SECIL Law headshot photo of Cory Kirchert

Cory Kirchert

Partner

Cory’s training and experience span the related areas of corporate and non-corporate securities law and regulation, finance and investment, real estate, and financial accounting. He is very familiar with related federal and state financial laws and has initiated and perfected whistleblowing submissions and responses, government investigations and negotiations, and litigation for defendants and plaintiffs (public and private), with extensive experience in appeals and submissions for certiorari at both federal and state levels. He has been on both sides of actions involving CEOs, CFOs, COOs, and other C-suite officers as well as other managers and employees.

As a former investigative attorney with the Securities and Exchange Commission and training as an accountant (inactive CPA) and in business administration, Cory Kirchert designs and applies strategies and detailed analyses that deeply explore relevant commercial and financial transactions and identify the relevant or claimed theories of liability in order to identify and exploit their strengths and weaknesses. This enables him to identify, develop, and present his clients’ positions, both factually and legally, to generate highly favorable resolutions.

Effective Representation

Cory’s objective in representing clients who are the possible subject of governmental interest is to bring that matter to a close as quickly and thoroughly as possible. Truncating these investigative and litigated matters prevents them from unnecessarily and, often unfairly, building “momentum” and possibly leading to unwarranted and unwelcome results, legally or factually, or both.

Cory believes that optimal legal representation in government investigations and litigation requires not only strong skills in identifying and arguing the applicable law, state of the law, and significant facts but also rests on an attorney’s abilities to identify the counter-party’s assumptions, to develop evidence from data and information that might never otherwise be considered, and to explore and present, when needed, novel approaches to legal questions.

Unique Background

Cory has been an adjunct professor of both legal writing and accounting and has a master’s degree in business administration, and two other master’s degrees, one in philosophy and another in law. His legal and teaching experience have served him and his clients well in advocating for his clients.

Cory has more than twenty years of experience at the Securities and Exchange Commission, where he investigated and caused cases to be brought and resolved against various public and private domestic and foreign issuers and market players, including broker-dealers, insurance companies, and auditors, and sales personnel,. Since leaving the government, Cory has represented, among others, CEOs, CFOs, RIAs, IAs, REITs, and various pooled investment vehicles.

Cory enjoys working on pro bono cases and frequently helps nonprofits in animal protection as they incorporate and form 501(c)(3) entities, bringing his corporate law background together with a love of animals.

EDUCATION
  • L.L.M., regulation, University of Virginia School of Law
  • J.D., Albany Law School
  • M.S.B.A., finance, real estate, and insurance, University of Memphis
  • M.A., philosophy, University of Albany
  • B.A., political science, University of Albany
  • Certificate—accounting, University of Virginia
BAR ADMISSIONS

State Bar:

  • District of Columbia
  • New York
  • Virginia

Federal Court:

  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Courts of Appeals by Circuit:
    • D.C.
    • 1st
    • 2nd
    • 3rd
    • 6th
  • U.S. District Courts:
    • D.D.C.
    • S.D.N.Y.
    • E.D.N.Y.
    • N.D.N.Y.
    • W.D.N.Y.
    • D. Md.
    • W.D. Tenn.
    • E.D. Va.

Specialized Courts:

  • U.S. Court of InternationalTrade
Professional activities & memberships
  • Pro bono work on behalf of animal protection organizations, having helped organize numerous rescue organizations in and beyond Virginia.