Barbara Stettner

Background

About Barbara Stettner

I am a Partner in Sidley's Securities Enforcement and Regulatory Practice. My focus is on advising U.S. and foreign financial institutions on their regulatory and compliance obligations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and the Bank Secrecy Act. I represent foreign and domestic banks, asset managers, private funds, insurance companies, and broker-dealers on various regulatory aspects of their domestic and cross-border securities activities. Additionally, I concentrate on the regulatory obligations of domestic and cross-border fundraising activities, including broker-dealer, finder, and placement agent status questions, sales practice requirements, and federal and state pay-to-play regulations. Before entering private practice, I worked at the SEC's Division of Market Regulation (now Trading and Markets), where I served as Special Counsel in the Office of the Chief Counsel and as an Attorney-Advisor in the Office of Risk Management and Control. I also served as Senior Counsel in the Commission's Office of International Affairs. Prior to joining the firm, I practiced at prominent law firms in Washington, D.C, and London. As part of the Financial Services Volunteer Corp, I regularly provide pro bono technical assistance to emerging markets on the regulatory and supervisory systems of markets and market intermediaries, including Jordan, the UAE, Russia, and Romania. I am widely recognized as a leading regulatory lawyer, having been acknowledged in Chambers USA in both Securities: Regulation: Advisory and Financial Services Regulation: Broker Dealer (Compliance). According to Chambers USA 2020, I bring "years of experience of what has worked" and possess "broad-based fundamental skills and expertise in broker-dealer matters." A client enthused that "she does an excellent job of spotting all the regulatory issues that might be implicated in a question and bringing all of those issues together."