Mr. Sonn focuses his practice principally on complex securities litigation matters, including class actions.
During his career, Mr. Sonn has litigated numerous cases to successful resolution, recovering many millions of dollars for defrauded investors. He recently won a $50 million final judgment in Katz v. MRT Holdings, one of the few cases in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act passed in 1995 to yield a final judgment on the merits.
Frequently, Mr. Sonn serves as a television commentator on securities fraud and ponzi scheme cases for CNBC, The CBS Sunday Morning Show, BBC Radio, ABC and MSNBC.
Mr. Sonn was the CNBC contributing expert on the Bernard Madoff Ponzi Scheme for the CNBC shows “On the Money” and “Scam of the Century, Bernie Madoff and the $50 Billion Dollar Heist.” Mr. Sonn recently appeared in the CNBC show “American Greed.”
Jeffrey Sonn’s Career Highlights
- - 1988
Jeff begins career in Securities Arbitration.
- - 1996
Jeff wins $2.2 million verdict against PaineWebber and is featured in the Wall Street Journal.
- - 2000
Jeff’s firm wins $16 million verdict against the FDIC.
- - 2008
Jeff joins CNBC as Legal Contributor for the show, “On the Money”.
- - 2009
Jeff appears in documentary “Bernie Madoff and the $50 Billion Dollar Heist” for CNBC.
- - 2009
Jeff pushes Scott Rothstein’s law firm in bankruptcy because of Rothstein’s $1Billion Dollar Ponzi Scheme.
- - 2009
Jeff’s firm obtains $50 million judgment in ponzi scheme case for victims.
- - 2009
Jeff recovers $7.9 million for a group of victims in a CMO fraud case.
- - 2011
Jeff stars in American Greed: Scott Rothstein on CNBC explaining the scam.
- - 2011
Jeff’s firm represents over 1000 investors on National Steering Committee in $400 million ponzi scheme: $151 million settlement.
- - 2013
Jeff wins $11.1 million verdict against Citigroup.
- - 2016
Jeff recovers millions for Puerto Rican investors who lost money in Puerto Rico bond funds and bonds.
Practice Areas
- Securities Arbitration and Litigation
- Class Actions
- Insurance Litigation
- Real Estate Litigation
- Business and Commercial Litigation
- Bad Faith Litigation
Education
- J.D., University of Miami School of Law, Coral Gables, Florida, 1988
- Law Review: UM InterAmerican Law Review, Associate Editor
- B.A., University of Florida, 1984
Bar Admissions
Florida
Member Since: 1988
U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida Trial Bar
Member Since: 1989
U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida
Member Since: 1991
U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit
Member Since: 1993
Published Works
- Ponzi Schemes: Picking Up the Pieces From a Fallen House of Cards, Practicing Law Institute, 2009
- The Broker Went Bankrupt-Now What?, PIABA
- The ABCs of Mortgage Backed Securities , PIABA
- Group Arbitration Techniques, PIABA
- How CPAs Can Detect Securities Fraud, PIABA
- Survey of Arbitrator Misconduct, PIABA
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Public Investors Arbitrator Bar Association, Director, Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association, 2010 – Present
- Public Investors Arbitrator Bar Association, Chair, Subcommittee on Dodd Frank Law, Product Issues In Arbitration
- Public Investors Arbitrator Bar Association, Former Director, Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association, 2006 – 2009
- Public Investors Arbitrator Bar Association, Member, Annual Meeting Committee, 2005 – Present
- Public Investors Arbitrator Bar Association, Former Member, Technology Committee
- Public Investors Arbitrator Bar Association, Former Special Counsel to PIABA
- Boca Raton Chapter of the University of Miami Citizens Advisory Board, Former Director
- Miami Midnight Basketball League, Former Volunteer
- Camillus House for the Homeless, Volunteer
- AIPAC, Former Member
Mr. Sonn is the author of “Ponzi Schemes, Picking up the Pieces from a Fallen House of Cards” (Practicing Law Institute, 2009, Securities Arbitration in the Meltdown Era), and spoke at the 2009 Practicing Law Institute on Ponzi Schemes.
Mr. Sonn also authored “Group Arbitration Techniques”, “The ABC’s of Mortgage Backed Securities”, “How CPA’s Can Detect Securities Fraud,” “The Broker Went Bankrupt—Now What?” “Survey of Arbitrator Misconduct,” as well as other securities related publications.
Mr. Sonn serves as a Director of the Public Investor Arbitration Bar Association, the national bar association for attorneys who practice securities fraud law. Mr. Sonn regularly lectures, and participates at national seminars, on the topic of securities fraud.
Mr. Sonn has acted as trial counsel in a number of successful cases, including First Union vs. the FDIC and Hollywood Associates (a $16 million dollar verdict), Regas v. Painewebber (a $2.2 million dollar verdict) and Tartell v. Krieger Financial ($1.7 million dollar verdict).
Prior to founding the Firm in 1995, Mr. Sonn was associated with the Miami-based securities-litigation defense firm Gilbride Heller & Brown and the bankruptcy law firm of Mishan, Sloto, Hoffman and Greenberg (the firm was founded by United States Bankruptcy Judge A.J. Cristol).
Mr. Sonn graduated from the University of Florida in 1984 and from University of Miami Law School in 1988. Mr. Sonn was an Associate Editor of the University of Miami InterAmerican Law Review.
Mr. Sonn is AV rated by Martindale Hubbell.
Mr. Sonn is admitted to practice law in the State of Florida, the United States District Courts for the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida, and the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.