Michael R. Young

Named by Accounting Today as one of the "top 100 most influential people in accounting," Michael R. Young is a litigation partner at New York's Willkie Farr & Gallagher where he concentrates on securities and financial reporting with a particular emphasis in accounting issues.

Mr. Young is Chair of the firm's Securities Litigation & Enforcement Practice Group with a practice concentrating on the representation of companies, audit committees, officers, directors, accounting firms, and investment banks in United States and international securities class actions, SEC proceedings, and special investigations. His trial work includes the landmark jury verdict for the defense in the first class action tried to a jury pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. He has served as a member of FASB's Financial Accounting Standards Advisory Council and also serves as counsel to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the newly-formed Center for Audit Quality.

A prolific author on the subjects of financial reporting, audit committee effectiveness and the role and responsibilities of the independent auditor, Mr. Young's publications include The Financial Reporting Handbook (Aspen 2003) and Accounting Irregularities and Financial Fraud (Aspen 3d ed. 2006). Mr. Young is a much sought speaker and commentator on financial reporting issues, and has been regularly quoted in such publications as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Fortune, Forbes, USA Today, The Washington Post, and The National Law Journal. He has also appeared as an invited guest on Fox Business News, CNBC, MSNBC, CNN, and BNN (Canada).

Mr. Young is a graduate of Allegheny College and the Duke University School of Law, where he was Research and Managing Editor of the Duke Law Journal.