SEC Announces New Enforcement Division Director

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that Judge Margaret “Meg” Ryan will serve as the next Director of the Division of Enforcement, effective September 2. Judge Ryan serves as a senior judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces and was nominated to that position in 2006 by President George W. Bush. She is also currently a lecturer on military law and justice at Harvard University Law School. Judge Ryan stated, "I look forward to joining the Commission in its important work to ensure that the Division is true to the SEC’s mission in taking action on behalf of investors harmed by those who break the securities laws and providing an effective deterrent against fraudulent and manipulative activities in our financial markets."

Prior to her current role, she was a partner at two law firms, Wiley Rein & Fielding and Bartlit Beck Herman Palenchar & Scott. She served as a law clerk to Supreme Court of the United States Associate Justice Clarence Thomas and to Judge J. Michael Luttig of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Following law school, Judge Ryan was a judge advocate in the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) and earlier in her career was an active-duty USMC communications officer including deployments to the Philippines and Desert Shield/Desert Storm. In a statement, SEC Chairman Paul Atkins remarked “Judge Ryan will lead the Division guided by Congress’ original intent: enforcing the securities laws, particularly as they relate to fraud and manipulation.”

Click here to read the Commission press release.