Gina Buschatzke Associate

Leadership of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission addressed criticism, reiterated its commitment to safeguarding investors, and offered a glimpse into its agenda for the upcoming year during the Practising Law Institute’s SEC Speaks conference, held on April 2 and 3 in Washington, D.C. Director of the Division of Enforcement Gurbir Grewal, acknowledged that the Division of Enforcement’s ability to do its job “depends on trust and credibility.”

For more information, an expanded version of this article was previously published in Law360.

Senior Division of Enforcement officials from various U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission offices spoke with SEC alumni, private practitioners, and other legal professionals at the Securities Enforcement Forum Central 2023 in Chicago, Illinois, on September 19, 2023.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission adopted final rules on July 26, 2023, requiring public companies to provide current disclosure, within what may be a short time window, about material cybersecurity incidents and to include disclosure relating to cybersecurity risk management, strategy, and governance in annual reports.

Senior Division of Enforcement officials from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission shared the stage on May 23, 2023, with SEC alumni, private practitioners, and other professionals in the field at the Securities Enforcement Forum West 2023.

The annual SEC Speaks conference, in which SEC leadership highlights the agency’s current enforcement priorities and previews their agenda for the coming year, was held in Washington, D.C., on September 8-9. SEC leaders emphasized that regulation of the cryptocurrency market continues to be a top enforcement priority.

As discussed in this Update, the SEC’s enforcement agenda has ramifications on both the corporate and individual levels, including: (1) increased regulatory actions against market participants in cryptocurrency and blockchain-based token activities; (2) enhanced scrutiny over disclosures, including those related to digital assets, ESG matters, supply chain, and cyber incidents; and (3) a renewed focus on individual accountability.