Adriaen M. Morse, Jr.

Adriaen focuses his practice on government investigations, criminal prosecutions, internal compliance issues, and a wide variety of other high-stakes litigation matters both in the United States and globally. As former Senior Counsel at the Division of Enforcement of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Adriaen employs the critical judgment, relevant knowledge, and practical skills learned from his time as a government enforcement attorney to defend clients embroiled in investigations and litigation brought by the SEC, Department of Justice (DOJ), and other federal agencies. Adriaen represents public companies, financial services firms, accounting firms, and individuals. He has an extensive background in global anti-corruption compliance and investigations, addressing issues in the context of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), UK Bribery Act, France’s Loi Sapin II, and other anti-corruption measures for companies with global operations. In addition, clients rely on Adriaen in connection with regulatory issues involving digital tokens and the blockchain industry, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) investigations and arbitrations, and state securities industry regulatory inquiries. Adriaen has also advised and defended clients involved in federal and state False Claims Act investigations and litigation. Adriaen has represented executives and corporations as a partner at international law firms as well as leading the litigation and compliance departments of Fortune 200 public companies as chief litigation counsel and chief ethics and compliance officer. Adriaen provides clients contending with government investigations a course of action to avoid litigation and win at trial by developing a legal strategy driven by his experience advising board of directors and public company management. Proudly serving his country as a U.S. Marine, Adriaen was an infantry platoon commander and then a judge advocate prior to entering private practice. Born in Belgium and raised abroad in a Foreign Service family, Adriaen’s background encompasses diverse cultures and modes of thinking, directly informing his counseling strategies and, in particular, his understanding of the particular needs of global companies with diverse workforces.