The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that Megan Barbero, who has served as General Counsel since February 2023, will leave the agency on Jan. 20, 2025. Ms. Barbero joined the SEC in July 2021 as Principal Deputy General Counsel.
“I thank Megan for her many years of public service, most recently as the SEC’s General Counsel,” said SEC Chair Gary Gensler. “Her measured advice and judgment have been critical to the decision making of the Commission. She is a leader with utmost integrity who has a deep knowledge and respect for the law. I have enjoyed and learned so much from working with Megan who has been one of my closest advisors. I wish her all the best.”
As General Counsel, Ms. Barbero served as the Commission’s chief legal officer. In that role, she provided advice on the full range of legal and policy issues before the Commission. Among other accomplishments, Ms. Barbero represented and counseled the Commission in its high-profile litigation, including numerous appeals and significant Supreme Court matters. She provided expert counsel on rulemakings and enforcement actions and guided the Commission through recent developments in constitutional and administrative law.
“It has been an incredible privilege to serve as the Commission’s General Counsel,” said Ms. Barbero. “I am particularly grateful to the talented and dedicated staff in the Office of the General Counsel. Their expertise in the securities laws and commitment to the Commission’s mission is truly remarkable and I have benefited tremendously from their support throughout my tenure.”
Before joining the SEC, Ms. Barbero served as Deputy General Counsel for the U.S. House of Representatives, where she managed strategic litigation for the House and its committees. Ms. Barbero previously served as an attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Appellate staff, representing the United States and its agencies as lead counsel in the federal courts of appeals.
Ms. Barbero previously worked in the Supreme Court and appellate litigation practice of WilmerHale LLP. Ms. Barbero clerked for Judge Rymer on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. She is a graduate of Harvard University and Stanford Law School.
