David Becker Named SEC General Counsel and Senior Policy Director

David Becker, formerly a partner in the Washington D.C. office of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, has been named the new General Counsel and Senior Policy Director of the SEC.  The appointment of David Becker was the first by new SEC Chairman Mary Schaprio.

David Becker served previously as SEC General Counsel from January 2000 to May 2002.  He first joined the SEC in 1998 as Deputy General Counsel.  David Becker now serves at the SEC once again as the chief legal officer with additional reponsibility for coordinating development and implementation of Commission policies.

The following quotes were taken from the official press release announcing David Becker as the new General Counsel of the SEC:

“I’m delighted that David has agreed to leave the private sector to return to the SEC and coordinate the Commission’s efforts at revitalization and reform,” said Chairman Schapiro. “Investors will benefit tremendously from his commitment and experience, and David’s wisdom and careful judgment make him well-suited to play this dual leadership role. Throughout his career both inside and outside the SEC, David has distinguished himself as one of the leading experts on financial services regulation and securities law, and he will now help shape the SEC’s future as an ever-stronger regulator.”

Mr. Becker said, “These are challenging times for investors and the Commission. It is a great honor and opportunity to work with Chairman Schapiro, the Commission, and its talented and dedicated staff in meeting these challenges.”

The full press release can be found at SEC.gov.

Tags: David Becker, mary schapiro, sec