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Sandra P. Lahens

Partner

Sandra P. Lahens is a partner at Lax & Neville LLP. Sandra’s practice involves representing businesses and individuals in commercial litigation and arbitration regarding securities and investment disputes, employment matters and regulatory investigations. She has successfully arbitrated and mediated cases before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”), JAMS, and litigated cases in federal and state courts, including in appeals before the New York Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the New York State Appellate Division.

Sandra represents investors nationwide in customer sales practice disputes against their registered representatives, broker dealers and registered investment advisors in arbitration before FINRA and AAA. In one of her cases, the FINRA arbitration panel awarded her client, a former professional athlete, the full amount of his net out-of-pocket losses, along with the entire amount of the attorneys' fees and all costs requested. Sandra also has experience in general commercial litigations, including cases involving defamation. In a recent case, Sandra successfully defended a well-known New York City restaurant and its manager against claims of age discrimination and defamation by a former employee.

Sandra has extensive experience representing clients in litigation of employment-related matters. She represents professionals in financial industry disputes, such as, compensation and bonus disputes, promissory note negotiations, Form U-4 and U-5 negotiations, and expungements. Additionally, she represents clients in employment discrimination claims, wrongful termination, whistleblower litigation, violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act, wage and hour labor disputes, and negotiates severance agreements.

In addition, Sandra represents registered representatives in their transitions or moves between brokerage firms, including Broker Protocol issues. Sandra has effectively defended brokerage firms and registered representatives in regulatory investigations by FINRA and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Sandra has also represented victims of the notorious Bernard L. Madoff Securities, LLC Ponzi scheme in clawback actions and SIPC matters. Sandra was a legal intern at the Fordham School of Law Securities Arbitration Clinic, and an Editor for the Journal of Corporate & Financial Law.

Sandra is also fluent in Spanish.

Education
  • Fordham University School of Law, J.D.
    Journal of Corporate & Financial Law, Editor
    Securities Arbitration Clinic, Legal Intern
  • New York University, Stern School of Business, B.S.
    Majors: Finance and Marketing
Bar Admissions
  • State of New York
  • State of New Jersey
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York
  • Court of Appeals of the Second Circuit

Client Reviews
★★★★★
The Lax & Neville team were total professionals in handling our case. They've clearly had quite a bit of experience handling complex legal matters in many jurisdictions and courts. I was impressed with their professionalism coupled with persistence in arguing a very complete and well-structured case. I highly recommend their services. Anonymous
★★★★★
I am very, very happy with the outcome of my case and my experience with Lax Neville could not have been better. The entire team of attorneys and staff are real professionals, they always had time to answer my many questions about my case. I was treated with compassion and respect. I am so grateful I chose to work with Lax Neville. Anonymous
★★★★★
This is an official " thank you" for all your hard work. It really was a pleasure to have you represent me, and I enjoyed seeing you, Rush and Sandra in action. I think Lax and Neville epitomizes the phrase "quality vs quantity". I think I told you before that I spent a lot of time researching firms; in this case things worked out, I picked the best firm. I hope I never need your services in the future, but if I do I know I found the best attorneys for these types of legal issues. Anonymous
★★★★★
What transpired at the [redacted] was nothing less than a truly masterful and exceptional experience regarding your intelligence, professionalism, preparedness for my case, teamwork and erudite knowledge pertaining to Securities Law, FINRA and the SEC. The facility and ease of how the case was handled, the systematic questioning of all the witnesses to obtain the facts necessary to prove our case, the preparation of the critically conclusive information and documents, the commanding coup de gras closing argument and your tireless consideration and respect for the Panel and [redacted] was, is and will continue to epitomize my feelings and conclusion that what transpired over those long three days was nothing less than raw and unabashed brilliance. Anonymous
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