BRAEDEN ANDERSON

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Hi, I’m Braeden.

I'm a partner at Gesmer Updegrove LLP, where I lead the Securities Regulatory and Enforcement and Digital Assets practice areas. I’ve served as Assistant General Counsel at Robinhood, practiced at Kirkland & Ellis and Sidley Austin, and represented clients in high-stakes matters before the SEC, DOJ, FINRA, and state regulators.

I write and make content for people who don’t have time to guess: founders, lawyers, regulators, and smart operators who know better than to rely on Google or the AI answer without context.

I've been recognized by U.S. Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® for Financial Services and Securities Regulation, and listed in Marquis Who’s Who in America for contributions to law and public service.

Enjoy the content. I hope you find what you’re looking for. And if you want to talk something through, don’t hesitate to reach out. I’d love to hear from you. It’s really cool when readers become clients.

K. Braeden Anderson 5/8/25 K. Braeden Anderson 5/8/25

SEC Unmasks $91M Ponzi Scheme in Texas: Three DFW Residents Charged in Sweeping Fraud Case

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed sweeping civil charges against three Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) residents for orchestrating an alleged $91 million Ponzi scheme that defrauded over 200 investors. The defendants—Kenneth Alexander II, Robert D. Welsh, and Caedrynn E. Conner—now face allegations of violating the antifraud and registration provisions of federal securities laws through a complex network of deceptive investment vehicles.

K. Braeden Anderson 5/8/25 K. Braeden Anderson 5/8/25

Civitas Resources Faces Securities Class Action After 18% Stock Drop: What Investors and Public Companies Should Know

Civitas Resources, Inc. (NYSE: CIVI), a prominent player in the U.S. oil and gas sector, now finds itself at the center of a securities class action lawsuit following a sharp 18% decline in its stock price. The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey (captioned Lin v. Civitas Resources, Inc., et al., No. 25-cv-03791), alleges violations of Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, spotlighting misstatements concerning production capabilities and capital expenditures.

K. Braeden Anderson 5/8/25 K. Braeden Anderson 5/8/25

SafeMoon Trial Opens: Former CEO Claims Innocence, Points to Founder as Culprit

The trial of SafeMoon’s former CEO, Braden John Karony, commenced this week in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York (EDNY), adding another complex layer to the growing landscape of crypto enforcement actions. Facing charges of securities fraud conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy, Karony has publicly asserted his innocence—and in a rare move, attempted to deflect culpability toward SafeMoon’s founder, Kyle Nagy.

K. Braeden Anderson 5/7/25 K. Braeden Anderson 5/7/25

Crypto Legislation Collides with Trump’s Digital Asset Ties as House Hearing Implodes

Efforts to establish a comprehensive digital asset regulatory framework were sidelined on Tuesday, not by policy disagreement, but by political uproar.

What was expected to be a pivotal joint hearing between the House Financial Services and Agriculture Committees was instead derailed by a high-profile objection from Democratic leadership, intensifying an already volatile environment around crypto legislation.

Guest User 5/6/25 Guest User 5/6/25

How to Get Formation Right: Why Entity Structure Is the First Strategic Decision You’ll Make

Formation is often treated like a checkbox, but it’s actually one of the first real strategic choices a founder makes. The right structure helps you raise money, avoid painful surprises, and stay flexible as you grow. This article breaks down what clean formation looks like, when complex structures make sense, and how thoughtful decisions now can save time, money, and stress later.

Guest User 4/29/25 Guest User 4/29/25

Do I need a lawyer yet? Why early legal strategy is a startup’s secret weapon

Early legal strategy is a startup’s secret weapon. In today’s funding climate, investors are scrutinizing structure—not just story. A clean legal foundation signals you're serious, protects value, and can make or break a deal. You don’t need to over-lawyer—but you do need a smart plan.

Selena Gabrielle 4/18/25 Selena Gabrielle 4/18/25

Generative AI and the Legal Profession

Generative AI is rapidly becoming a fixture in legal practice, transforming workflows, expectations, and client demands. According to Thomson Reuters’ 2025 Generative AI in Professional Services Report, usage of generative AI among law firms and in-house legal departments has nearly doubled over the past year, with 26% now using the technology and 59% supporting its use in legal work. While the pace of adoption is striking, it has outpaced the development of formal policies, training, and clear legal frameworks for responsible implementation.

K. Braeden Anderson 4/18/25 K. Braeden Anderson 4/18/25

Post-Liberation Day “Secondary Tariffs”

On April 2, 2025, the Trump administration declared a new “Liberation Day”—a sweeping trade policy shift marked by aggressive new tariffs that reverberate far beyond traditional bilateral trade disputes. Under Executive Order 14245, the United States now claims the authority to impose a 25% tariff on all goods from any country that imports Venezuelan oil, whether directly or through intermediaries. This is not merely a sanctions expansion. It is a geopolitical reshaping of trade policy through discretionary economic punishment for third-party relationships—a dramatic shift from prior norms of trade enforcement.

K. Braeden Anderson 4/18/25 K. Braeden Anderson 4/18/25

The SEC’s Crypto Custody Roundtable: A Tipping Point for Regulatory Clarity or More Questions?

The Securities and Exchange Commission has released the full agenda and panel lineup for its April 25 roundtable, “Know Your Custodian: Key Considerations for Crypto Custody.” The speaker list is impressive—though, perhaps, it might have been even stronger had they invited me (a guy can dream, right?). Scheduled to take place at SEC headquarters in Washington, D.C., the event will bring together regulators, law firm partners, academics, and crypto-native custodians for what may prove to be the most consequential public dialogue on digital asset custody to date.