Tracey Salmon-Smith is a lawyer with Drinker Biddle who assists clients in commercial disputes, employment litigation, securities law, and internal investigations. In the securities space, she represents broker-dealers before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in arbitrations and mediations related to allegations of fraud, misrepresentation and unsuitability. She also handles expungement proceedings. As an employment litigator, Tracey has defended corporate clients against claims related to age, race and gender discrimination, workplace sexual harassment, whistleblowers, and wrongful discharge. Tracey also advises clients on e-discovery and information management issues.
Tracey’s past experience includes private law firm practice, in-house general counsel work for a major financial services company, and seven years as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. During her time as an assistant U.S. attorney, Tracey served as both the Acting Chief of Environmental Litigation and the Chief of Bankruptcy.
Experience
- Successfully represented a financial services firm in an arbitration matter involving claims of unsuitability, failure to supervise, breach of fiduciary duty and fraud related to investments in IPO purchases of closed-end funds, preferred stock and reverse convertible notes. Obtained expungement for financial adviser and branch manager.
- Represented a financial institution in a pregnancy discrimination matter in the Southern District of New York.
- Represented a major retailer in an FLSA collective action in the Eastern District of New York.
- Obtained summary judgement for a mass media corporation in an age and disability discrimination lawsuit in the Southern District of New York.
- Successfully represented a gaming company in a gender discrimination suit. The matter was favorably settled after a jury trial in the Southern District of New York.
- Successfully obtained expungement of arbitration matter from the CRDs of all four members of a broker team in a matter involving allegations of unsuitable recommendations.
- Defended a financial securities firm in arbitration matters involving structured products.
- Successfully defended a broker/dealer in a FINRA arbitration in which the claimant alleged unsuitability and failure to follow instruction, and subsequently obtained expungement for both respondent financial advisors.
- Successfully defended a broker-dealer in a FINRA arbitration where claimant alleged unsuitable recommendation for variable annuity and improper switching of mutual funds.
- Successfully represented financial services firm in regulatory investigations.
