Realignment for SEC

[Anonymous]

When was the last time you were in biglaw?

Now only 6th years get their own, windowless offices.

The SEC windowless offices (at least in the Home Office) are spacious and clean.

IT is the same as in law firms. Your high-end machines are loaded down with useless software.

The detail is likely your firm pushing you out, or you jumping ship before getting pushed out. Nobody's upset.

Finally, people in the know do care. This is like arguing judicial clerkships are useless. To the contrary, I could not imagine being a litigator without one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When was the last time you were in biglaw?

Now only 6th years get their own, windowless offices.

The SEC windowless offices (at least in the Home Office) are spacious and clean.

IT is the same as in law firms. Your high-end machines are loaded down with useless software.

The detail is likely your firm pushing you out, or you jumping ship before getting pushed out. Nobody's upset.

Finally, people in the know do care. This is like arguing judicial clerkships are useless. To the contrary, I could not imagine being a litigator without one.

Yeah, I couldn’t imagine being a private securities lawyer without having done a 120 stint helping to write some esoteric rule at the sec.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This chairman has a dilemma on his hands: he mostly hates staff. He thinks we are all overpaid. He hates telework thinking (wrongly) that RTO leads to “collaboration” or whatever other nonsense - I am sure that so many people who come in at 6am and leave by 2:30 are so effective and “collaborative,” especially with their colleagues on the West Coast.
PA is delusional. Who is going to write all those rules? Adopting releases? FAQs? He has been in the building for almost a year now and hasn’t done anything but give speeches and produce a Christmas YouTube video.
If we do get any telework back, it’s because the few sane people around him convince him that this is the only thing that can boost the morale. Can’t wait for the next election.

He’s hiring young guns from law firms to come in for 120 to do the rulemaking . . . He doesn’t need a single SEC employee. Or so he thinks.

lol! Young guns? The ones whose only experience is doc review?

The young guns are the only ones he can hire because it it is obvious no one competent senior wants to work for this chairman: a judge as an ENF director? A washed cyber reg affairs guy as the Exams director? A Chief Economist with no regulatory experience it took a year to hire? No permanent GC? Looks like this chairman is struggling with getting people to work for him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When was the last time you were in biglaw?

Now only 6th years get their own, windowless offices.

The SEC windowless offices (at least in the Home Office) are spacious and clean.

IT is the same as in law firms. Your high-end machines are loaded down with useless software.

The detail is likely your firm pushing you out, or you jumping ship before getting pushed out. Nobody's upset.

Finally, people in the know do care. This is like arguing judicial clerkships are useless. To the contrary, I could not imagine being a litigator without one.

Yeah, I couldn’t imagine being a private securities lawyer without having done a 120 stint helping to write some esoteric rule at the sec.

Wait, so they are actually going to get people to come for 4 months and think they are going to write rules? Lol.

[Anonymous]

I actually think they will get takers. Associates will be voluntold to do it. Firms will brag to clients about their ability to influence the rules. I also disagree that being named in a rule release isn't a bit of a feather in one's cap. The CF director, for example, still talks about how he helped re-write Reg M-A.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This chairman has a dilemma on his hands: he mostly hates staff. He thinks we are all overpaid. He hates telework thinking (wrongly) that RTO leads to “collaboration” or whatever other nonsense - I am sure that so many people who come in at 6am and leave by 2:30 are so effective and “collaborative,” especially with their colleagues on the West Coast.
PA is delusional. Who is going to write all those rules? Adopting releases? FAQs? He has been in the building for almost a year now and hasn’t done anything but give speeches and produce a Christmas YouTube video.
If we do get any telework back, it’s because the few sane people around him convince him that this is the only thing that can boost the morale. Can’t wait for the next election.

He’s hiring young guns from law firms to come in for 120 to do the rulemaking . . . He doesn’t need a single SEC employee. Or so he thinks.

lol! Young guns? The ones whose only experience is doc review?

The young guns are the only ones he can hire because it it is obvious no one competent senior wants to work for this chairman: a judge as an ENF director? A washed cyber reg affairs guy as the Exams director? A Chief Economist with no regulatory experience it took a year to hire? No permanent GC? Looks like this chairman is struggling with getting people to work for him.

You obviously don’t read press releases or know the SEC. There is no chief economist anymore. And the new Director of DERA had been at the agency for 6 years. Because you were at the SEC like a decade ago, your knowledge is stale and you really don’t have a clue about how things have evolved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This chairman has a dilemma on his hands: he mostly hates staff. He thinks we are all overpaid. He hates telework thinking (wrongly) that RTO leads to “collaboration” or whatever other nonsense - I am sure that so many people who come in at 6am and leave by 2:30 are so effective and “collaborative,” especially with their colleagues on the West Coast.
PA is delusional. Who is going to write all those rules? Adopting releases? FAQs? He has been in the building for almost a year now and hasn’t done anything but give speeches and produce a Christmas YouTube video.
If we do get any telework back, it’s because the few sane people around him convince him that this is the only thing that can boost the morale. Can’t wait for the next election.

He’s hiring young guns from law firms to come in for 120 to do the rulemaking . . . He doesn’t need a single SEC employee. Or so he thinks.

lol! Young guns? The ones whose only experience is doc review?

The young guns are the only ones he can hire because it it is obvious no one competent senior wants to work for this chairman: a judge as an ENF director? A washed cyber reg affairs guy as the Exams director? A Chief Economist with no regulatory experience it took a year to hire? No permanent GC? Looks like this chairman is struggling with getting people to work for him.

You obviously don’t read press releases or know the SEC. There is no chief economist anymore. And the new Director of DERA had been at the agency for 6 years. Because you were at the SEC like a decade ago, your knowledge is stale and you really don’t have a clue about how things have evolved.

Well, PP is right about no GC and I don’t recall a press release about the lack of a gc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This chairman has a dilemma on his hands: he mostly hates staff. He thinks we are all overpaid. He hates telework thinking (wrongly) that RTO leads to “collaboration” or whatever other nonsense - I am sure that so many people who come in at 6am and leave by 2:30 are so effective and “collaborative,” especially with their colleagues on the West Coast.
PA is delusional. Who is going to write all those rules? Adopting releases? FAQs? He has been in the building for almost a year now and hasn’t done anything but give speeches and produce a Christmas YouTube video.
If we do get any telework back, it’s because the few sane people around him convince him that this is the only thing that can boost the morale. Can’t wait for the next election.

He’s hiring young guns from law firms to come in for 120 to do the rulemaking . . . He doesn’t need a single SEC employee. Or so he thinks.

lol! Young guns? The ones whose only experience is doc review?

The young guns are the only ones he can hire because it it is obvious no one competent senior wants to work for this chairman: a judge as an ENF director? A washed cyber reg affairs guy as the Exams director? A Chief Economist with no regulatory experience it took a year to hire? No permanent GC? Looks like this chairman is struggling with getting people to work for him.

You obviously don’t read press releases or know the SEC. There is no chief economist anymore. And the new Director of DERA had been at the agency for 6 years. Because you were at the SEC like a decade ago, your knowledge is stale and you really don’t have a clue about how things have evolved.

NP It says in this press release he is chief economist and director of DERA.
https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2025-143-joshua-t-white-named-sec-chief-economist

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This chairman has a dilemma on his hands: he mostly hates staff. He thinks we are all overpaid. He hates telework thinking (wrongly) that RTO leads to “collaboration” or whatever other nonsense - I am sure that so many people who come in at 6am and leave by 2:30 are so effective and “collaborative,” especially with their colleagues on the West Coast.
PA is delusional. Who is going to write all those rules? Adopting releases? FAQs? He has been in the building for almost a year now and hasn’t done anything but give speeches and produce a Christmas YouTube video.
If we do get any telework back, it’s because the few sane people around him convince him that this is the only thing that can boost the morale. Can’t wait for the next election.

He’s hiring young guns from law firms to come in for 120 to do the rulemaking . . . He doesn’t need a single SEC employee. Or so he thinks.

lol! Young guns? The ones whose only experience is doc review?

The young guns are the only ones he can hire because it it is obvious no one competent senior wants to work for this chairman: a judge as an ENF director? A washed cyber reg affairs guy as the Exams director? A Chief Economist with no regulatory experience it took a year to hire? No permanent GC? Looks like this chairman is struggling with getting people to work for him.

You obviously don’t read press releases or know the SEC. There is no chief economist anymore. And the new Director of DERA had been at the agency for 6 years. Because you were at the SEC like a decade ago, your knowledge is stale and you really don’t have a clue about how things have evolved.

NP It says in this press release he is chief economist and director of DERA.
https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2025-143-joshua-t-white-named-sec-chief-economist

He was a consultant and a visiting scholar as his last roles here almost a decade ago. Translation: pure academia, no real market.

And whoever said about the evolution, we sure have evolved - almost 1000 people left, and mostly the ones you wouldn’t want to leave. There was a lot of knowledge that walked out of the door without any transition or knowledge transfer. That’s evolution.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This chairman has a dilemma on his hands: he mostly hates staff. He thinks we are all overpaid. He hates telework thinking (wrongly) that RTO leads to “collaboration” or whatever other nonsense - I am sure that so many people who come in at 6am and leave by 2:30 are so effective and “collaborative,” especially with their colleagues on the West Coast.
PA is delusional. Who is going to write all those rules? Adopting releases? FAQs? He has been in the building for almost a year now and hasn’t done anything but give speeches and produce a Christmas YouTube video.
If we do get any telework back, it’s because the few sane people around him convince him that this is the only thing that can boost the morale. Can’t wait for the next election.

He’s hiring young guns from law firms to come in for 120 to do the rulemaking . . . He doesn’t need a single SEC employee. Or so he thinks.

lol! Young guns? The ones whose only experience is doc review?

The young guns are the only ones he can hire because it it is obvious no one competent senior wants to work for this chairman: a judge as an ENF director? A washed cyber reg affairs guy as the Exams director? A Chief Economist with no regulatory experience it took a year to hire? No permanent GC? Looks like this chairman is struggling with getting people to work for him.

You obviously don’t read press releases or know the SEC. There is no chief economist anymore. And the new Director of DERA had been at the agency for 6 years. Because you were at the SEC like a decade ago, your knowledge is stale and you really don’t have a clue about how things have evolved.

NP It says in this press release he is chief economist and director of DERA.
https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2025-143-joshua-t-white-named-sec-chief-economist

He was a consultant and a visiting scholar as his last roles here almost a decade ago. Translation: pure academia, no real market.

And whoever said about the evolution, we sure have evolved - almost 1000 people left, and mostly the ones you wouldn’t want to leave. There was a lot of knowledge that walked out of the door without any transition or knowledge transfer. That’s evolution.

Plenty of dead weight left too, lots of folks just hanging on to qualify for healthcare who were thrilled to be able to get out early.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This chairman has a dilemma on his hands: he mostly hates staff. He thinks we are all overpaid. He hates telework thinking (wrongly) that RTO leads to “collaboration” or whatever other nonsense - I am sure that so many people who come in at 6am and leave by 2:30 are so effective and “collaborative,” especially with their colleagues on the West Coast.
PA is delusional. Who is going to write all those rules? Adopting releases? FAQs? He has been in the building for almost a year now and hasn’t done anything but give speeches and produce a Christmas YouTube video.
If we do get any telework back, it’s because the few sane people around him convince him that this is the only thing that can boost the morale. Can’t wait for the next election.

He’s hiring young guns from law firms to come in for 120 to do the rulemaking . . . He doesn’t need a single SEC employee. Or so he thinks.

lol! Young guns? The ones whose only experience is doc review?

The young guns are the only ones he can hire because it it is obvious no one competent senior wants to work for this chairman: a judge as an ENF director? A washed cyber reg affairs guy as the Exams director? A Chief Economist with no regulatory experience it took a year to hire? No permanent GC? Looks like this chairman is struggling with getting people to work for him.

You obviously don’t read press releases or know the SEC. There is no chief economist anymore. And the new Director of DERA had been at the agency for 6 years. Because you were at the SEC like a decade ago, your knowledge is stale and you really don’t have a clue about how things have evolved.

NP It says in this press release he is chief economist and director of DERA.
https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2025-143-joshua-t-white-named-sec-chief-economist

He was a consultant and a visiting scholar as his last roles here almost a decade ago. Translation: pure academia, no real market.

And whoever said about the evolution, we sure have evolved - almost 1000 people left, and mostly the ones you wouldn’t want to leave. There was a lot of knowledge that walked out of the door without any transition or knowledge transfer. That’s evolution.

Plenty of dead weight left too, lots of folks just hanging on to qualify for healthcare who were thrilled to be able to get out early.

Too much dead weight left. That’s the problem. I only see more and more quality experienced people leaving.
The SEC was such a great agency to work for.

[Anonymous]

this thread using "left" for both "departed" and "remain" is really grinding my gears.

....

management is reportedly shocked—shocked i tell you— to discover that a lot of folks that are still employed are just not doing any work at all after being shown an org chart that doesn't have their team existing any more and their entire management chain took the fork or were demoted or reassigned.

whats the point? apparently the work wasn't valued, there's no budget, and it's not like any of the acting management can articulate what they want or set a course while still acting. oh well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:this thread using "left" for both "departed" and "remain" is really grinding my gears.

....

management is reportedly shocked—shocked i tell you— to discover that a lot of folks that are still employed are just not doing any work at all after being shown an org chart that doesn't have their team existing any more and their entire management chain took the fork or were demoted or reassigned.

whats the point? apparently the work wasn't valued, there's no budget, and it's not like any of the acting management can articulate what they want or set a course while still acting. oh well.

Agency has plenty of money. And it will likely get a full year CR based on Biden-era numbers.

But they only care about the rulemaking. Crypto first and foremost.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:this thread using "left" for both "departed" and "remain" is really grinding my gears.

....

management is reportedly shocked—shocked i tell you— to discover that a lot of folks that are still employed are just not doing any work at all after being shown an org chart that doesn't have their team existing any more and their entire management chain took the fork or were demoted or reassigned.

whats the point? apparently the work wasn't valued, there's no budget, and it's not like any of the acting management can articulate what they want or set a course while still acting. oh well.

Well said! It is interesting that the same people stay in management, especially SOs, no matter what. They are just moved around as chess pieces. Of course they cannot articulate what they want, because so many of them aren’t even qualified for the roles they are holding or have been reassigned to! It’s not just a vacuum of leadership, it is an abyss and a black hole sucking up all the morale and what’s left of the enthusiasm for the work we used to do, but aren’t doing anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I actually think they will get takers. Associates will be voluntold to do it. Firms will brag to clients about their ability to influence the rules. I also disagree that being named in a rule release isn't a bit of a feather in one's cap. The CF director, for example, still talks about how he helped re-write Reg M-A.

Top 5 dumbest post of 2026. First, no associate detailee would or could significantly “influence” anything. Second, even if they did, no law firm would “brag” about it. Third, even if they did brag about it, no client would care. Fourth, any associate who a firm could so easily lose for 120 days has no future at the firm in any event (associates on partner track are indispensable to their cases/deals).