Aaron D. Lebenta
Mr. Lebenta has more than 15 years’ experience representing clients in civil litigation, appellate work, internal investigations and defense of government and regulatory enforcement actions by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other state and federal agencies. Mr. Lebenta uses a tailored and value-driven approach to obtain the most favorable results for his clients, knowing when to push for settlement and when to push for trial and judgment.
In his government enforcement practice, Mr. Lebenta defends clients in white collar criminal and civil enforcement investigations and proceedings involving violations of federal statutes and regulations promulgated by state and federal government agencies with a focus on enforcement actions brought by the SEC and the Utah Department of Professional Licensing. Mr. Lebenta also represents clients in internal investigations and in disputes with self-regulatory organizations governed by the SEC including in proceedings before the SEC seeking review, rule changes and rulemaking with respect to adverse actions and rules passed by self-regulatory organizations.
In his civil litigation practice, Mr. Lebenta assists clients in resolving a variety of disputes in state, federal and appellate courts, including water right and environmental matters, private actions for securities fraud and other securities violations, business and commercial disputes, real property, contract disputes and corporate governance disputes.
Named among Utah Business Magazine’s “Legal Elite” in business litigation, and recognized by Mountain States Super Lawyers, Mr. Lebenta has achieved numerous favorable resolutions for his clients through settlement, by winning judgment in his clients’ favor at the trial court level and by defending judgments or reversing adverse judgments on appeal. Prior to joining Parson Behle & Latimer, Mr. Lebenta was a shareholder at Clyde Snow & Sessions and served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Pamela Greenwood for the Utah Court of Appeals.
Industries
Practice Areas
Accomplishments
University of Oregon School of Law (J.D., 2004)
University of Utah (B.A., Sociology, Criminology Certificate, 2001)
Spanish Language Study Abroad, University of Alicante, Spain (1998)
America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators, Lifetime Achievement Membership
Mountain States Super Lawyers, Rising Star (2009, 2011-2017)
Utah Business Magazine Legal Elite, Civil Litigation (2015)
Utah Business Magazine Legal Elite, Business Litigation (2009-2010)
Utah Business Magazine Legal Elite, Up and Coming (2009)
Associations
Judicial Law Clerk, Utah Court of Appeals, Judge Pamela T. Greenwood
Student Extern, Utah District Court, Judge Ronald E. Nehring
Judicial Law Clerk, Lane County District Attorney’s Office – Oregon
Judicial Law Clerk, Douglas County District Attorney’s Office – Oregon
Licensed/Admitted
U.S. Dist. Court, Dist. of Utah
U.S. Court of Appeals, 10th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit