Michael C. O'Brien is a member of Van Cott's Business and Litigation Sections and is Co-Chair of the firm's Securities practice group.  Mr. O'Brien maintains a very broad corporate, regulatory and litigation practice.  He has particular expertise in corporate law and finance, bank regulatory matters, securities regulation, real estate, and commercial litigation in both federal and state courts.  Within the financial services community, he has represented banks and thrifts, holding companies, officers and directors, trade associations, and other parties in a host of bank regulatory and enforcement matters, including those before the Federal Reserve Board, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Thrift Supervision, and state banking departments.  Mr. O'Brien has represented financial and non-financial companies, both publicly and privately held, in connection with corporate formations, securities offerings, venture capital, mergers and acquisitions, and real estate development.  Mr. O'Brien also maintains a general commercial litigation practice, with particular expertise in suits involving corporate and banking law.  Prior to joining Van Cott, Mr. O'Brien practiced with Thacher Proffitt & Wood LLP in New York and Arnold & Porter LLP in Washington, D.C.  Mr. O'Brien was recently appointed by Governor Huntsman as one of five members of the newly-established Utah Securities Commission.
 

Professional Affiliations
American Bar Association
Utah State Bar
New York Bar
District of Columbia Bar

Education
J.D., Boston College Law School (1998)

M.S., Philosophy, University of Utah (1995)
B.S., Philosophy, University of Utah (1993)

Admitted to Practice
Utah
New York
District of Columbia

Community Affiliations
Board of Directors, Kimball Art Center, Park City, Utah

Relevant Publications
"Substantive and Structural Reforms Resulting from the Credit Crisis of 2008 and 2009", Aspatore Thomson West Books, November 2009

"The Exaggerated Claims of the Death of Securitization", Aspatore Thomson West Books, February 2009

"SEC Proposes Disclosure, Trading Rules" (with Mark I. Sokolow), New York Law Journal, June 2000

"Dos and Don'ts When Facing a Regulatory Enforcement Action", The Utah Banker Magazine, November/December 2009

Office Location
Salt Lake City
Direct: (801) 237-0243
Cell: (435) 962-0474

Email
mobrien@vancott.com

Practice Areas
Banking
Business Organizations
Financial Transactions
Litigation
Real Estate
Securities