Washington, D.C.– Sidley is pleased to announce that Barbara Stettner has joined the firm’s Securities Enforcement and Regulatory practice in Washington, D.C. Ms. Stettner joins from A&O Shearman, where she served as U.S. Head of Financial Services Regulatory. She was formerly a member of their global board and executive committee and served as managing partner of their Washington, D.C. office. Joining Ms. Stettner is C. Wallace DeWitt, a counsel from A&O Shearman.
Ms. Stettner advises U.S. and foreign financial institutions on regulatory and compliance obligations under state and federal securities laws. She represents a broad range of clients — including foreign and domestic banks and investment banks, asset managers, private funds, private wealth institutions, and broker-dealers — on regulatory issues related to both U.S. and cross-border securities activities, including cross-border fund raising activities, as well as broker-dealer, exchange/ATS, finder, and 15a-6 chaperoning and placement agent status questions. Barbara has a particular focus on the complex domestic and cross-border broker-dealer, investment adviser, and bank-related regulatory issues which arise in the private wealth sector. She formerly served as special counsel to the SEC’s Division of Market Regulation, now Trading and Markets, in the Office of the Chief Counsel, and as an attorney advisor in the Office of Risk Management and Control. She also served as Senior Counsel in the SEC’s Office of International Affairs.
Mr. DeWitt advises foreign and domestic financial institutions on a wide range of securities regulatory matters, with a particular focus on the private wealth sector and the cross-border distribution of investment services and financial products. He regularly represents clients before U.S. federal and state financial regulatory authorities, including the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. Mr. DeWitt also represents clients in filing comment letters and amicus briefs in connection with SEC rulemakings. He formerly served as senior counsel to Acting Chairman and Commissioner Michael S. Piwowar of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and as law clerk to the Hon. Laurence H. Silberman of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
“Barb’s practice brings strong synergies with our existing capabilities and client base, while also addressing key areas where we’re excited to expand,” said Kristin Graham Koehler, managing partner of Sidley’s Washington, D.C., office and a member of the firm’s Management Committee and Executive Committee. “Her addition allows us to broaden our offerings with another marquee partner who brings deep, specialized experience to the team.”
“Barb and Wallace are well known across the industry, including with many of our partners, clients, and regulators,” said Stephen Cohen, leader of Sidley’s Securities Enforcement and Regulatory practice. “Her extensive cross-border experience adds a powerful dimension to our capabilities and will enhance the value we deliver to clients around the world.”
Their arrival follows that of former CFTC Enforcement Director Ian McGinley to Sidley’s office in New York and former Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the U.S. Department of Justice's Criminal Division Lisa Miller to Sidley's office in Washington, D.C.
Sidley’s Securities Enforcement and Regulatory practice counsels and defends clients involved in all aspects of the global capital markets, from major Wall Street firms and leading public companies to prominent investment advisers and senior executives. We defend our clients in investigations by the SEC, CFTC, DOJ, state attorneys general, the UK FCA, other federal and state civil regulators, and self-regulatory agencies such as FINRA and the NYSE. We assist clients during regulatory examinations and conduct internal investigations of sensitive matters. We regularly advise our clients on a wide range of complex securities and commodities compliance-related matters, including structuring trades or complex derivative transactions and acquiring or disposing of regulated entities.
Sidley is an elite global law firm. With approximately 2,300 lawyers and nearly 160 years of experience, we have established a reputation for deploying innovative legal strategies to achieve powerful results for our clients in complex transactional, restructuring, crisis management, investigation, regulatory, and litigation matters.
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Matt Messinger, Director, Public Relations, +1 312 456 4009
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