Celiza Patricia Braganca

Celiza Patricia Braganca

also known as Lisa Braganca, Celiza Braganca

5.0
Rating: 10.0

Licensed for 33 years

White collar crime Lawyer at Wilmette, IL
Practice Areas: White Collar Crime, Litigation, Securities & Investment Fraud

1100 Central Avenue, Suite G, Wilmette, IL

About Celiza

Biography

Practice Areas

3

Practice Areas

White Collar Crime 70%

Representing people in investigations by the SEC, FINRA, and state securities agencies. Representing whistleblowers in filing tips with SEC Office of the Whistleblower and pursuing those tips.

27 years

70%
Litigation 20%

Representing individuals and businesses in federal and state court litigation and arbitration as plaintiffs and defendants in contract and business disputes

33 years

20%
Securities and Investment Fraud 10%

Recovering investment losses for customers in court as well as FINRA and other arbitration forums.

27 years

10%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Free Consultation

$0 first 15 minutes


Payment Methods

  • Check
  • Credit Card

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Licenses

Licensed in Illinois for 31 years

State: Illinois

Acquired: 1995

Active and Authorized to Practice Law

No misconduct found

Licensed in Virginia for 33 years

State: Virginia

Acquired: 1992

Former Member

No misconduct found

Location

Celiza Braganca

1100 Central Avenue, Suite G, Wilmette, IL, 60091

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Celiza Patricia Braganca's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

5.0 /5.0

43 Client Reviews

Showing 16 - 20 of 43 reviews

Posted by anonymous | August 27, 2024 | Hired Attorney

Thorough and efficient

Mrs. Braganca is an extremely professional and knowledgeable lawyer. She provided an excellent experience during a very difficult time and made sure that I was kept up to date on everything while also being very thorough in her explanations. She was not only professional but personable and provi...ded me with some peace of mind in a hectic time. I highly recommend her.

Celiza Braganca

Replied last August 28, 2024

Thank you for your review. My goal is not just to get a good legal result but also to help support clients like you during incredibly stressful investigations. It is gratifying to know that I played a part in putting your mind at ease in getting through this experience. It is a pleasure to work with you.

Posted by anonymous | July 30, 2024 | Hired Attorney

Highly Recommend

Lisa helped me navigate through the most stressful experience of my life. Her background and experience was extremely valuable and provided me with all of the information that I needed to know. She listened to all of my issues and quickly came up with a game plan to make sure I was in the best posit...ion. I felt that she genuinely cared and understood the stress that I was under and provided a calming force. She provided invaluable guidance and kept me on the right track each step of the way.

Celiza Braganca

Replied last August 28, 2024

Thank you for your review. It is not just important for me to get a good legal result but also to help clients like you get through these stressful investigations. I explain the process and the pros and cons of different paths. And I make sure that clients like you can understand the costs of different paths before making a decision. It is a pleasure to work with people like you.

Posted by anonymous | June 18, 2024 | Hired Attorney

Highly Recommended: Extremely Professional Lawyer

Lisa is an amazing lawyer who truly respects her clients. When I first went to her, she answered all my questions with so much patience and made sure I understood everything I needed to know. Legal issues can take years and cause a lot of stress, but Lisa helped me stay positive and focused on my lif...e. Anytime there was an update on my case, she let me know right away and helped me figure out my next steps. I highly recommend Lisa because she not only solves problems but also genuinely cares about her clients' best interests.

Celiza Braganca

Replied last June 25, 2024

Thank you so much. Government investigations are extremely stressful for everyone. I try to put myself in my client's shoes to figure out how to not just respond to the government's requests but explain what is happening. Sometimes government investigators get information and disappear for many months. I want to help my clients to put this out of their minds and focus on what is most important - family, work, and the rest of their lives.

Posted by anonymous | May 12, 2024 | Hired Attorney | Financial Markets and Services

Thank Goodness for Lisa Braganca...

Words I never thought I would say about an attorney – understanding, caring, compassionate and empathetic. Lisa Braganca is all of these and so much more. Best of all, she is an excellent attorney, knowledgeable, articulate and knows her stuff. Lisa is exactly who I needed when my former employer ...filed a complaint with FINRA, and I then received an 8210 Letter. Lisa is the attorney you want/need on your side. Don’t’ go it alone, you need Lisa to fight for you. After I resigned from my position, the employer, a national broker-dealer, and registered investment advisory firm, weaponized the regulator me. Shame on them. Lisa methodically dealt with a long list of questions and alleged violations of company policy listed in the 8210 Letter. She methodically answered all of the questions, which contained an extensive list of minute details, much of which was blatantly wrong. The firm didn’t even bother to sort out which issues were correct, and which were wrong on their part. They just piled on a long list of issues that were not vetted for accuracy. They tried to overwhelm FINRA and me. Thinking that I would just fold. If Lisa was not there for me, I think I might have given up. Lisa successfully put an end to this madness. After about three months, FINRA dismissed all of the allegations, there were no monetary penalties and no blemishes on my registration. I highly recommend Lisa, look no further for an attorney that is on your side.

Celiza Braganca

Replied last June 25, 2024

Thank you so much for your kind words. I do this work so I can help people like you get through the complex, frustrating, and anxiety-producing process of a FINRA investigation. It means a great deal to me to be able to get a good result for you.

Posted by Dan | December 05, 2023 | Hired Attorney | Securities & Investment Fraud

Assessing Risk of Insider Trading Before the Fact

I had a trade of a public equity I wanted to conduct but was unsure if I had access to insider information pertaining to said trade. I live near Dayton, Ohio, so I contacted several attorneys locally and in Cincinnati who had experience in defending clients against allegations of insider trading af...ter the trades occurred. None had any experience in evaluating the risk of such allegations before such trades occurred and none could even make a referral to an attorney who did. In turns out this is a very specialized legal niche. I finally found Lisa online. After my consultation with Lisa, I engaged her on the matter. I provided all of the information I had and how I got it. Lisa and I discussed it all. However, what was particularly helpful was Lisa's insight into what actually puts one at risk of triggering an investigation of insider trading, and the fact elements that increase or diminish that risk. Lisa also explained in detail what an investigation would look like. At the end of the process, I felt confident that I could make a well-informed decision about conducting the trade. Lisa was very easy to talk to and was efficient in how she spent her time on the matter in order to keep the cost down. I highly recommend Lisa for such a priori analyses.

Celiza Braganca

Replied last December 21, 2023

It was a pleasure to work with you. While I can't give advice about whether a particular trade is based on material nonpublic information, I am happy to provide information about insider trading cases, the SEC's view of insider trading based on its numerous settlements, and what an SEC insider trading investigation looks like.

See All Client Reviews

Celiza Patricia Braganca's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Celiza
Adrian P Smith headshot
Adrian Smith

Commercial real estate lawyer | Jun 15

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I endorse this lawyer's work."

View All Endorsements
Adrian P Smith headshot
Adrian Smith

Litigation lawyer

Experience

Rating:  10.0 (Superb)

Honors

2012

Lead On! Award, Access Living

1992

Order of the Coif,

Work Experience

2017 - Present

Owner and Attorney, Braganca Law LLC

2014 - 2017

Trial Attorney, Stoltmann Law Offices

2011 - 2013

Legal Director, Access Living

2004 - 2011

Securities and Financial Litigation Attorney, Sperling and Slater PC

1999 - 2001

Branch Chief and Enforcement Attorney, US Securities & Exchange Commission

1994 - 1999

Trial Attorney, Jenner & Block

Associations

2019 - Present

Illinois State Bar Association

Member

2019 - Present

Women's White Collar Defense Association

Member

2019 - 2024

PIABA Foundation

Board Member

2014 - 2023

Public Investor Advocate Bar Association

Committee member

1995 - 2023

Chicago Bar Association

Member - Securities Law Committee

1993 - 1994

District of Columbia Bar

1992 - 1994

Virginia Bar

Sample of Legal Cases

Recovery of investment losses for investor

Settled

Resolution of SEC investigation into real estate investments

Investigation closed with no charges

Resolution of FINRA investigation into PPP loans

Settled

Resolution of FINRA investigation into failures to disclose

Settled

Responding to SEC subpoenas for documents and testimony

No charges brought against clients

Represented individuals investigated for insider trading

Either no charges brought against client or resolved via settlement

See More Legal Cases

Education

1992

University of Chicago Law School

JD

1992

University of Chicago Booth Graduate School of Business

MBA

N/A

University of Chicago

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Speaking Engagements

2020

Best of TechShow 2019 Webinar

Cryptocurrency and digital coin regulation

2020

ABA TechShow

Cryptocurrency and digital coin regulation

2019

PIABA Annual Meeting

Using Behavioral Decision-making Research in FINRA Arbitrations and Mediations

2019

Illinois State Bar Association Webinar

Blockchain in Litigation 2.0

2019

Concordia University Program January 2019

Elder Financial Abuse

2018

St. John's Law School Securities Arbitration Clinic

FINRA Arbitration

2018

PIABA Annual Meeting

Using Behavioral Decision-making Research in FINRA Arbitrations and Mediations

2018

Chicago Bar Association Demonstration

Truth Without Proof - How to Get Blockchain Transactions into Evidence

2017

Rotary Club of Wilmette meeting

Fraud as a Virus

2017

National Association of Elder Law Attorneys - Illinois Chapter

Exploitation of Elders by Financial Advisors

2017

Annual Meeting of Public Investor Advocacy Bar Association

Discovery in FINRA arbitration

2016

Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association Annual Meeting

Investment Fraud - Reaching Defrauded Investors

2006

Minding Your 302s PLI Continuing Education Seminar

Securities fraud

2005

Turnaround Management Association

Securities fraud

2003

Mid-Atlantic Regional Workshop

Sarbanes-Oxley Act 2002

Publications

2019

2019

ABA Law Practice Magazine Dipping Your Analog Toe into Digital Coins

2019

Portfolio Media (Law360) Truth Without Proof - How to Get Blockchain Transactions into Evidence co-author

2018

PIABA Bar Journal Cryptocurrencies and Tokens: What are they and who regulates them - co-author

2006

Unknown Minding Your 302s: Assessing Potential Civil, Administrative and Criminal Liability for False Financial Statement Certifications - co-author

1998

Law Journal Seminars Press Insurance Coverage Disputes - contributor

Languages

English

Activity

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