Charles H. Field

Practice areas

Employee Benefits, Securities & Corporate Finance, Business/Corporate, Civil Litigation: Plaintiff, Employment & Labor: Employee, Mergers & Acquisitions

Focus areas

Employment Law – Employee, Securities Law

Charles Field, an accomplished legal professional, holds the role of managing partner at the San Diego, California branch of Sanford Heisler Sharp, LLP. He also serves as the head of the Financial Services Group within the firm.

In his professional capacity, Mr. Field specializes in securities law and various aspects of civil litigation. His expertise encompasses a wide array of areas, including ERISA claims, issues pertaining to employment law, violations related to FINRA, corporate mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, securities regulation, investment fraud, and disputes involving broker-dealers, among others.

With a career spanning an impressive 37 years, Mr. Field has consistently taken on ERISA class action cases against major Fortune 500 companies for their mismanagement of employee 401(k) retirement plans. This advocacy has led to the successful negotiation of multimillion-dollar settlements. Additionally, he has played a crucial role in establishing investment operations across the global landscape. Notably, he has represented elderly individuals and high net worth clients, aiding them in cases of financial deception involving investment firms, promoters, and brokers.

Between 2002 and 2013, Mr. Field served as the General Counsel for Nicholas-Applegate Capital Management, along with its successor. This experience has endowed him with a unique blend of private practice insight and a profound understanding of the legal landscape applicable to investment advisers, broker-dealers, and commodity trading advisors.

Mr. Field’s contributions extend to his roles as Chief Compliance Officer, FINRA General Securities Principal, General Options Principal, and General Municipal Securities Principal within the industry. He leverages this comprehensive knowledge to identify breaches in legal obligations by sellers and to support affected investors in their pursuit of damages recovery.

Educationally, Mr. Field completed his bachelor’s degree at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis. He subsequently earned his law doctorate from the Pacific McGeorge School of Law in 1986. Furthermore, he holds degrees in European legal studies from The University of Edinburgh and The University of Salzburg. He was admitted to practice law in Indiana in 1986, followed by California.

In recognition of his exceptional client service, Mr. Field has received an “Excellent” rating on Avvo. He maintains memberships in esteemed legal organizations, including the San Diego County Bar Association and the State Bar of California. His expertise has garnered media coverage from reputable sources such as CNBC’s Closing Bell, The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s magazine, Bloomberg, Law360, and several trade publications that focus on ERISA and investment-related matters.