Barbara Stettner

BARBARA STETTNER focuses her practice on advising U.S. and foreign financial institutions on a wide range of regulatory and compliance obligations, guiding them through the complex regulatory landscape governing their domestic and cross-border securities activities. She represents multiple foreign and domestic banks, private wealth institutions, investment banks, broker-dealers, and asset managers in structuring and implementing U.S.-compliant domestic and cross-border securities distribution, fundraising, trading, asset management, and custody programs. Barb also applies this knowledge to the cross-border sales, trading, and custody of digital assets. Her experience extends to both the structuring and ongoing compliance of financial products and services, ensuring clients meet their obligations in an evolving regulatory environment.

Previously, Barb was at the SEC’s Division of Trading and Markets as Special Counsel in the Office of the Chief Counsel, Attorney-Advisor in the Office of Risk Management and Control, and Senior Counsel in the Office of International Affairs. She is a current member of the Board of Advisors of the SEC’s Historical Society. She has also practiced at law firms in Washington, D.C. and London.

Barbara is widely recognized as a leading regulatory lawyer. Chambers USA has ranked her for Nationwide Financial Services Regulation: Broker Dealer (Compliance) (2009–2025), with clients noting “Barbara provides highly commercial advice that is easily digestible by colleagues” and that “Barbara has outstanding judgement and a good business sense when it comes to achieving goals efficiently and effectively” (2024).