IRVINE -- Michael Piazza, a former Regional Trial Counsel for the Los Angeles office of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has joined the Orange County office of international law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP. Piazza moves to Greenberg Traurig from his position of Partner in Dorsey & Whitney's trial, regulatory and technology practice group and co-chair of that firm's securities litigation and enforcement practice group.

Piazza, who focuses his practice on securities, intellectual property, and complex commercial litigation, joins Greenberg Traurig's securities litigation practice group as head of the Orange County office's practice. The addition of Piazza follows closely on Greenberg Traurig's other 2009 addition of securities litigation attorneys Terry Weiss in Atlanta, and of Paul Bessette, Michael Biles and Jesse Weiss to its Austin, Texas office.

"We're excited to have Mike join us in Southern California, enhancing our national reach from coast to coast to provide seamless service throughout the country to our clients," said Shareholder Brad Kaufman, who, along with Bessette, is Co-Chair of the firm's securities litigation practice group firmwide.

Greenberg Traurig's 70-lawyer securities litigation practice group is uniquely positioned to assist clients in every major commercial center in the United States and in major commercial and banking centers in Europe. Greenberg Traurig's securities litigators work closely with attorneys in related practices, such as corporate and securities, white collar criminal defense and corporate compliance and governance under Sarbanes Oxley, to provide clients with the broadest and most complete counseling and defense services.

"Greenberg Traurig's growth in the area of securities litigation, practice and geographic diversity, and culture of collaboration makes it a great strategic fit for my practice and for my clients," Piazza said.

While at the SEC, Piazza served as the lead SEC trial attorney in several major cases, including a civil lawsuit resulting in one of the largest civil penalties ever obtained against an individual. Prior to working at the SEC, Piazza was a partner with Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP where he was involved in numerous complex commercial litigation matters concerning, among things, patents, contracts, unfair trade practices, and accounting disputes.

"We are pleased to have someone with Mike's experience join us and allow us to continue to expand our practice in Orange County, in California and firmwide," said Raymond Lee, Managing Shareholder of the Irvine-based office.

Piazza holds a J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School and a B.A. from Carleton College.

About Greenberg Traurig, LLP

Greenberg Traurig, LLP is an international, full-service law firm with approximately 1750 attorneys serving clients from more than 30 offices in the United States, Europe and Asia. In the U.S., the firm has more offices than any other among the Top 20 on The National Law Journal's 2008 NLJ 250. Additionally, Greenberg Traurig has strategic alliances with the following independent law firms: Studio Santa Maria in Milan and Rome; TA Lawyers GKJ in Tokyo; and, where appropriate, the firm works closely with Olswang in London, Brussels and Berlin. The firm was Chambers and Partners' USA Law Firm of the Year in 2007. For additional information, please visit www.gtlaw.com.