading Banking and Finance Lawyers.
- Named as a Top Lawyer in Washington, D.C. in 2019 by The Washington Post Magazine.
- Named as a Top Attorney for Corporate Governance & Compliance Law by Compliance Magazine in Jan. 2013.
- Named in June 2013 by InterContinental Finance Magazine as one of the top 500 lawyers in the world.
- Recognized as a 2013 Super Lawyer for securities and corporate finance by Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers.
- Named by Washingtonian Magazine as one of Washington's Top Lawyers for securities law for 2011, 2012 and 2013.
- Named the Leading Lawyer for Corporate Governance: Internal Investigations in the Washington D.C. area by Legal Times in 2008.
Mr. Lane ended a 16 year career with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") as the Director of the Division of Corporation Finance where he supervised over 300 attorneys and accountants in all matters related to disclosure and accounting by public companies (e.g. M&A, capital raising, disclosure in periodic reports and proxy statements). In his practice, Mr. Lane advises a number of companies undergoing investigations relating to accounting and disclosure issues.
Since joining the firm in January of 2000, Mr. Lane has counseled companies on many diverse issues relating to the details of federal securities law, including:
- Helping clients raise billions of dollars in public and private offerings.
- Developing unique and sophisticated securities products and transactions.
- Assisting companies in their response to SEC inquiries from the Divisions of Corporation Finance and Enforcement, resolving issues with their disclosure and accounting.
- Helping public companies resolve accounting issues with their auditors and the SEC.
- Advising audit committees and conducting special investigations on their behalf.
- Providing corporate governance advice.
Mr. Lane has represented many of the best known companies domestically and internationally, assisting them to better understand and comply with the intricacies of the federal securities laws.
Mr. Lane received his law degree in 1983 from the American University, Washington College of Law and earned a B.A. degree magna cum laude in 1980 from Washburn University.
Capabilities
- Securities Regulation and Corporate Governance
- Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice
- Anti-Corruption & FCPA
- Capital Markets
- Crisis Management
- Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)
- Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits
- Media, Entertainment, and Technology
- Securities Enforcement
- Securities Litigation
- Shareholder Activism
- White Collar Defense and Investigations
Credentials
Education:
- American University - Washington D.C. - 1983 Juris Doctor
- Washburn University - 1980 Bachelor of Arts
Admissions:
- District of Columbia Bar
- Maryland Bar