Biography

John Sten has over 25 years of corporate, securities and white-collar criminal defense experience. Managing attorney of the firm's Boston office, he began his distinguished career as a member of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Summer Honors Program before being selected to begin his legal career in the SEC Division of Enforcement in Washington, D.C. At heart, John advises about, and successfully solves, the problems faced by his clients: regulatory, litigation-related or just day-to-day corporate issues – whatever they are and wherever in the world they may occur. As such, John also serves as outside corporate counsel and corporate secretary to a select number of clients. 

John represents officers, directors, boards and companies in high-stakes matters involving government regulators and in private litigation matters concerning fraud, securities, health care, public corruption and other matters at the federal, state and local levels, as well as by government regulators. He also conducts internal investigations for his clients, counsels them on remediation and corporate governance issues, and routinely handles all manner of other complex civil litigation issues.

Background

Prior to joining Armstrong Teasdale, John spent more than 20 years in private practice at other Boston and New England area law firms. Before that, he was a Enforcement Attorney in the SEC’s home office in Washington D.C.  Although John as successfully won many cases by way of motion to dismiss, summary judgment or before a judge via a bench trial, he is one of the few defense attorneys to successfully try a case in front of a jury against the SEC. 

Education

  • Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law  (J.D., magna cum laude, 1995)
    • The Journal of Contemporary Health Law and Policy, Editor-in-Chief
  • University of Massachusetts–Boston  (B.A., 1991)
    • Political Science

Admissions

  • Massachusetts
  • District of Columbia
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts
  • Supreme Court of the United States

Professional Activities

  • New England Legal Foundation, Member of the Board of Directors
  • Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, Member
  • Association of SEC Alumni, Member
  • SEC Historical Society, Member

Charitable and Civic Involvement

  • Columbus School of Law (Alumni Council, 2021-2024)
  • American Ireland Fund
  • Hon. Joseph P. Kennedy, III, Finance Committee Member
  • Hon. Shawn Dooley, Finance Committee Chair
  • Brattle Film Foundation, Board of Directors

Accolades

  • Massachusetts Super Lawyers®, Securities Litigation (2004 - 2006, 2011 - 2015, 2019, 2021)
  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Commercial Litigation (2017-present)
  • The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, Distinguished Alumni Award
  • Second Degree Black Belt in the Shaolin Southern Long Fist style of Martial Arts
Contact Us
  • Worldwide
  • Boston, MA
  • Chicago, IL
  • Denver, CO
  • Dublin, Ireland
  • Edwardsville, IL
  • Jefferson City, MO
  • Kansas City, MO
  • Las Vegas, NV
  • London, England
  • Miami, FL
  • New York, NY
  • Orange County, CA
  • Philadelphia, PA
  • Princeton, NJ
  • Salt Lake City, UT
  • St. Louis, MO
  • Washington, D.C.
  • Wilmington, DE
Worldwide
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Boston, MA
800 Boylston St.
30th Floor
Boston, MA 02199
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Chicago, IL
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Denver, CO
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Edwardsville, IL 62025
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Jefferson City, MO
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Kansas City, MO
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Royal College of Surgeons of England
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2005 Market Street
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Princeton, NJ
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Salt Lake City, UT
222 South Main St.
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Salt Lake City, UT 84101
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St. Louis, MO
7700 Forsyth Blvd.
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Washington, D.C.
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Washington, DC 20036
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Wilmington, DE
1007 North Market Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
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