Overview
Derek Wetmore is an associate in the Investigations & White Collar Defense practice of Paul Hastings and is based in the firm's San Francisco office. He represents clients ranging from individuals and closely held entities to Fortune 50 companies in the most sensitive, confidential matters. Mr. Wetmore's practice focuses on Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) investigations and enforcement actions, state Attorney General investigations, global and domestic internal investigations, and Fintech regulatory matters and litigation.
Mr. Wetmore has over 10 years of experience defending companies and individuals facing regulatory scrutiny and litigation concerning a wide variety of matters, including accounting and financial statement fraud, internal controls, cybersecurity, blockchain, cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence (AI), consumer protection laws, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), and BSA/AML. He has conducted dozens of internal investigations across the globe and has twice served on teams appointed by the Department of Justice and/or SEC to serve as Compliance Monitors.
Education
- University of Virginia School of Law, J.D., 2013, Order of the Coif
- Emory University, B.A., History, 2007, Phi Beta Kappa
Representations
- Represented a blockchain company in resolving a first-of-its-kind lawsuit filed in federal court alleging that Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) were securities governed by federal securities law.
- Worked as a member of the trial team for a highly prominent ten-week federal criminal trial in the Southern District of New York.
- Represented a Fintech company in multiple confidential state and federal investigations concerning alleged violations of consumer protection laws.
- Represented a Fortune 50 financial services company in investigations by the SEC regarding algorithmic trading programs and alleged BSA/AML violations.
- Served on the independent Monitor Team for a DOJ and SEC FCPA Monitorship of a fintech company.
- Served on the independent Compliance Consultant Team for an SEC FCPA Monitorship of a medical device company.
- Advised medical device and medical care companies through DOJ and SEC investigations of alleged FCPA violations and subsequent government-imposed compliance Monitorships.
- Achieved pretrial diversion resolution resulting in no charges in a False Claims Act DOJ investigation regarding a government contractor.
- Conducted dozens of investigations into potential bribery allegations and purported violations of internal financial controls for public and private clients in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas.
insights
- SEC Division of Examinations: 2025 Examination Priorities - November 11th, 2024
- The Consequential Impact of the Supreme Court’s Monumental Ruling in SEC v. Jarkesy - July 11th, 2024
- NDCA’s New Whistleblower Pilot Program: A Unique Focus on Reporting Intellectual Property Theft - April 2nd, 2024
- FinCEN Proposes AML and SAR Filing Obligations for RIAs and ERAs - February 23rd, 2024
- The SEC Scored Another Crypto Victory in the LBRY Case, but the Sky Is Not Falling - November 14th, 2022
Engagement & Publications
- Participates in public panels on topics including anti-corruption and global investigations
- Contributor to articles on compliance and international anti-corruption regimes
Involvement
- Board Member and Treasurer, Jewish Bar Association of San Francisco