TheCorporateCounsel.net

At last week’s PLI Annual Institute on Securities Regulation, Corp Fin Director Renee Jones and Acting Deputy Director Lisa Kohl spoke about priorities in the Division, and it was mentioned that Corp Fin is in a hiring mode for lawyers. I am often asked about how to get a job in Corp Fin, and I always encourage people to go there when the can, because the Division provides opportunities for excellent training and experience and the chance to work with a very talented group of people. The window for job openings notoriously opens and closes over time, so often timing is the most important factor to consider when trying to land a job in the Division.

While the SEC does post more senior positions in Corp Fin from time to time, the best chance of getting in is by applying for positions in the Operations groups, where you would review filings. Once you have spent some time in Operations, it is often possible to move to other roles within the Division, or perhaps to other Offices or Divisions within the Commission. I believe that the hiring process in Corp Fin is relatively decentralized these days, so often you are interviewing with the people in Operations group that you would be working with if you were hired. If you have been thinking about working at the SEC, now might be a good time to dust off that resume!

– Dave Lynn