Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations
Colorado
1 year ranked
LAWYER PROFILE
Coates Lear
USA 2026
Ranked in 1 practice area
About
Provided by Shoemaker Ghiselli & Schwartz LLC
USA
Practice Areas
Coates Lear represents companies, board committees, and individuals in regulatory and internal investigations and related litigation and compliance matters. A former senior enforcement attorney with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Coates has investigated, prosecuted, and defended cases involving a wide range of issues, including financial reporting, securities offerings, audit practices, asset management, anti-money laundering compliance, federal health program payments, and insider trading. His clients have included public and private companies, audit committees, broker-dealers, investment advisers, audit professionals, and corporate executives.
Career
2021 - Present: Shoemaker Ghiselli + Schwartz LLC
2015-2021: Squire Patton Boggs LLP
2007-2015: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Division of Enforcement
1999-2007: Hogan & Hartson (now Hogan Lovells Cadwalader)
1998-1999: Law Clerk, U.S. District Judge James R. Spencer (E.D. Va.)
Education
University of Virginia School of Law
J.D.
1995 - 1998
Amherst College
Bachelors
1987 - 1991
Awards
Enforcement Elite
Securities Docket
2025
Chambers Review
Provided by Chambers
Chambers Guide to the USA
Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations - Colorado
Band 3
Individual Editorial
Coates Lear draws on his experience as a former SEC enforcement attorney in supporting clients facing actions and investigations from the SEC and other government agencies.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
Coates is exceptionally persistent, diligent, conscientious, detail-oriented and tenacious.
Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government InvestigationsChambers Guide to the USACoates is careful, methodical and diligent. He is a lawyer's lawyer.
Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government InvestigationsChambers Guide to the USACoates's very esoteric expertise makes him very useful to have, he knows all the people in Colorado and lots of significant SEC people. He is excellent and clients adore him.
Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government InvestigationsChambers Guide to the USACoates Lear is a fantastic lawyer. He quickly understands the most complex business and legal issues and is a pleasure to deal with.
Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government InvestigationsChambers Guide to the USACoates is very thoughtful in his work, creative in representing his clients and a zealous advocate for his clients without being obnoxious or off-putting.
Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government InvestigationsChambers Guide to the USA
Ranked Individuals at Shoemaker Ghiselli & Schwartz LLC (4)
Colorado
Paul Schwartz
Litigation: General Commercial
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Andrew R Shoemaker
Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations
View profile Coates Lear
Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations
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Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations
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