Former SEC Official and Prominent Securities Enforcement Attorney Joins Foley in Denver

Foley & Lardner LLP announced today that Thomas Krysa has joined the firm’s Denver office as a partner in its Litigation Department and Securities Enforcement & Litigation Practice Group. Before entering private practice in 2016, Krysa served in government roles for nearly two decades – most recently as associate regional director for enforcement in the Denver regional office of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), where he oversaw the SEC’s enforcement program in seven western states and before that, as head of the trial unit in the Denver regional office. Earlier in his career, Krysa served as a federal prosecutor for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Tax Division in Washington, D.C.

A veteran litigator and trial attorney, Krysa counsels clients in securities litigation and enforcement matters, government investigations and complex commercial disputes. He regularly represents clients in matters before the SEC, DOJ, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and other federal and state regulatory bodies. Krysa’s practice also includes conducting internal investigations for corporations, their boards of directors and audit committees.

“Tom’s experience in leadership roles in the SEC’s Enforcement Division and his work at the Department of Justice uniquely position him to help our clients navigate complex regulatory challenges and government investigations,” said Beth I. Z. Boland, Chair of Foley’s Securities Enforcement & Litigation Practice. “He is a strong addition to our nationally-recognized SEC enforcement defense practice and our deep bench of former SEC regulators, and further bolsters our ability to provide clients with proactive counsel – both to mitigate risk and to achieve the best possible outcomes when litigation or government investigations arise.” 

During his time leading the SEC’s enforcement program in its Denver office, Krysa supervised matters involving insider trading, financial fraud, activities of broker-dealer and investment advisor misconduct, market timing, market manipulation and audits of public companies. Prior to that, he supervised the office’s trial unit and was responsible for litigating securities enforcement matters in federal district courts and before administrative law judges.

“Foley offers the ideal national platform to grow my securities enforcement practice,” said Krysa. “Additionally, as investigations involving the oil and gas industry often originate in Denver and Fort Worth, my prior SEC experience – combined with Foley’s nationally renowned Oil & Gas team in Houston – will provide valuable assistance to clients facing such investigations.” 

“Tom’s joining our Denver office is consistent with Foley’s mission to bring great lawyers and good people into each of our locations across the country,” said Geoffrey Bracken, managing partner of Foley’s Denver office. “With his experience and qualifications, Tom will provide great benefit to our clients and continue the firm’s strong commitment to grow the office here in Denver.”

Krysa comes to Foley from Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP, where he was a shareholder in the firm’s Litigation Practice.