MichaelLiftik

Michael Liftik brings over two decades of litigation, regulatory enforcement, investigations, and governance experience to Bedrock as its Chief Legal and Governance Officer. Michael supports Bedrock's commitment to structural discipline, operational integrity, and sovereignty across all aspects of the firm's legal and governance engagements.

For over eight years, before joining Bedrock in September 2025, Michael was a partner at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, the world's largest firm dedicated solely to litigation and disputes. At Quinn Emanuel, Michael was the founder and co-chair of the SEC Enforcement practice and the firm's Blockchain and Digital Asset practice, and Co-Managing Partner of the Washington, D.C. office. His practice focused on government and internal investigations, regulatory enforcement defense, securities litigation, cryptocurrencies, congressional investigations, crisis management, and cybersecurity. Michael's clients included venture capital and other private funds, fund limited partners, and venture-backed portfolio companies. Michael routinely led litigations in federal and state courts and arbitrations around the country. Michael has appeared on CNBC, CNN, Bloomberg TV, has testified before Congress, and has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times for his expertise on these topics.

Michael spent nearly a decade at the Securities and Exchange Commission where he developed a unique depth of knowledge working on enforcement and regulatory matters at all levels of the Commission. Michael was the Deputy Chief of Staff of the SEC, where he served as a senior legal advisor to Chair Mary Jo White on all aspects of the SEC's operations, including enforcement, regulatory policy, compliance exams, agency strategy and direction, as well as the day-to-day management of the agency. Before that, Michael was Chair White's Senior Advisor on Enforcement, counseling the Chair on enforcement cases and policy matters. Prior to his service in the Chair’s office, Michael was Counsel to the Director of the Division of Enforcement. He began his career at the SEC in San Francisco as an Enforcement Division staff attorney. From January to April 2017, Michael was the Acting Chief of the Complex Financial Instruments Unit, where he oversaw 45 attorneys and industry experts who investigated potential misconduct related to complex financial products, such as structured notes, asset-backed securities, and derivatives.

Before joining the SEC in 2007, Michael was in private practice focusing on securities litigation, white collar criminal defense, and internal investigations. He received a J.D. cum laude from Harvard Law School and an A.B. magna cum laude from Harvard College.