Hilgers Graben PLLC

Partner and Chair of the Discovery Counsel Services Practice Group, Carrie Dolton, believes the focus Hilgers Graben places on the individual to thrive benefits both the firm and its clients' success.? ? For Women’s History Month, she’s grateful for how the firm supports women in every season of life.? ? “Instead of looking at the personal lives of women as an obstacle to overcome, we look at it as an opportunity,” Carrie says.? ? Listen to hear more. ? #HGProud #WHM #Womeninlaw?

Hot off the presses, the #SEC announces it has ended its defense of the (their words) "costly and unnecessarily intrusive climate change disclosure rules.” This isn't unexpected, although the timing is interesting (perhaps intentional) as it came on the same day as soon-to-be-Chair Paul Atkins's testimony in front of the Senate Banking Committee concerning his confirmation. Atkins highlighted, among other things, that regulation should be "appropriately tailored within the confines of the regulator’s statutory authority" and that investors benefit from "efficient, effective, and well-designated regulation." He also highlighted his prior support as SEC Commissioner for "robust cost-benefit analysis." The scope, design, and expected cost of compliance with the SEC's climate change rules were all lightning rods for criticism dating back to the initial proposal. Hilgers Graben PLLC https://lnkd.in/gwEKpNJw

From defending Fortune 500 companies in high-stakes litigation to guiding clients through complex intellectual property disputes, Andrew Graben brings a results-driven approach to every case. As General Counsel at Hilgers Graben, Andrew’s experience spans business litigation, trade secret disputes, intellectual property enforcement, and regulatory investigations—all with a focus on delivering world-class service to our clients. With a keen understanding of pre-trial strategy, e-discovery, and internal investigations, he ensures that clients are always one step ahead in complex disputes. His track record speaks for itself—whether serving as lead counsel in copyright, patent, and trademark litigation or tackling high-profile competitor disputes, Andrew’s litigation expertise is a key asset to Hilgers Graben’s elite team. #HGProud #BusinessLitigation #IntellectualProperty #RegulatoryEnforcement

Meet Carly Abramson Kligler, a partner in our Miami office. For Women’s History Month, she’s thinking back on the women who came before her that set the groundwork for her own career.? ? “For women who are both mothers and lawyers or aspiring mothers and or aspiring lawyers, I would say do not be deterred from pursuing both; the family life that you seek and the career that you also seek. They can coexist.”? ? #HGProud #WHM?

How does the nation’s largest woman-owned law firm support all the women that make up their team? Listen as firm founder Heather Hilgers shares how a simple yet powerful tradition—a monthly call with all of the firm’s female employees—fosters connection, support, and open conversation. ? “We just have the best discussions about life and dealing with things, and we're able to be vulnerable and open with each other in a way that we're just not on professional phone calls,” Heather says in a recent interview with the Keep It Legal podcast.? ? Listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/e6MePSCW

? Strategic Depth?– Anticipating challenges and crafting winning legal strategies from the outset. ? Efficiency & Precision?– Streamlining case management to handle large-scale litigation effectively. ? Proven Results?– A track record of success in high-stakes disputes across the country in a variety of industries. At?Hilgers Graben, complex commercial litigation is the?heartbeat of our firm. From bet-the-company disputes to intricate securities, patent, and contract litigation, our team has?the depth, expertise, and nationwide reach?to handle the most challenging cases. We check all the boxes of traditional Big Law but with a?more?results-driven and cost-effective approach. When the stakes are high, the right team makes all the difference. Let’s talk.

Meet Cynthia Schmidt, Hilgers Graben Partner and Deputy Chair of the firm’s Discovery Counsel Practice Group.?? ? “We simply would not be where we are without women from prior generations who've advocated for us. And I think the best thing that we can do today is just be so grateful and to seize these opportunities.”? ? This Women’s History Month, Hilgers Graben is proud to have leaders like Cynthia.?? ? #HilgersGraben #WHM #Womeninlaw

There’s been a lot of talk about the #SEC’s removal of delegated authority to the Enforcement Director for formal orders, the reduction in headcount across the #enforcement division (and agency), and the potential impacts on enforcement. But I haven't seen much of a dive into the historical data to assess the potential impacts. My thoughts: ? ?? Removal of delegated authority: Will this will impact enforcement by creating another layer of process and potential resistance to certain case theories from this administration? Absolutely.?However, it’s important to remember that in the three fiscal years prior to introduction of delegated authority (2009), under then Chairman Christopher Cox, the SEC filed 574 (2006), 656 (2007) and 671 (2008) enforcement actions.?If we go back a bit further, the agency filed 639 enforcement cases in 2004 under then Chairman William Donaldson.?Notably, incoming SEC Chair Paul Atkins served as SEC Commissioner under both. ? By comparison, the SEC filed 583 enforcement actions in fiscal year 2024.?Yes, the devil is in the details of what types of actions were filed, FY 2024 was down 26% from prior year (even down markedly from Trump 1 era), you can’t simply look at a single fiscal year for enforcement trends, etc.?Totally get it. But it would be shortsighted to point to the removal of delegated authority as THE thing that strangles enforcement in view of historical trends. The staff can still pursue informal investigations, obtain certain records from regulated entities without subpoena, and (yes) get formal order authority from the Commission. That will continue. ? ?? Reduction in enforcement staff: Fewer people mean fewer investigations which logically means fewer actions, right? Makes sense. But again, some context is important.?In fiscal year 2008, the SEC Division of Enforcement had around 1,100 employees.?In fiscal year 2024, the Division of Enforcement had more than 1,500 employees.?If we assume a 25% reduction in force due to various departures (an anecdotal number thrown around the water cooler), this will put the division…back to 2008 levels. ?Whether this means the agency’s overall enforcement numbers land in the same area as the mid aughts remains to be seen. But the historical enforcement data from a time period with markedly lower enforcement staff evidence an agency that still filed more enforcement actions than FY 2024. ? ?? The takeaway? Projecting enforcement trends is a tricky business. Yes, removal of formal order delegation and fewer staff are going to have an impact. And it's reasonable to expect that overall enforcement activity will pull back from frenzied levels. But to suggest that one (or both) will crater enforcement activity altogether would overlook some historical data.?And as Sherlock Holmes reminds us, “it is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data.” Hilgers Graben PLLC

Meet Matthew Poplawski, a recognized leader in eDiscovery strategy and innovation. With deep expertise in high-stakes litigation, regulatory investigations, and complex discovery workflows, Matt has built cost-effective, defensible solutions for Fortune 500 companies navigating preservation, analytics, and production challenges. His leadership in the field extends beyond client work—he’s been a key contributor to the Seventh Circuit Council on eDiscovery, the Association of Certified E-Discovery Specialists (ACEDS), EDRM - Electronic Discovery Reference Model, and top academic institutions like Duke, Harvard, and George Washington University. A frequent speaker and writer, Matt stays at the forefront of industry advancements, sharing insights at events hosted by ACEDS and Women in eDiscovery?. With a big law background that includes leadership roles at top-ranked eDiscovery practices, Matt brings big-picture strategy and hands-on problem-solving to every matter. His ability to blend cutting-edge legal technology with practical workflows makes him an invaluable resource for clients tackling discovery challenges at scale. When he’s not shaping the future of discovery, you can find him spending time with his family, running, collecting vinyl records, or catching a live jazz show. #HGProud #eDiscovery #legaltech

Heather Hilgers recently joined the Keep It Legal podcast for a special Women’s History Month episode, offering an insightful look into her transformative journey and leadership philosophy. ? As the head of the nation’s largest women-owned law firm, she emphasized the firm’s unwavering commitment to a core value that sets the tone for its culture: “No jerks.” ? Find out why this mindset matters to Heather. ? #HilgersGraben #WomensHistoryMonth #WomenInLaw