My Story:

Whether it has been as a corporate lawyer for a global law firm, as an investment banker for a global investment bank, as a senior state securities regulator, or as a testifying and consulting expert, I have spent most of my career on Wall Street. And I have done so in times of heightened optimism and pessimism, in times of heightened regulation and deregulation, in times of expansion and innovation and times of contraction and decline, and in times of economic and regulatory crisis and stability.

During that time, I have facilitated the creation of  capital by providing advice regarding public and private securities offerings, and I have ensured compliance with the securities laws, and have protected investors (while also ensuring the efficient allocation of capital) through the administration and enforcement of the securities laws.

Work History (Highlights):

Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services

From 2008 to 2024, I served in a senior leadership position in the securities section of the Division of Financial Regulation, which is a part of the State of Oregon’s Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS) and is Oregon’s largest securities regulator. In that capacity, I served as one of the agency’s leading subject matter experts in securities.

Securities Registrations
One of my primary responsibilities at DCBS was to serve as the the lead securities registrations attorney. In that capacity, I conducted a “merit review” of more than 400 applications to register securities under the Oregon Securities Law. Those applications included a wide variety of registrations, including fairness hearings, registrations by qualification, and SCOR offerings, and issuers, including real estate investment trusts, business development companies, private credit funds, and church extension plans. I also supervised the review of other registrations attorneys.

Enforcement and Investigations
I also played a pivotal role in several high-stakes enforcement actions, including some of the largest securities fraud cases in Oregon’s history. I also worked closely with DCBS investigators and examiners in their investigations into potential violations of the securities law.

Policy, Guidance, and Interpretations
I also regularly engaged with my colleagues as well as issuers, their attorneys, and market participants regarding securities registration, enforcement, and policy matters. That engagement included providing formal and informal guidance that helped issuers to better understand their options for raising capital, how to comply with the securities laws, and how to avoid (or mitigate) any compliance mistakes.

That engagement also included presentations regarding the securities law to internal and external groups and co-authoring a treatise on the Oregon Securities Law. I also played a leading role in influencing and shaping the securities regulatory policy of DCBS by drafting or assisting in the drafting of administrative rules under the Oregon Securities Law and recommending changes to the Oregon Securities Law.

Volunteer Work
I also helped shape federal legislation inform court decisions through my volunteer work with organizations such as the North American Securities Administrators Association and contributed to amicus curiae briefs for critical federal and state court cases involving the securities law.

Expert Witness and Consulting

In addition to serving as a testifying and consulting expert in several criminal grand jury and jury trials and administrative proceedings and other matters when I was at DCBS, in 2021 I founded Aspen Street Consultants to offer consulting and expert witness services regarding the federal securities law and corporate law to criminal defense attorneys and legal aid organizations in high-profile criminal cases.

Other Securities Related Work

Prior to joining DCBS, I practiced as a corporate lawyer for a global law firm and worked as an investment banker for an international investment bank and a smaller boutique investment bank. In those capacities, I advised multinational corporations, private equity firms, and financial institutions on a broad range of corporate and securities transactions, including public and private securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions, hedge fund formation, and corporate entity formation. I also played a key role in executing transactions, including due diligence processes and coordinating with legal and accounting teams to ensure that the deal closed successfully.