Practice Experience

• Donna Knapton is a member of the firm’s Securities & Derivative Litigation, White Collar Crime & Government Investigations, Business Litigation & Trade Regulation, and Corporate, Securities & Tax Practice Groups.
• Ms. Knapton’s practice includes representation in regulatory and enforcement investigations and proceedings by the SEC, Self Regulatory Organizations (SROs), state securities regulators, and other government agencies. Ms. Knapton’s practice also includes foreign and domestic investment adviser and broker-dealer registration and compliance counseling, private and derivative securities litigation, White Collar criminal defense, and general commercial litigation.
• During her tenure at the SEC, Ms. Knapton had responsibility for scores of SEC investigations, including investigations of public companies, accounting firms, broker-dealers, investment advisers, and hedge funds, involving various issues including accounting fraud, audit failure, market manipulation, insider trading, fraudulent offerings, illegal securities touting, broker-dealer sales practice violations, and investment adviser custody, disclosure, and recordkeeping violations.

Professional and Civic Activities

• LegalArt, Pro Bono Legal Services Organization
  Volunteer Attorney - Intellectual property and corporate counseling
• Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc. Volunteer Attorney
  Mortgage rescue scams, fraud, and real property litigation
• Georgetown Club of Miami
  Board of Directors, Director (2005-2008)
• United Way Impact Council (2007-present)
• Advisory Board Member, University of Miami School of Law Miami Law Women (affiliate of the Florida Assn. of Women Lawyers (FAWL))
• American Bar Association
  Litigation Section (2005-present)
  Securities Litigation Committee
  Securities Commodities and Exchange Committee
• Federal Bar Association (2007-present)
• Dade County Bar Association
  Securities Litigation Committee (2005-present), Vice Chair (2005-2006)
  Young Lawyers Section, Membership Committee (2003-2005)
• Organization Volunteer, National Campaign for Fair Elections Lawyer's Committee Election Protection Minority Language Project
• Bar Association of the District of Columbia
  Director, Board of Directors, Young Lawyers Section (1999-2002)
• Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts (WALA)
  Volunteer Attorney, Washington, D.C. (1999-2002)

Professional Recognition

• Thomas Bradbury Chetwood, S.J. Prize, Georgetown University Law Center (awarded for highest academic average in graduating class)
• CALI Excellence for the Future Award, Georgetown University Law Center (awarded for best graduate paper)
• Recipient, “Put Something Back” Pro Bono Award for Real Property (2008-2009), presented by the Eleventh Judicial Circuit and the Dade County Bar Association
• Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts 2000 Legal Services Award (awarded for outstanding pro bono client service)
• Who’s Who in American Law Students (1993-1996)
• Phi Delta Phi International Honorary Legal Society

BAR ADMISSIONS

• Florida
• District of Columbia

COURT ADMISSIONS

• Florida State Courts
• U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida

Background

• U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Division of Enforcement,
  Headquarters Office (Washington, D.C.) (1996-2002)
• U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Division of Enforcement,
  Southeast Regional Office (Miami, FL) (2002-2006)

Education

• Georgetown University Law Center (LL.M., with distinction, 2000)
  Securities and Financial Regulation
• University of Miami School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1996)
  University of Miami Law Review, Editorial Board
  University of Miami Inter-American Law Review, Associate Editor
  Order of the Coif
  Dean’s List
• University of Florida (B.S., Telecommunications)