Rising Stars of the Profession 2021: Joe Lakier

Joe Lakier is a Managing Director in the Broker-Dealer Regulatory & Litigation Practice at FTI Consulting where he assists financial services clients solve complex regulatory issues, leads forensic investigations and provides consulting advice on litigation and arbitration matters.

After joining FTI Consulting, Joe was rapidly promoted to Managing Director because he assumed the position's responsibilities well in advance of his promotion. Joe led a large team that performed a complex analysis of a massive volume of bond trade data from multiple sources related to an SEC investigation. Joe's understanding of bond markets combined with his legal background and data analytics experience allowed him to formulate the methodologies employed and suggest alternate analytical perspectives, resulting in a favorable outcome for the client.

Throughout his career, Joe has led investigations on behalf of financial institutions responding to regulatory inquiries by the DOJ, SEC, FINRA, CFPB, Federal Reserve Board, and state regulators in connection with securities laws and banking regulations.

Joe was the catalyst for creating the FTI Pride Network in 2019, a local office initiative that has grown into a global network for LGBTQ+ employees and allies. During the pandemic, Joe organized and hosted the first-ever virtual global Pride event, which was attended by over 500 employees. It featured theatre performances and messages from FTI Consulting leaders around the world.

Joe Lakier is a member of the Broker-Dealer Regulatory, Governance, and Disputes practice, advising clients on forensic investigations and providing litigation support. Mr. Lakier has over 8 years of experience working with broker-dealers, wealth and asset managers, and consumer banks helping them solve complex regulatory issues. He routinely conducts fact-finding investigations, large-scale manual and technology-assisted reviews, compliance program assessments, and implements remediation programs.

Mr. Lakier has led investigations on behalf of financial institutions responding to regulatory inquiries by the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Federal Reserve Board, and state regulators in connection with federal and state securities laws and banking regulations.

Mr. Lakier holds a LL.M. in taxation from the University of Florida, a J.D. from Wayne State University, and a B.A.S. in computer science from Michigan Jewish Institute. He is a licensed attorney and a certified fraud examiner. He serves on the board of the Pipeline to Practice Foundation and is also an active member of the Federal Bar Council and sits on the First Decade and Diversity committees.

Joe credits, "Showing up and delivering exceptional client service," as the biggest factor in his success to date. "It can be easy to be distracted with so many projects and deadlines and being able to focus on the task at hand is extremely important." And, that the excitement of the job comes from, "The colleagues and clients that I get to work with. I absolutely love working in teams and being inspired by those around me. I get to work with incredibly talented, smart and ambitious people who challenge my way of thinking and encourage me to be my best."

Joe notes that the best advice he's ever received is to make self-care a priority, "I can't operate at peak levels every day for my teams and clients if I am not OK. I make sure to take care of myself by bringing my authentic self to work and ensuring I take the breaks necessary to come back to work recharged and refreshed."

What achievements and/or accomplishments are you most proud of at this point in your career?

"Creating and building a global LGBT+ network at FTI Consulting has been one of the highlights of my career. The impact to colleagues across the world has been real and tangible. I'm extremely excited to see the network continue to grow."