U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC” or “Commission”) Chairman Paul S. Atkins outlined some foundational themes for SEC enforcement in a recent keynote address at Fordham Law’s 25th Annual A.A. Sommer, Jr. Lecture on Corporate, Securities, and Financial Law.[1] This was the Chairman’s second important enforcement-related speech in his career. The first one came 18 years ago at the same A.A. Sommer, Jr. Lecture, when then-Commissioner Atkins discussed the Wells process and potential reforms to the SEC’s enforcement program. This time, as Chairman, he used the speech to begin shaping enforcement the way he has long discussed.
Enforcement Policies
New SEC Cross-Border Task Force to Combat Fraud
In an early sign of the priorities of the new administration, the SEC recently announced a new Cross-Border Task Force within the Division of Enforcement. According to its press release, the initiative is designed to sharpen the agency’s focus on foreign-based companies and market participants whose activities may harm U.S. investors, particularly through market manipulation schemes on US exchanges or otherwise.
SEC Speaks 2025: A New Day at the SEC
On May 19 and 20, 2025, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC” or “Commission”) Chairman Paul S. Atkins and other senior SEC officials convened in Washington, D.C. for the annual SEC Speaks conference. The Commission looked back at the last four years and outlined its strategic priorities going forward under President Trump’s second administration. The post below focuses on the SEC’s changing approach to enforcement.