Fort Lauderdale, FL SEC defense attorney David R. Chase talks about whether or not you should cooperate with the SEC. He describes cooperation with the SEC as a delicate and nuanced process that can offer significant advantages to a client. At the same time, he cautions that cooperation can create serious risks if it is not handled properly or approached strategically, particularly because the ultimate nature, extent, and potential rewards of the cooperation are often not known until the investigation has progressed to its later stages. He notes that cooperating with the SEC therefore involves a certain degree of risk and a leap of faith, and there are circumstances in which he advises clients not to cooperate because there may not be enough potential benefit to justify the risks involved.

He explains that the decision whether to cooperate must be based on the specific facts of the case and a variety of other considerations, including both tangible and intangible factors. He emphasizes that determining whether to work with the SEC, attempt to diffuse or resolve the investigation, or ultimately fight the agency in court requires careful strategic judgment and, in some situations, a professional gut decision based on the circumstances.