David Woodcock an 'encouraging' choice for SEC enforcement chief

David Woodcock's appointment as director of the Securities and Exchange Commission's Division of Enforcement has been described as a move likely to boost market participant and enforcement staff confidence following Margaret Ryan's abrupt departure from the role.

The SEC on Wednesday announced that Woodcock, a Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP partner who previously had served as director of the SEC's Fort Worth Regional Office, would assume the role of enforcement division director effective May 4.

The announcement came less than a month after the agency's March 16 announcement of Ryan's resignation. Ryan was named as director of the enforcement division in late August of last year and she assumed the role effective on Sept. 2, 2025.

"I find this a very encouraging appointment," Peter Chan, a partner at law firm Baker McKenzie, said of Woodcock's appointment. "I think it will build confidence for the market participants, but also build confidence with the enforcement staff itself."

Woodcock, chair of Gibson Dunn's securities enforcement practice group, served as director of the SEC's Fort Worth Regional Office from 2011 to 2015. During his previous tenure at the SEC, Woodcock "led Enforcement and Examinations Division lawyers, accountants, and examiners [and] oversaw investigations in nearly every major area of the SEC's enforcement program," according to the SEC's April 8 press release announcing his appointment as enforcement division director.

In addition, Woodcock, a certified public accountant, "created and served as Chair of the SEC's cross-office and cross-division Financial Reporting and Audit Task Force, which was designed to enhance the SEC's detection and prosecution of violations involving accounting and false financial statements," the release said.

Particularly given "the unexpected resignation of Judge Ryan," having someone like Woodcock who has been a leader within the Division of Enforcement and can also balance that with his understanding of the division from the perspective of being a defense lawyer, makes him "a very strong pick," said Chan, who previously served as assistant regional director in the SEC's Chicago Regional Office.

Woodcock's experience as a CPA is something that Chan finds as having "important application to the municipal bond market."

"He obviously will continue to work closely in overseeing the Public Finance Abuse Unit, but here's someone that is very comfortable with accounting disclosure," Chan said. "And so when it comes down to issuer disclosure dealing with municipal securities ? I wouldn't be surprised if there is even greater scrutiny or oversight on financial reporting by municipalities."

Chan said he expects that Woodcock "will be very good working with" LeeAnn Gaunt, chief of the Public Finance Abuse Unit, and her team. Woodcock is "an experienced enforcement leader" who will focus on ridding the municipal market as well as other areas of intentional fraudulent schemes.

"And yet at the same time, here is someone who's been also an experienced defense counsel in private practice," Chan said.

The SEC's enforcement division "has undergone a significant course correction, restoring Congressional intent by prioritizing cases that provide meaningful investor protection and strengthen market integrity," SEC Chairman Paul Atkins said in the April 8 release.

"I am incredibly pleased to have David rejoin the SEC at this critical time, as we continue to focus on the types of misconduct that inflict the greatest harm to investors," Atkins said.

The release also included comments from Woodcock, who said he was "honored to join the exceptionally talented team in the Enforcement Division" and looked forward to "advancing our vital mission of investor protection."

"My commitment is to lead the division with the highest level of professionalism and rigor as we execute the Chairman's vision and ensure the integrity of our financial markets," Woodcock said.