Vice Dean for Academic Affairs Professor of Clinical Legal Education Director, Securities Arbitration Clinic
J.D. Fordham Law SchoolB.A. New York University
Christine Lazaro is Director of the Law School's Securities Arbitration Clinic. She came to St. John's in 2007 as the Clinic's Supervising Attorney. She is faculty advisor for the Moot Court Honor Society and the Corporate and Securities Law Society. Professor Lazaro holds a B.A. from New York University and a J.D. from Fordham Law School.
After graduating from law school and prior to joining the Securities Arbitration Clinic, Professor Lazaro was an associate at the boutique law firm of Davidson & Grannum, LLP. At the firm, she represented broker-dealers and individual brokers in disputes with clients in both arbitration and mediation. She also handled employment law cases and debt collection cases. Professor Lazaro was the primary attorney in the area of the firm’s practice that dealt with advising broker-dealers regarding investment contracts they had with various municipalities and government entities. Professor Lazaro is also of Counsel to the Law Offices of Brent A. Burns, LLC, where she consults on securities arbitration and regulatory matters.
She is admitted to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, the United States District Courts for the Southern District of New York, the Eastern District of New York, and the District of New Jersey and the New York and New Jersey State Bars. Professor Lazaro is a member of the New York State and the American Bar Associations, and the Public Investors Advocate Bar Association (PIABA). Professor Lazaro is a past President of PIABA and was a member of its Board of Directors. She is currently a member of the Legislation, Securities Law Seminar, and SRO Committees. Professor Lazaro is also the co-chair of the Securities Disputes Committee in the Dispute Resolution Section of the New York State Bar Association. Professor Lazaro serves on the SEC’s Investor Advisory Committee and the FINRA Investor Issues Advisory Committee. She also serves on the CFP Board’s Standards Resource Commission. Professor Lazaro is also a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the Securities Arbitration Alert, and occasionally contributes to its newsletter.
Pleading and Advocating a Negligence Claim through the Regulation Best Interest Lens, co-authored with Michael Edmiston, Practicing Law Institute Program Materials for "Securities Arbitration 2022" (2022); republished, 29 No. 3 PIABA B.J. 297 (2022)
The Obligations and Regulatory Challenges of Online Broker-Dealers and Trading Platforms, co-authored with Teresa Verges, PIABA 30th Annual Meeting Materials (2021), republished, 29 No. 1 PIABA B.J. 25 (2021)
An Overview of BrokerCheck and the Central Registration Depository, co-authored with Albert Copeland, 28 No. 3 PIABA B.J. 425 (2021)
Telephone Mediations of Small Claims, co-authored with Scott Eichhorn, Practicing Law Institute Program Materials for "Securities Arbitration 2020" (2020)
Business Development Companies -The Basics, 28 No. 2 PIABA B.J. 273(2021)
An Overview of the Regulation Best Interest Rule Package, PIABA 28th Annual Meeting Materials (2019), updated and republished, [27 No. 3 PIABA B.J. 357 (2020),] PIABA 29th Annual Meeting Materials (2020), and PIABA Mid-Year Meeting Materials (2021)
Technology in Legal Practice: Keeping Ethical Obligations in Mind, co-authored with Teresa Verges, Practicing Law Institute Program Materials for "Securities Arbitration 2019" (2019); republished, 3 PLI Current: The Journal of PLI Press 577 (2019)
Discovery Guidance for Product Cases, New York City Bar Program Materials for "Securities Arbitration & Mediation Hot Topics 2019" (2019)
Fiduciary Duties and Securities Brokers: A Need for a Uniform Standard, co-authored with Michael R. Fabrizio, New York City Bar Program Materials for "Securities Arbitration & Mediation Hot Topics 2019" (2019)
The Regulation of Digital Investment Advice, PIABA 27th Annual Meeting Materials (2018)
Financial Exploitation of the Elderly: An Overview of Regulatory Action, PIABA Mid-Year Meeting Materials (2018)
Eligibility and Statutes of Limitations in Arbitration, co-authored with Michael S. Edmiston, New York City Bar Program Materials for “Securities Arbitration & Mediation Hot Topics 2018” (2018)
Supervision and Compliance of Brokerage Firms, 24 No. 3 PIABA B.J. 435 (2017)
Regulatory Updates: FINRA and SEC Rule Changes and Guidance of Interest, 24 No. 1 PIABA B.J. 109 (2017)
Defining "Fiduciary": Differences in Fiduciary Standards within the Securities Industry, PIABA 26th Annual Meeting Materials (2017)
Supervision and Compliance of Brokerage Firms: Focus on Conflicts of Interest, PIABA 25th Annual Meeting Materials (2016)
Supervision and Compliance of Brokerage Firms, PIABA 24th Annual Meeting Materials (2015)
Suitability Obligations Applicable to Securities and Annuities, co-authored with Benjamin P. Edwards, PLI Programs Materials for "Securities Arbitration 2015" (2015)
Major Investor Losses Due to Conflicted Advice: Brokerage Industry Advertising Creates the Illusion of a Fiduciary Duty, co-authored with Joseph C. Peiffer, 22 No. 1 PIABA B.J. 1 (2015)
The Fragmented Regulation of Investment Advice: A Call for Harmonization, co-authored with Benjamin P. Edwards, 4 MICH. BUS. & ENTREPRENEURIAL L. REV. 47 (2014)
The Future of Financial Advice: Eliminating the False Distinction between Brokers and Investment Advisers, St. John’s Law Review, 87 St. John's L. Rev. 381 (2014)
Special Consideration in Simplified Arbitration Cases, co-authored with Brent Burns, New York State Bar Association Program Materials for "Securities Arbitration and Mediation 2014 – Telling Your Story" (2014)
Has Expungement Broken Brokercheck?, 14 J. BUS. & SEC. L. 125 (2014)
Ethical Concerns when Settlement Includes an Agreement about Expungement, PIABA 22nd Annual Meeting Materials (2013)
Keys to Successful Motions to Compel, co-authored with Paul Radvany, New York State Bar Association Program Materials for "Securities Arbitration and Mediation 2012 - The Basics Evolve" (2012)
The Arbitrator Selection Process, co-authored with Paul Radvany, New York State Bar Association Program Materials for "Securities Arbitration and Mediation 2012 - The Basics Evolve" (2012)
Financial Abuse of the Elderly, PIABA 21st Annual Meeting Materials (2012)
A Summary of the SEC Study on Investment Advisors and Broker-Dealers, PIABA Bar Journal, 18 PIABA B.J. 55 (2011)
Fiduciary Duty - Now and in the Future, PIABA Bar Journal, 17 PIABA B. J. 129 (2010)
Financial Abuse of the Elderly: Protecting the Vulnerable, co-authored with Lisa Catalano, PIABA Law Journal, 15 PIABA B.J. 1 (2008); republished, Journal of Securities Law, Regulation & Compliance, Henry Stewart Publications, 3J. Sec. L. Reg. & Comp. 5 (2010)
The Existence and Scope of the Fiduciary Duty in the Broker-Customer Relationship: a 50 State Survey (and D.C.), PIABA 18th Annual Meeting Materials (2009)
Directing the Arbitration, New York State Bar Association Program Materials for "Securities Arbitration and Mediation 2009 - The New World" (2009)
Expungement Developments, co-authored with Sandra Grannum, New York City Bar Association Program Materials for "Securities Arbitration Hot Topics 2005" (2005)