Alex Reed is a skilled litigator and advocate with a range of experience in civil and criminal matters. A member of the firm’s Securities Litigation & Financial Services group, Alex focuses his practice on ERISA litigation, achieving favorable outcomes for clients facing complex fiduciary breach and prohibited transaction claims in federal court.
Alex also has substantial experience defending claims in arbitration before FINRA, and provides strategic counseling to retirement plans, financial services firms, and fintech companies on compliance with federal and state laws, including in matters before the Department of Labor and state Attorneys General.
In addition to his financial services practice, Alex is a member of the firm’s White Collar Defense & Corporate Investigations group. He has guided individuals and corporations through sensitive internal investigations and in high-stakes matters before various federal agencies, state Attorneys General, and committees of Congress.
In his pro bono practice, Alex devotes his time to immigration matters and advocating for indigent clients seeking postconviction relief.
ERISA Litigation and Arbitration
- Defending financial services company in dozens of FINRA arbitrations against claims that its deferred compensation awards are subject to ERISA
- Represented a pharmacy benefits manager in a declaratory judgment action raising an ERISA preemption challenge to state law
- Obtained dismissal of ERISA class action against boutique investment manager challenging the prudence of target-risk fund portfolio construction
- Obtained partial denial of class certification and won summary judgment on remaining class claims in ERISA action alleging excessive investment-related and recordkeeping fees against HR firm’s multiple-employer plans
- Obtained denial of class certification of massive putative multi-plan class alleging asset manager’s securities lending compensation violated ERISA
- Obtained dismissal of stock drop class action alleging breaches of ERISA in connection with healthcare merger
- Authored amicus briefs addressing issues of importance under ERISA and implementing regulations in federal district and appellate courts, including the Supreme Court of the United States
ERISA Counseling
- Counseled financial services company regarding scope of ERISA fiduciary obligations with respect to individual investment offerings made available through self-directed brokerage window
- Advised global asset manager on ERISA preemption of state privacy statutes addressing collection of retirement plan participant information
- Counseled hedge fund on legal implications of managing ERISA assets
White Collar Defense & Corporate Investigations
- Obtained partial summary judgment for nonprofit in high-profile civil suit brought by State Attorney General alleging corporate waste, and favorable settlement of remaining claims
- Represented former political advisor in capacity as a witness in various investigations by Department of Justice and state-level prosecutors
- Represented leading global semiconductor company in internal investigation of whistleblower allegations of Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations
- Represented political committee in connection with response to subpoenas from multiple United States Attorneys’ Offices and State Attorneys General
- Represented large healthcare company in internal investigation of subsidiary’s business practices
- Represented engineering company in plea negotiations with Department of Justice related to US government contract
- Represented airline in Department of Transportation investigation of tarmac delays
- Represented former government official in connection with FBI investigation of CFIUS approval of foreign transaction
Congressional Investigations
- Represented former Counsel to the Vice President before the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol
- Represented 501(c)(4) political committee in connection with response to related subpoenas by House Judiciary Committee and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
- Counseled automobile manufacturer on response to and likelihood of potential congressional investigation regarding labor and employment practices
Pro Bono
- Obtained vacatur of intellectually disabled client’s capital sentence under Atkins in state court habeas action
Admissions
Bar Admissions
- District of Columbia
- Maryland
Education
- University of Michigan, J.D.: cum laude
- Kenyon College, B.A., Psychology