Paul A. Merolla attorney profile image

Paul A. Merolla

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-merolla-3a750435
pmerolla@mmlawus.com
C: (646) 522-3529
1185 Avenue of the Americas, 21st Floor
New York, NY 10036
T: (212) 880-3960
F: (212) 922-2870

Mr. Merolla focuses his practice on securities regulation affecting broker-dealers and investment advisers.

Mr. Merolla has substantial experience advising financial institutions and their senior management on a variety of matters - trading, sales and research; equities and fixed income products, including municipal securities; insider trading; market manipulation; market structure; compliance; mergers and acquisitions; cross-border matters; corporate governance; litigation and arbitration; regulatory and internal investigations; books and records requirements; policies and procedures; FINRA new member and continuing member applications; and personnel matters. He has extensive experience with mortgage-backed and other asset-backed securities, as well as experience in bankruptcy and liquidation proceedings. He also has served numerous times as an independent consultant/examiner pursuant to regulatory settlements.

Prior to joining Murphy & McGonigle, Mr. Merolla served for over 20 years as a senior in-house counsel within the securities industry – most recently as General Counsel of a public company, Instinet Group Incorporated, and its affiliated broker/dealers, the main businesses of which were an equities trading platform and institutional equities brokerage. His responsibilities covered global legal, compliance and internal audit functions. Mr. Merolla had previously served as senior legal counsel to two large, international, fully-diversified investment banks and broker/dealers, Goldman Sachs & Co., Inc. and Drexel Burnham Lambert Incorporated.

In his years of practice both as in-house counsel and in private practice, Mr. Merolla has regularly communicated with the SEC, FINRA, state regulators, and foreign regulators on regulatory and enforcement matters. As a former General Counsel, Mr. Merolla understands the role and demands associated with being in-house counsel and is able to advise clients on a host of issues faced daily by in-house attorneys.

Mr. Merolla is a current member and Past President of the SIFMA Compliance and Legal Society and regularly speaks at the Society’s conferences. He periodically serves as a FINRA arbitrator.

Mr. Merolla has been regularly recognized by industry rankings services in Banking and Finance Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law, and Securities Regulation by ‘Best Lawyers in America.’ He has also been honored for his Securities and Corporate Finance work by New York Metro.

Practice Areas

Professional Affiliations

  • New York Bar Association
    - Member
  • New York City Bar Association
    - Member
  • SIFMA Compliance and Legal Division Executive Committee
    - Member, 1983 – 2006; Past President, 2006 - Present
  • SIA Federal Regulation Committee
    - Member, 2004-2005
  • SIA Compliance and Legal Division
    - President, 2005-2006

Awards and Recognition

Publications

Seminars and Presentations

In the News

Education

  • J.D., cum laude, Fordham University School of Law, 1974
  • B.A., Political Science, Fordham University, 1968

Admissions

  • New York
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York