A number of top lawyers from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission have trickled to the exits over the past year, driven by what ex-SEC officials and legal recruiters say is not only a hot lateral market but also, in some cases, frustration over new leadership’s aggressive enforcement tactics.
At least 22 mid- to senior-level SEC officials have left the agency since May 2021, with a vast majority finding new homes at law firms, according to a Law360 Pulse review of both SEC and law firm personnel announcements and LinkedIn profiles. The departures include several veteran members of the enforcement division, the leaders of the San Francisco and Salt Lake City branches, and multiple senior members of the examinations division, including the acting director.
Source: Frustration, Hot Atty Market Drive Some Senior Exits At SEC – Law360