Alexander N.
Breckinridge, V

Position: Partner
Office: New Orleans

Alex Breckinridge is a partner in the Litigation Practice Group and a member of the corporate compliance and white collar defense team. He focuses on government enforcement investigations, securities and corporate governance litigation, corporate compliance matters, and complex commercial litigation.

Alex represents financial institutions, broker dealers, investment companies, investment advisors and their boards of directors, and public companies and their boards of directors and officers, as well as bank holding companies in shareholder disputes and litigation. He has tried cases before state and federal courts and represented clients in enforcement investigations conducted by governmental regulatory bodies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), and self-regulatory organizations such as the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). He has also assisted in conducting internal investigations.

Alex also has experience counseling clients on compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, economic sanctions administered by the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, and export control regulations administered by a variety of federal agencies. Additionally, he has experience helping clients develop comprehensive corporate compliance programs to assist those companies in dealing with these and other high-risk areas.

Alex is a member of the firm’s Guyana task force supporting the goal of strengthening Louisiana’s economic ties to Guyana’s energy, infrastructure, maritime, logistics, and agribusiness industry sectors. Beginning in 2022, he served as a delegate for trade delegations to Guyana, organized by LDEC and the Bilateral Chamber, which focused Guyana’s efforts to promote investment and economic diversification, explore market entry strategies, foster partnerships, and develop closer trade and investment ties between Guyana and the United States.

Experience

Lead or participated in the design of International Trade Compliance programs for several small- to mid-sized companies.
Regularly advise companies of all sizes on compliance with export control, sanctions, and anti-corruption litigation.
Represented regional financial institution in defense of allegations of participation in the largest Ponzi scheme in the history of the 5^th Circuit.
Defended large regional financial institution in an OFAC investigation regarding the management of blocked accounts and achieved a no penalty settlement.
Achieved dismissal of securities fraud claim in federal court in Minnesota in a case brought by the shareholder of a bank holding company.
Achieved voluntary dismissal of a shareholder lawsuit filed against the Board of a bank holding company in the Western District of Kentucky in connection with acquisition of the bank.
Achieved dismissal of securities fraud claims brought against Orion, Inc. in stock drop shareholder litigation in the Southern District of Texas.
Obtained summary judgment for Stewart Enterprises, Inc. and former members of the Board of Directors in shareholder derivative litigation alleging breach of fiduciary duties by the Board in connection with Stewart’s merger with Service Corporation International.
Obtained the termination of an SEC investigation of a large public company client regarding Dodd-Frank whistleblower issues.
Representing investment advisers and other investment companies in governmental and internal investigations, including acting as the lead associate in an investigation of an investment adviser conducted by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Responsibilities include supervising discovery, conducting witness preparation interviews, and preparing advocacy submissions.
Advising an investment company in revising their employee personal trading policies to address concerns by the Securities and Exchange Commission that the company’s policies did not adequately prevent front-running and other forms of insider trading by employees.
Representing an investment company in a multi-year investigation before the Securities and Exchange Commission. Responsibilities included supervising a large team of lawyers in responding to discovery subpoenas by the Securities and Exchange Commission and participating in witness preparation.
Leading a team of over a dozen lawyers representing detainees at Guantanamo Bay in their habeas corpus petitions. Representation includes handling direct testimony at a merits hearing in federal court, drafting significant portions of briefs, motions, and other court submissions, and conducting in-person interviews with clients in Guantanamo Bay. Maintain a classified security clearance in this role.
Successfully representing a large real estate investor and affiliated companies in a suit against former counsel and investment bankers.
Successfully representing Whole Foods Market in a civil antitrust action before the Federal Trade Commission.