People
Joseph L. Zales represents global financial institutions, public companies, investment managers, and senior executives in high-risk government and internal investigations and complex litigation. In particular, he defends clients in regulatory enforcement actions, white-collar criminal matters, and securities and shareholder litigation. Mr. Zales has experience counseling clients facing investigations before the U.S. Department of Justice, Securities and Exchange Commission, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Congress, the NYSE, the Dutch Public Prosecutor’s Office, as well as other domestic and international authorities.
Mr. Zales is a Senior Associate in King & Spalding’s Special Matters and Government Investigations Practice Group, which has twice been recognized by Law360 as “White-Collar Group of the Year” and has been described as “the premier firm in this practice area” by the U.S. News & World Report/Best Lawyers’ “Best Law Firms” survey.
Mr. Zales earned his J.D. (magna cum laude) from Notre Dame Law School in 2016, where he served as Notes Editor of the Notre Dame Journal of International and Comparative Law, and as Selection Chair on the Notre Dame Moot Court Board. During law school, Mr. Zales briefed and argued a habeas petition before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and participated in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Summer Honors Program. Mr. Zales received his B.A. (cum laude) in Political Science from Villanova University in 2011. Mr. Zales is a board member of Notre Dame Lawyers of New York City. Prior to attending law school, he was employed with Morgan Stanley in New York, where he worked on both the sell- and buy-sides.
J.D., Notre Dame Law School, magna cum laude
B.A. Political Science, Villanova University, cum laude
New York
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York
Public-company chairman and CEO in SEC and DOJ investigations into alleged insider trading in company stock.
Senior executives of a global financial institution in an investigation by SDNY and the SEC into allegations of insider trading.
Hedge fund in connection with internal review of certain cryptocurrency trading practices.
See more
August 26, 2022
Mid-Year Report: FINRA Enforcement Builds Momentum After Historic Penalties
April 6, 2022
Takeaways From the SEC’s Enhanced Cybersecurity Disclosure Regime for Public Companies
September 29, 2021
SEC Cybersecurity Disclosure Enforcement Heats Up: Best Practices
Public-company chairman and CEO in SEC and DOJ investigations into alleged insider trading in company stock.
Senior executives of a global financial institution in an investigation by SDNY and the SEC into allegations of insider trading.
Hedge fund in connection with internal review of certain cryptocurrency trading practices.
See more
August 26, 2022
Mid-Year Report: FINRA Enforcement Builds Momentum After Historic Penalties
April 6, 2022
Takeaways From the SEC’s Enhanced Cybersecurity Disclosure Regime for Public Companies
September 29, 2021
SEC Cybersecurity Disclosure Enforcement Heats Up: Best Practices
J.D., Notre Dame Law School, magna cum laude
B.A. Political Science, Villanova University, cum laude
New York
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York