James L. Koutoulas, Esq. is a professional hedge fund manager, software developer, and securities lawyer. Koutoulas Law, LLC provides specialized representation where those three areas intersect. We focus on public interest investor advocacy and transactional work in the hedge fund, futures, and cryptocurrency industries. We also provide employment and discrimination representation for select clients.
Investor Advocacy Representation
Representing fraud victims in some of the largest cases in history
Lead Customer Counsel- MF Global Bankruptcy
Co-Founded non-profit Commodity Customer Coalition and led recovery of $6.7 billion in customer assets for 38,000 victims. 100% pro bono.
Lead Customer Counsel- Peregrine Financial Group
Led recovery of $300 million in customer assets for 10,000 victims. 100% pro bono.
Member of the Lead Counsel Group- CHASE WILLIAMS AND WILLIAM
ZHANG, et. al v. BLOCK.ONE, BRENDAN BLUMER, and DANIEL LARIMER
Matter alleging securities fraud: settlement pending judicial approval
Lead Counsel- Invesco QQQ Rebalancing Failure
Filed a CFTC whistleblower complaint alleging fraud conducted by senior management of the National Futures Association while a Member of its Board of Directors and Executive Committee, prosecution of which is still pending.
Assisted the successful SEC investigation of a Hedge Fund Ponzi Scheme
Assisted the successful FBI investigation of a cryptocurrency fraud
Lead Counsel in successful Statistical Arbitrage Intellectual Property Theft Arbitration
Lead Counsel in successful hedge fund IMA breach of contract arbitration
Specialized Transactional Work
Founded Typhon Capital Management, LLC, a deconstructed multi-strategy hedge fund and created internal legal and technology platform for managing 15 portfolio management groups in separate trading vehicles across SMAs, US, and Cayman Funds.
Counsel to major cryptocurrency stablecoin, creating compliant pre-funding offering
Negotiated pricing and terms for over $500M in distressed debt claims
Employment and Discrimination
Won a $1.5 million jury verdict against Sante Ventures, LLC for breach of contract on behalf of a former employee in SDNY
Successfully represented a sexual harassment corporate whistleblower
Successfully represented 3 discrimination victims in separate matters
Education
B.S. in Finance with History Minor from University of Florida
Attended as National Merit Scholar, Florida Bright Futures Scholar, AP National Scholar, Angelos Langadas Classics Scholar
J.D. with Securities Concentration from Northwestern University School of Law
Advisory Board Member and Consulting Expert on Futures- Investor Protection Clinic
Awards and Honors
Recipient- Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law 2016 Emerging Leader Award
National Merit Scholar, Angelos Langadas Classics Scholar, AP National Scholar
Co-Counsel
Koutoulas Law, LLC has several co-counsel relationships with both major international firms and solo practitioners to staff each matter appropriately.
Board Memberships
Mr. Koutoulas currently serves on the boards of two non-profit organizations.
Board Member, Head of Governance Committee- The Goodman Institute for Public Policy
Advisory Board Member and Consulting Expert on Futures- Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law Complex Civil Litigation and Investor Protection Center
Previously served on Board and Executive Committee of the National Futures Association (the Self-Regulatory Organization for Derivatives) and was a Global Board Member of the Hedge Fund Association