
Barry Temkin is a partner at Mound Cotton. He is a litigator with extensive trial experience, having tried over fifty jury trials to verdict. He has also litigated numerous arbitrations, including securities, commercial and employment disputes. As an Assistant District Attorney in Brooklyn, he tried dozens of jury cases and served as a Senior Trial Attorney in the Homicide Bureau. He represents broker dealers, financial advisors, insurance brokers, financial firms and investment advisers in litigation, arbitration and regulatory investigations. Barry also represents lawyers and law firms in professional responsibility matters, including conflicts, sanction proceedings, fee disputes, legal malpractice cases and proceedings before the attorney grievance committee. He also litigates and tries commercial, construction and professional liability cases.
Barry is an adjunct professor at Fordham University School of Law, where he teaches courses on securities regulation and professional responsibility. He has published articles on securities law and attorney professionalism in the Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics, Law360, the Securities Regulation Law Journal, Seattle University Law Review, Securities Arbitration Commentator, and the New York Law Journal. Barry has been a member of the FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) Board of Arbitrators since 1999, and served for ten years as co-chair of the New York Country Lawyersâ Association Professional Ethics Committee. He has lectured on securities law, professional liability and legal ethics at the New York State Bar Association, the New York County Lawyersâ Association, the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, the Practicing Law Institute, the Futures Industry Association and numerous corporations and insurance companies.
Barry has been quoted in the ABA Journal, Investment News, the New York Law Journal, The Economist, the Wall Street Journal, Law360, the National Law Journal, American Banker, Lawyers U.S.A. and other publications. He is Secretary and General Counsel to Westbeth Music Inc., a nonprofit tax exempt musiciansâ cooperative. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School and the University of Rochester.
Accolades
HONORS AND AWARDS
- Adjunct Professor, Fordham University School of Law, 2007âpresent
- Super Lawyer, New York Metro 2021: Professional Liability: Defense, 2015-2023
- Otto L. Walter Distinguished Writing Award, New York Law School, 2008
Newsroom
Client Alerts
- NY Prompt Pay Act for Construction Contractors â New York Law Journal
- Barry Temkin Analyzes FINRA and NFA Immunity â Mealeyâs Emerging Securities Litigation
- Partner Barry Temkin on ABA Ethics Opinion on Remote Working â Law360
- Preventing Coronavirus Claims: Strategies for Architects and Engineers
- Business Law Today â Law Firmsâ Duty to Notify Clients About Data Breaches
- âIs Senator Richard Burr Guilty of Insider Trading under the STOCK Act?â â New York Law Journal
- Is My Amazon Echo Spying On My Clients?
- Cybersecurity For Law Firms: Professional Liability And Ethical Considerations
- Addressing the Rights of Addicts and Alcoholics in the Workplace under the Americans with Disabilities Act
- The Importance of Understanding Insurance Issues in Securities Arbitration and Mediation
- Corporate Disputes Magazine â Barry Temkin Discusses New Cyber Security Regulations For Businesses In New York
- New York Law Journal â New York DFS Cybersecurity Regulations: An Update for Lawyers Representing Financial Institutions
- PLUS Journal â Legal and Ethical Responsibilities Regarding Lawyers As Whistleblowers in Recent Cases
- The Mentally Impaired Client: Who Decides Trial Strategy?
- Conflicts Of Interest And Choice Of Counsel In Duty To Defend Insurance Policies: Should There Be ââGoldfarb Mirandaââ Warnings?
- Lawyer Contributions to Judicial Election Campaigns
- Guidelines on NYCLAâs Ethics Hotline
- The Presumption of Suitability Under the Uniform Limited Offering Exemption
- Showdown in 2nd Circuit over Reg Bl
- The Department of Labor Fiduciary Rule: Likely Impact on Securities Arbitration and Litigation Claims
- Subpoenas and Orders of Appearance and Production
- New York Law Journal: Are SEC and FINRA Administrative Hearings Unconstitutional?
- CCOs in the Cross-Hairs: Recent Developments in the Regulation of Financial Industry Chief Compliance Officers
- Statutes of Limitations in Securities Arbitrations: Who Decides?
- How to Get Paid PromptlyâŠAnd Not Get Sued
- Lateral Attorney Transitions Under the Ethics Rules
- Lateral Partner Moves: Ethical Obligations of Lawyers and Law Firms
- Mound Cotton Secures Appellate Victory for Insurance Broker Clients in Consumer Fraud Act Dispute
Bylined Articles
- âAssessing Whether Jarkesy May Limit FINRA Prosecutions,â co-authored with Kate DiGeronimo, Law360, August 30, 2024
- âAre SEC and FINRA Administrative Hearings Unconstitutional?,â New York Law Journal, May 9, 2024
- âChoice of Counsel and Policy Erosion for Professional Liability Policies Under the New York Insurance Law,â co-authored with Robert Usinger, PLUS Blog, March 14, 2022
- âNY Prompt Pay Act for Construction Contractors,â co-authored with Ken Eccleston, New York Law Journal, August 10, 2021
- âCan An Investor Sue A Self-Regulatory Organization For Failing To Enforce Its Own Bylaws,â co-authored with Philip J. Troyer, Mealeyâs Emerging Securities Litigation, July 2021
- âABA Remote Work Guide Raises Bar For Atty Tech Know-How,â co-authored with Jennifer Goldsmith, Law360, April 5, 2021
- âPreventing Coronavirus Claims: Strategies for Architects and Engineers,â co-authored with Kenneth Greenwald and Kate Digeronimo, Liberty Mutual Insurance, March 19, 2021
- âNew Developments in Law Firmsâ Obligations To Protect Against Data Breaches,â co-authored with Jennifer Goldsmith and David Standish, New York Law Journal, January 15, 2021
- âWhen Should Law Firms Notify Clients About Data Breaches?,â co-authored with Jennifer Goldsmith and David Standish, Business Law Today, November 9, 2020
- âIs Senator Burr Guilty of Insider Trading Under the STOCK Act?,â co-authored with Mitchell Markarian, New York Law Journal, July 20, 2020
- âSEC Regulation Best Interest: A Practical Guide for Broker-Dealers and Investment Advisers,â co-authored with Jennifer Goldsmith and Mitchell Markarian, Business Law Today, May 12, 2020
- âNew âRegulation Best Interestâ Becomes Effective for Broker Dealers,â co-authored with Melissa Tarentino, New York Law Journal, September 24, 2019
- âLawyersâ Digital Assistants Raise Ethics, Privacy Concerns,â co-authored with Brenda Dorsett, Law360, May 23, 2019
- âThe NY Department of Financial Services Cybersecurity Regulations: An Update,â co-authored with Kenneth Labbate, New York Law Journal, June 28, 2018
- âTips For Handling Workplace Substance Abuse Under ADA,â co-authored with Robert Usinger, Law360, October 11, 2017
- âThe Contract, The Law, and The Courts: Determining the Enforceability of Indemnity Agreements is A Three-Step Process,â co-authored with Robert Usinger, CLM Magazine, September 8, 2017
- âThe Importance of Understanding Insurance Issues in Securities Arbitration and Mediation,â co-authored with Atea Martin and James Yellen, New York Law Journal, Volume 258, No. 37, August 23, 2017
- âSocial Media and the Rules of Professional Conduct: Is Linkedin Attorney Advertising?,â co-authored with James Walker, Bloomberg Law, March 17, 2017
- âNew Cyber Security Regulations Promulgated By New Yorkâs Department Of Financial Services,â co-authored with Robert Usinger, Corporate Disputes Magazine, JanâMar 2017
- âNew Cybersecurity Regulations: Impact on Representing Financial Institutions,â New York Law Journal, Volume 256, No. 115, December 14, 2016
- âLawyers as Whistleblowers: Recent Developments,â PLUS Journal, December 2016
- âEffects of New Standards for Company Plan Fiduciaries,â co-authored with Kate Digeronimo, New York Law Journal, August 5, 2015
- âRecent Developments in FINRA Arbitration,â co-authored with Robert Usinger and Christopher Amore, PLUS Journal, August 2014
- âThe SECâs Proposed Uniform Fiduciary Standard for Financial Advisers: An Update,â co-authored with Matthew Photis, PLUS Journal, March 16, 2015
- âMay Lawyers Collect Whistleblower Bounties Under Dodd-Frank Act?,â New York Law Journal, November 6, 2013
- âSolicitation By Defense Counsel: Ethical Pitfalls When Corporate Defense Counsel Offers Representation to Witnesses,â co-authored with Michael Stone, Defense Counsel Journal, October 2013
- âThe Perils of Outside Referrals by Lawyers,â co-authored with Robert Usinger, PLUS Journal, August 1, 2013
- âConflicts of Interest and Choice of Counsel in Insurance Policies: Some Recent Developments,â co-authored with Robert Usinger, PLUS Journal, August 2012
- âLawyers as Whistleblowers Under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act,â co-authored with Ben Moskovits, NYSBA Journal, July-August 2012 issue
- âAppearances in FINRA Arbitrations By Out-of-State Lawyers,â co-authored with Robert Usinger, New York Law Journal, March 16, 2012
- âDevelopments in Interpreting Scaffold Act/Labor Law §240,â co-authored with Mark Weber, NYCLA Construction Law Journal, Summer 2011
- âArbitration: Handling FINRAâs New Discovery Guide,â co-authored with Kate DiGeronimo, Compliance Reporter, July 18, 2011
- âEthical Issues for Lawyers Under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act: Lawyer Representations Under the End-User Swap Exemption,â co-authored with Michael Sackheim, BNA Securities Regulation & Law, June 6, 2011
âCFTC Targets Forex Industry Compliance,â so-authored with Felix Shipkevich, Compliance Reporter, April 18, 2011 - âHow to Staff an Ethics Hotline,â co-authored with Gordon Eng, Bar Leader Magazine, Vol. 35, No. 3, April 2011
- âTwittering Jurors and the Rules of Professional Conduct: Should Lawyers Avert Their Eyes from Juror Social Network Postings?,â ABA/BNA Lawyersâ Manual on Professional Conduct, March 30, 2011
- âNew Suitability and Fiduciary Standards for Financial Advisers Under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and FINRA Rules,â co-authored with Michael Koblenz, Securities Arbitration Commentator, March 2011
- âThe Ethical Issues of Lateral Moves: Whether, When and How to Notify Clients of a Lawyerâs Resignation,â NYSBA, Vol. 83, No. 3, March/April 2011
- âLabor and Employment in the Securities Industry: Are Registered Securities Representatives Subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act?,â co-authored with Robert Goodman 38 Securities Regulation Law Journal 371, Winter 2010
- âNew York Rules of Professional Conduct,â Oxford University Press, Rule Editor and Contributor of Four Chapters, 2010
- âIs Law Firm Discrimination Unethical?,â New York Law Journal, August 26, 2010
- âState Regulation of Unauthorized Practice of Law in Arbitration and Mediation: The Trend Toward Permitting Multijurisdictional Practice in ADR,â BNA Securities Regulation & Law Report, 42 SRLR 1561, August 16, 2010
- âSupervision Duties Under the Commodity Exchange Act,â New York Law Journal, May 27, 2010
- âSettling Away: Unreported Private Settlement of Customer Complaints in the Securities Industry,â Securities Arbitration Commentator, Vol. 2009, No. 4, May 2010
- âOpen Questions on the Duty to Advise of the Right to Select Independent Counsel,â The Defendant, Spring 2010
- âIntrafamily Conflicts of Interest Under the Rules of Professional Conduct,â New York Law Journal, December 31, 2009
- âLying by Proxy: Permissible Trickery and Deception by Undercover Investigators,â New York Law Journal, October 13, 2009
- âCoverage Conflicts for Retained Insurance Defense Counsel,â New York Law Journal, July 8, 2009
- âClient Perjury Under the New Rules of Professional Conduct,â New York Law Journal, February 24, 2009
- âDeception in Undercover Investigations: Conduct Based vs. Status Based Ethical Analysis,â 32 Seattle University Law Review 123, Fall 2008 (Winner of 2008 Otto L. Walter Distinguished Writing Award from New York Law School)
- âArbitration of Customer Claims Before the New Financial Industry Regulatory Authority,â co-authored with James Yellen, New York Law Journal, June 2008
- âAre Insurance Brokers Professionals?,â New York Law Journal, August 8, 2006
- âStatutes of Limitation in Securities Arbitrations,â New York Law Journal, June 16, 2005
- âEthical Issues in Settlement Negotiations,â New York Law Journal, March 14, 2005
- âMisrepresentation By Omission in Settlement Negotiations: Should There Be A Silent Safe Harbor?,â 18 Georgetown J. L. Ethics 179, Fall/Winter 2004
- âPleading Standards in Securities Arbitrations,â New York Law Journal, Sept. 20, 2004
- âErrant E-Mail: Inadvertent Disclosure of Confidential Material Poses Dilemma,â New York Law Journal, October 14, 2003
- âEthical, Legal and Practical Implications of Attorney Referral Fees,â New York Law Journal, August 7, 2002
- âReviewing Legal Implications of Variable Annuities,â New York Law Journal, February 26, 2002
- âCan Negligent Referral to Another Attorney Constitute Legal Malpractice?,â 17 Touro Law Review 639, Spring 2001
- âGuidance Given on Discovery in NASD Arbitrations,â New York Law Journal, November 13, 2001
- âNew Yorkâs Labor Law Section 240: Has it Been Narrowed or Expanded By The Courts Beyond The Legislative Intent?,â 44 New York Law School Law Review 45, 2000
Press Releases
- 2023 Super Lawyers Recognizes 14 Mound Cotton Attorneys
- 15 Attorneys Recognized in 2022 Super Lawyers, Rising Stars
Outreach
Speaking Engagements
- Panelist, âDeceptive Investigative Techniques: Civil and Criminal Contextsâ CLE webinar, New York County Lawyers Association (NYCLA), January 9, 2024
- Panelist, âEnforcement by Regulation of Reg BI,â IBDC-RIAC Risk Management Conference, Park City, UT, May 9, 2023
- Panelist, âCurrent Ethical Issues for In-House Counsel & Those Who Advise Them: Litigation Perspectives,â New York City Bar CLE, Webinar, June 21, 2023
- Co-Moderator with Vander Beatty, âSo Youâre Interested in a Career in Securities Law,â New York County Lawyers Association CLE, February 28, 2022
- Co-Panelist with Katharine Lechleitner, âNew York Prompt Pay Act for Construction Contractors,â New York City Bar CLE, Webinar, November 2, 2021
- Speaker, âThe Ethics of the Remote Practice of Law,â National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA): NELA/NY Spring Conference, May 2021
- Speaker, âEthics Issues on Infrastructure Projects,â PLI: Construction Projects and Infrastructure, May 2021
- Speaker, National Society of Compliance Professionals
- Speaker, Futures Industry Association, Law and Compliance Division Conference on the Regulation of Futures, Derivatives and OTC Products
- Speaker, âSwaps & Derivatives Global Markets Regulation,â American Conference Instituteâs National Advanced Summit
- Speaker, âEthics for Financial Industry Lawyers,â SIFMA Ethics Seminar
- Speaker, Futures Industry Association, Law and Compliance Division Conference on the Regulation of Futures, Derivatives and OTC Products
- Speaker, Futures and Derivatives Committee, New York County Lawyersâ Association, The Remaking of Wall Street
- Speaker, American Conference Institute, 2nd Annual Forum on LPL/Legal Malpractice: Departing Attorneys, Lateral Hires, and Their Impact On LPL: Risk
- Management and Policy Considerations for Carriers and Law Firms
- Speaker, Futures and Derivatives Committee, New York County Lawyersâ Association, Supervisory Liability Under the Commodity Exchange Act
- Speaker, âEveryday Ethical Challenges in the Practice of Law,â New York City Bar
- Speaker, âEthical Issues for Solo and Small Firm Practitioners,â New York State Trial Lawyers Institute
- Speaker, âConflicts For Retained Defense Lawyers,â Defense Association of New York
- Speaker, âEthical Conflicts for Directors of Not-for-Profit-Corporations,â New York State Bar Association
- Speaker, Judicial Elections: The Ethical and Practical Dilemmas They Pose for Practicing Lawyers, New York City Bar
- Speaker, Ethical Issues in Internal Investigations, New York County Lawyersâ Association
- Speaker, Civil Trial Practice Institute, New York County Lawyersâ Association
Credentials
Education
J.D., University of Pennsylvania Law School, 1982
B.A., magna cum laude, University of Rochester, 1979
Admissions
Texas, 2022
New York, 1983
New Jersey, 1982
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, 2022
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, 2022
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
Membership
- Co-chair, New York County Lawyersâ Association Committee on Professional Ethics, 2006 â2016; Member, 2001âpresent
- Member, Editorial Board of Oxford University Press, New York Rules of Professional Conduct
- Member, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Board of Arbitrators, 1999âpresent
- New York County Lawyersâ Association, Committee on Futures and Derivatives
- Volunteer Attorney, Trial Lawyers Care, 2001â2004