Sean Shecter Speaks with Law360 About White Collar Enforcement Issues in 2025

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (January 7, 2025) - Fort Lauderdale Partner Sean P. Shecter recently spoke with Law360 for an article detailing white collar enforcement issues that are expected to be at the forefront in 2025 as the White House changes hands.

The article, titled "5 Big Questions for White Collar Enforcement in 2025," details five areas where the federal government's white collar enforcement practices could shift after President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House in late January.

One such area is cryptocurrency-related enforcement. The article notes that Trump has tapped the crypto-friendly Paul Atkins to head the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Under current Chair Gary Gensler, the SEC has pursued many enforcement actions targeting the crypto market, but attorneys told Law360 that such actions would likely be curtailed if Atkins is confirmed to lead the agency.

Mr. Shecter, who serves as Co-Chair of Lewis Brisbois' Government Investigations & White Collar Defense Practice, remarked that, if the SEC pulls back on enforcement actions in the crypto space, state regulators might step in to fill any gaps in regulation and enforcement within the industry.

"If I'm in the crypto industry, I'm celebrating, sure, but that doesn't mean state attorneys general won't step up with their own enforcement to try to protect their consumers," he told Law360. "Just because the feds are backing off doesn't mean the states will."

The article also touches on Trump's campaign-trail comments about potentially using the Department of Justice to target political opponents when he returns to office. Mr. Shecter told Law360 that it is too early to predict what the President-elect will actually do in his second term.

"There's campaign rhetoric and then there's what happens when you're actually sitting in the chair and making decisions," he said. "Time will tell. But it's wrong to start making assumptions at this point."

Finally, Mr. Shecter remarked upon the possibility of Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) - which will be led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy - using artificial intelligence to carry out its stated mission of cutting alleged fraud and waste in government entitlement programs.

"If DOGE practices what it's been preaching - the use of AI as a tool to help government efficiency, including enforcement - then buckle up, because AI could be supercharged under a Trump administration," Mr. Shecter said.

Mr. Shecter – a former federal prosecutor – serves as co-chair of Lewis Brisbois’ Government Investigations & White Collar Defense Practice, as chair of its Supply Chain Due Diligence Practice, and as a member of its AI Task Force. In addition to having extensive experience defending clients in regulatory, white-collar criminal, and complex civil litigation matters, he is proficient in advising clients on emerging AI regulations and compliance issues.

Read the full Law360 article here (subscription may be required).