JOSEPH C. MATTA

Career Highlights

For more than 18 years, Joe has specialized in complex securities litigation. Prior to joining the firm, Joe was employed with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission in its Division of Enforcement. He served as Assistant Regional Administrator for the SEC’s Fort Worth Region where he supervised and directed all operations, including litigation, conducted by the SEC’s Houston office. During his tenure with the SEC, Joe was responsible for filing and successfully concluding over 18 federal civil actions, 11 SEC administrative proceedings, and assisting federal and state prosecutors obtain a number of criminal indictments and convictions for securities laws violations. As a result of his extensive SEC litigation experience, Joe has gained a thorough knowledge of the federal securities laws, as well as keen and first-hand insight as to the regulatory and enforcement operations of the SEC and other regulatory agencies.

As a member of the firm’s Securities Practice Group, Joe is involved in representing clients in the defense and prosecution of private civil actions involving federal and state securities and corporate issues encompassing the entire range of modern securities litigation, including securities law class actions, as well as securities-related investor actions and derivative actions.

Legal matters

• SEC v. Florafax International, Inc., et al., (W.D.Okla.) (public company, alleged to have engaged in improper accounting practices and the filing of false and materially misleading SEC periodic reports on Forms 10‑K and 10‑Q, enjoined and required to file amended SEC reports with restated financial statements and to establish and maintain an Audit Committee; CEO enjoined, ordered to disgorge compensation, and barred from serving as an officer or director; and CFO enjoined)
• SEC v. Johnson, (N.D. Tex.) (asst. treasurer of public company charged with insider trading; enjoined and required to relinquish trading profits)
• SEC v. ALIC Corporation, et al., (W.D. La.) (TRO and freeze of assets granted against insurance holding company, its two wholly‑owned insurance subsidiaries, and their four principal officers for perpetrating a $17 million nationwide fraud involving unregistered securities, including annuities; full civil relief obtained and all individual defendants were subsequently convicted and imprisoned)
• SEC v. Continental Excalibur Corp., et al., (W.D.Tex.) and SEC v. Sparkman, et al., (S.D.Tex.) (full injunctive and equitable relief, including an officer and director bar against Sparkman, obtained in each of the two foregoing cases wherein both alleged that the CEO of each public company had engaged in undisclosed self dealing and remuneration to the detriment of shareholders, causing the company's SEC periodic reports and the financial statements contained therein to be materially false and misleading)
• SEC v. American Energy Group, Ltd., et. al. (S.D.Tex.) (public company and CEO alleged to have filed materially misleading periodic reports with the SEC and issued false and materially misleading press releases to the investing public causing the company's common stock to rise substantially based upon such misleading information; company and CEO permanently enjoined, and company required to establish a Disclosure Committee to review all future public disclosures by the company and the CEO required to pay a civil monetary penalty)

Activities and affiliations

Member, American Bar Association, Business Law Section Member, State Bar of Texas, Business Law, Corporate Counsel and Alternative Dispute Resolution Sections.

Educational and professional background

• Schirrmeister Diaz-Arrastia Brem LLP, Houston (2004-present)
• Schirrmeister Ajamie, L.L.P., Houston (200l-2003)
• U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (1982-1999)
• Georgetown University (J.D. 1982)
• University of Houston (B.S. 1979)