Securities Regulation and Enforcement Series - The SEC’s New Direction: Enforcement and Governance in Focus

In this episode of Season 2, A. Valerie Mirko, Partner at Armstrong Teasdale LLP and leader of the firm’s Securities Regulation and Litigation Practice, joins William Nelson, Director of Public Policy and Associate General Counsel at the Investment Adviser Association, to discuss the ongoing government shutdown and two recent speeches by SEC Chairman Paul Atkins on enforcement and corporate governance.

Chairman Atkins has announced plans to revamp the SEC’s Wells process, aiming to make the agency more transparent in sharing investigative findings and to give firms greater opportunity to respond before enforcement actions move forward.

He also signaled a potential shift in the shareholder proposal framework under Exchange Act Rule 14a-8, suggesting the SEC may allow companies to exclude precatory, or non-binding, shareholder proposals - a move that could reshape how corporate governance issues reach the ballot.

Finally, Valerie and William explore the implications of the government shutdown, noting that its full impact on rulemaking and policy may take time to unfold.

Past Episodes of this Series:

From Memecoins to Custody: What Firms Need to Know About Crypto (9/24/25)

⁠Corp Fin in Flux: What the SEC’s Latest Moves Mean for Issuers and Investors⁠ (8/13/25)

⁠⁠AI in the Investment Adviser Industry⁠⁠ (7/16/25)

⁠⁠Harnessing AI: What Attorneys and Financial Industry Professionals Need to Know⁠⁠ (6/18/25)

⁠⁠SEC Leadership, Crypto Policy, and FINRAs Regulatory Refresh⁠⁠ (5/21/25)

⁠⁠New Leadership, New Priorities: Paul Atkins at the SEC⁠⁠ (4/23/25)

⁠⁠How the New Administration and Congress Will Shape the SEC⁠⁠ (3/26/25)

⁠⁠Reflecting on 30 years of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act⁠⁠ (2/26/25)

⁠⁠Insights on SEC Transition and Policy Priorities with Pete Driscoll⁠⁠ (2/5/25)

Please note, the positions and opinions expressed by the speakers are strictly their own, and do not necessarily represent the views of their employers, nor those of the D.C. Bar, its Board of Governors or co-sponsoring Communities and organizations.