Joe Adams represents clients in commercial disputes such as securities and shareholder suits, corporate governance matters, partnership and LLC disputes, employee benefits litigation, and class actions. His clients include public companies, start-ups and emerging companies, officers and directors, shareholders and owners of companies, and individuals.
Joe serves as Chair of the firm’s Securities and Shareholder Litigation Group.
Joe also counsels clients seeking to resolve issues with regulators or before litigation. He frequently represents clients before regulatory agencies such as the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC), the Department of Labor (DOL), and state regulatory agencies. He also advises clients on compliance issues and oversees internal investigations regarding financial restatements, accounting issues, and instances of alleged wrongdoing raised by whistleblowers.
Joe began his career practicing intellectual property litigation with a well-known Silicon Valley law firm and continues to represent clients in their intellectual property matters, including cases involving trademark and copyright infringement, false advertising and unfair competition disputes, and the liability of web site operators.
Representative Presentations and Publications
• Delaware Court of Chancery Permits Caremark Claim Alleging Directors' Failure to Monitor Critical Company Business Operations, Co-Author, Snell & Wilmer Legal Alert (October 29, 2019)
• Arizona Supreme Court addresses fiduciary duties owed to LLCs, Author, Record Reporter (September 23, 2019)
• Working Effectively with Experts, Panelist, Snell & Wilmer Presentation with Alvarez & Marsal (May 15, 2019)
• Crisis and Investigation Management in the Era of 24/7 News Cycles, Co-Presenter, Association of Corporate Counsel (April 16, 2019)
• U.S. Supreme Court Expands Scope of SEC's Anti-Fraud Rule in Copy-Paste Case, Co-Author, Snell & Wilmer Legal Alert (April 2019)
• Overview of Hot Topics in Director and Officer Liability, Co-presenter, Arizona Association of Defense Counsel (March 13, 2019)
• Internal Investigations: Overview and Current Developments, Panelist, Snell & Wilmer Seminar (June 2016)
• Internal Investigations and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act: Understanding the New World Order, Panelist, Association of Corporate Counsel, Nevada (May 2016)
• The SEC's Annual Report on the Dodd-Frank Whistleblower Program Shows Increased Activity, Author, Snell & Wilmer Legal Alert (November 2016)
• Commercial Damages and Rebuttal Expert Reports, Panelist, Forensic and Valuation Services Conference of the American Institute of CPAs (November 2014)
• Compliance Summit 2014, Speaker, Snell & Wilmer Seminar (March 2014)
• Whistleblower Case Study, Speaker, Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (March 2014)
• U.S. Supreme Court Expands Whistleblower Protections for Employees of Private Companies, Author, Snell & Wilmer Legal Alert (March 2014)
• The Sell Decision: Aiding, Abetting Liability Not Included, Co-Author, Arizona Attorney Magazine (February 2014)
• Ethics in Mergers and Acquisitions: A Review of Best Practices from Pre- to Post-Closing, Panelist, Association of Corporation Counsel Seminar (April 2013)
• Reserving and Disclosing for Loss Contingencies, Moderator, Snell & Wilmer Seminar (January 2013)
• How to Avoid and Resolve Disputes Between Business Partners, Panelist, Snell & Wilmer Seminar (November 2012)
• Federal Courts Endorse an Expanded Definition of a 'Whistleblower, Author, Snell & Wilmer Legal Alert (October 2012)
• Counsel on the Hot Seat: Managing Internal Investigations, Co-Author with Barbara Dawson, Association of Corporate Counsel Newsletter (December 2011)
• 2010 Securities Litigation Update, Presenter, Securities Regulation Section of the State Bar of Arizona (November 2010)
• Safeguarding Against D&O Claims Arising Out of the Financial Crisis, Presenter, Arizona Bankers Association’s Annual CEO & Bank Directors College (October 2010)
• The Anatomy of the Director-Led Investigation and the Role of Special Counsel to the Board, Co-Author with Barbara Dawson and Andreea Micklis, Snell & Wilmer Financial Services Litigation Bulletin (October 2010)
• Attorney-Client Privilege in the Context of Internal Investigations, Presenter, Snell & Wilmer Annual Retreat (April 2010)
• Establishing Procedures for Internal Investigations and Litigation Holds, Presenter, Litigation Master Series Session II for Lex Mundi and Association of Corporate Counsel (November 2009)
• Ethical Issues in Internal Investigations, Presenter, Association of Corporate Counsel Ethics Series (April 2009)
• Global Connection, Co-Author, Snell & Wilmer L.L.P. (May 2008)
• Recent Supreme Court Case Favors Patent Holders that Tie, Co-Author with John Platt, Executive Counsel (August 2006)
Professional Recognition and Awards
• Above and Beyond Litigation Award, Volunteer Lawyers Program Pro Bono Awards (2014)
•Top 50 Pro Bono Attorneys in Arizona, Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education (2009)
Other Professional Experience
•Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C., Palo Alto, California (2000-2003)
•United States District Court, District of Arizona, Law Clerk to Hon. Roslyn O. Silver (1997-1998)
Related News & Events
• Oct 19
Judges of the U.S. District Court in Arizona Appoint Snell & Wilmer Partner Joseph Adams as Lawyer Representative to the Ninth Circuit
• Apr 16
The Volunteer Lawyers Program 2014 Pro Bono Awards Recognize Multiple Snell & Wilmer Attorneys
• Feb 01
The Sell Decision: Aiding, Abetting Liability Not Added
Arizona Attorney Magazine
• May 22
Stanford Law School Appoints Snell & Wilmer Partner Joe Adams to the Board of Visitors
Related Publications
• Oct 29
Delaware Court of Chancery Permits Caremark Claim Alleging Directors’ Failure to Monitor Critical Company Business Operations
• Apr 01
U.S. Supreme Court Expands Scope of SEC’s Anti-Fraud Rule in “Copy-Paste” Case
• Nov 30
Legal Alert - The SEC's Annual Report on the Dodd-Frank Whistleblower Program Shows Increased Activity
• Mar 05
Legal Alert - U.S. Supreme Court Expands Whistleblower Protections for Employees of Private Companies
• Oct 02
Legal Alert - Federal Courts Endorse an Expanded Definition of a Whistleblower - Companies Should Carefully Consider the Who and How When Claims Are Made
• Oct 20
Financial Services Litigation Bulletin-October 2010 The Anatomy of the Director-Led Investigation and the Role of Special Counsel to the Board and Arizona Cracks Down on 'Foreclosure Consultants'
• May 13
Global Connection - May 2008
