Jeff Mazer is a Bates Testifying Expert and senior-level finance expert and lawyer who leverages his multidisciplinary background to consult on securities and financial industry litigation and regulation; investment analysis, trading, and sales; investment management; joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, and other corporate transactions; and cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. Having held leadership positions at major financial institutions and practiced law at leading law firms, Jeff has special expertise in situations where a broad perspective on finance and law is required.
Jeff has led teams of financial, investment and legal professionals at institutions such as Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Allstate Insurance Company. He was also part of an integrated treasury management and investment sales advisory team at Silicon Valley Bank. Jeff’s legal training was in corporate and securities law at nationally recognized law firms including Shearman and Sterling, Hogan Lovells and Akin Gump.
Jeff has extensive experience with companies in the retail and consumer products sector and in the technology industry. Most recently, Jeff was CFO at a technology company in Portland, Oregon, and has been CFO at several other companies, including a blockchain-based social media company. At Bank of America Merrill Lynch in San Francisco, California, Jeff led a fixed income investment sales team covering technology companies, and he also covered technology companies at Silicon Valley Bank. Jeff’s Acme Capital Advisors financial and strategic consulting firm focused on retail and branded consumer products companies, building on his experience managing a portfolio of securities issued by retailers and consumer products companies to Allstate Insurance Company.
With insight from his combined expertise in finance and law, Jeff identified improper financial practices at Aequitas Capital Management and highlighted those practices to management. The Securities and Exchange Commission later described the exposed practices at the core of Jeff’s communications to management as “Ponzi-like,” and in 2019, two senior offices of the company pleaded guilty to criminal fraud charges.
Jeff is a consultant and subject matter expert in these Practice Areas and Services:
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Securities and Financial Services Litigation & Consulting
- Retail Securities
- Institutional Securities
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Data, Analyses & Analytics
- Early case Assessment
- P/(L) Analyses
- Damage Assessment & Evaluation
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AML & Financial Crimes
- Economic And Other Damages
- Fraud & Risk Management
- Valuation
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Compliance Solutions
- Registered Investment Advisers
Credentials
EXPERIENCE
Bates Group LLC, Testifying Expert, 2017 – Present
Mazer LLC, Principal, 2016 – 2017, 2019 – Present
moovel North America, CFO, 2017 – 2019
Morgan Stanley, Vice President, 2015 - 2016
Aequitas Capital Management, Senior Managing Director, Capital Markets and Treasury, 2015 – 2015
Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Director, Global Liquidity Investment Solutions, and Institutional Fixed Income Sales, 2010 – 2015
Silicon Valley Bank, Investment Consultant, 2008 –2010
Acme Capital Advisors, Principal, 2003 – 2008
Allstate Insurance Company, 1996 – 2003; Portfolio Manager and Head of Restructuring, 1999 – 2003; Director, Mergers and Acquisitions, 1997 – 1999; Counsel, 1989 – 1996
Akin Gump¸ Corporate and Securities law Attorney, 1987 – 1989
Hogan Lovells (formerly Hogan & Hartson), Corporate and Securities Law Attorney, 1986 – 1987
Shearman and Sterling, Corporate and Securities Law Attorney, 1984 – 1986
Gordon Hurwitz Butowsky, et al., Investment Management Law Attorney, 1983 – 1984
EDUCATION
Juris Doctor (JD), Boston University Law School, Boston, MA
Bachelor of Arts (BA), Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
Member of the New York State Bar
FINRA Neutral Arbitrator
FINRA-registered investment professional, 2003 to 2016 (Principal certifications from 2010 to 2015)
AFFILIATIONS
CFA Institute, CFA Society of Portland
New York State Bar
Oregon State Bar Section Memberships
BOARD MEMBERSHIP AND VOLUNTEER INVOLVEMENT
- Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education, Member of Board of Directors, Executive, Strategic Planning, and Finance Committees
- Social Venture Partners (Portland), Partner, 2015 – 2017
- Portland Jewish Academy/Mittleman Jewish Community Center, Member of Finance Committee, 2016 – 2017
- Contemporary Jewish Museum (San Francisco), Member of Board of Trustees and Corporate Leadership Council, 2014 – 2015
- Pacific Community Ventures, Volunteer Advisor, 2010 – 2015
- Cherie Blair Foundation for Women - Mentor (2014 to 2016)
- Boulder Innovation Center - advised small businesses on business growth strategies (2005 to 2008)
- CTEK (Boulder, CO) - member of advisor network providing guidance to entrepreneurs and early-stage companies (2004 to 2008)
- Served as board member and/or observer to global infrastructure fund and early-stage technology companies. As attorney, advised corporate board members on regulatory and governance issues.
CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS
- Developed and present seminars on Financial Modeling and Private Equity to Pacific Northwest law firms.
- Entrepreneurship Workshop Leader, Pacific Northwest College of Art and industry groups.
- Adjunct Instructor, Portland State University, Introduction to Business Finance (Fall 2016)
ARTICLES
- Selling Your Business? Stop Leaving Money on the Table, Toptal Finance Blog, https://www.toptal.com/finance/mergers-and-acquisitions/selling-a-business
- Demystifying Cryptocurrencies, Blockchain, and ICO’s, Toptal Finance Blog, https://www.toptal.com/finance/financial-consultants/cryptocurrency-market