Tejal Shah has returned to Cooley as a partner in the firm’s global litigation department after spending nearly 12 years at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). During her tenure at the SEC, Shah held several leadership roles, most recently serving as one of the New York office’s Associate Directors. In this position, she helped oversee approximately 150 lawyers and accountants investigating and litigating potential securities law violations such as insider trading, market manipulation, accounting fraud, and compliance failures by broker-dealers and investment advisers.
Ian Shapiro, partner and chair of Cooley’s global litigation department, commented on Shah’s return: “We could not be more excited to welcome Tejal home. Tejal was a beloved colleague before she joined the SEC, and we have been extremely proud of her success there. She is one of the most knowledgeable and well-regarded SEC enforcement lawyers of her generation. Cooley has long had a market-leading securities litigation + enforcement practice, and Tejal’s return reinforces the depth of our enforcement practice.”
Before joining the SEC in 2014, Shah worked as a litigation associate at Cooley’s New York office from 2006 to 2014. Her experience brings additional insight into regulatory risks for clients facing investigations or enforcement actions from federal authorities.
Patrick Gibbs, partner and leader of Cooley’s securities litigation + enforcement group, said: “Tejal brings a rare depth of insight into the regulatory risks our clients face in navigating high-stakes investigations and enforcement actions from the Commission. She will provide invaluable perspective for our clients across the technology, life sciences and financial services industries.”
Shah expressed enthusiasm about returning to private practice with her former colleagues: “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to reunite with my talented and collaborative former Cooley colleagues. I cannot imagine a better place to return to private practice and am looking forward to tackling the most complex challenges facing Cooley’s uniquely innovative clients.”
Cooley’s litigation department includes 460 lawyers based in both the United States and Europe. The firm is recognized for representing companies in technology, life sciences, and other innovation-driven sectors. In 2025 alone, it has expanded its team by hiring new partners across multiple offices nationwide.
Cooley employs nearly 1,400 lawyers throughout its 19 offices located in North America, Asia, and Europe. The firm provides legal counsel on business deals as well as intellectual property matters for companies worldwide.