In this Season 3 episode, co-hosts Valerie Mirko, Partner at Armstrong Teasdale LLP and leader of the firm’s Securities Regulation and Litigation Practice, and William Nelson, Director of Public Policy and Associate General Counsel at the Investment Adviser Association, break down a timely set of regulatory and legislative developments shaping today’s securities landscape.

Valerie and William discuss the recent appointment of David Woodcock as the SEC’s Director of Enforcement and how he is expected to continue Chairman Atkins’s focus on investor harm. Valerie also notes that, despite a recent lull in rulemaking and few open meetings, there could be an “Atkins avalanche” of regulatory activity, with as many as two dozen rules proposed during his tenure.

They further explore Chairman Atkins’s recent speeches, in which he has suggested the SEC may codify certain existing no-action guidance through formal rulemaking.

William also previews next month’s episode, which will cover the Department of Labor’s recent rule that could allow retirement plans to invest more heavily in alternative assets such as private equity and digital assets.

This episode is a must-listen for securities lawyers, compliance professionals, regulators, and anyone navigating today’s rapidly evolving regulatory landscape.

Recent Past Episodes of this Series:

Congress Puts the SROs Under the Microscope: SEC Oversight, Transparency, and Reform (3/18/2026)

⁠Congress Puts the SEC Under the Microscope: Accountability, Due Process, and Reform⁠ (2/11/2026)

⁠⁠A Study in Contrasts: Innovation and Crypto versus the Crypto Fraud Landscape⁠⁠ (1/21/2026)

⁠⁠⁠A Year of Change, Challenges, and What Comes Next⁠⁠⁠ (12/17/2025)

⁠⁠⁠⁠When Washington Stops: What the 2025 Shutdown Means for the SEC and Congress Going Forward⁠⁠⁠⁠ (11/19/2025)

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The SEC’s New Direction: Enforcement and Governance in Focus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (10/22/25)

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠From Memecoins to Custody: What Firms Need to Know About Crypto⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (9/24/25)

Please note, the positions and opinions expressed by the speakers are strictly their own, and do not necessarily represent the views of their employers, nor those of the D.C. Bar, its Board of Governors or co-sponsoring Communities and organizations.

In this episode of Brief Encounters, host Joyce Williams is joined by former Appellate Immigration Judge Andrea Sáenz and former Immigration Judge Anam Rahman Petit for a timely conversation on U.S. immigration law at the intersection of policy and the rule of law. Together, they unpack judicial independence, detention and adjudication, and the shifting boundaries of asylum—offering an insider’s view of how these legal frameworks shape due process, access to protection, and the future of the immigration system.

Please note, the positions and opinions expressed by the speakers are strictly their own, and do not necessarily represent the views of their employers, nor those of the D.C. Bar, its Board of Governors or co-sponsoring Communities and organizations.

In this episode of Brief Encounters, Christina Bonanni, Counsel at Clean Energy Counsel interviews Alice C. Hill, the David M. Rubenstein Senior Fellow for Energy and Environment at the Council on Foreign Relations about the growing strain climate change is placing on the insurance market. Alice explains that the increasing frequency and severity of disasters, such as wildfires, floods, and storms, are making it more difficult for insurers to accurately price risk, leading to higher premiums, reduced coverage, or complete withdrawal from high-risk areas.

These challenges are reshaping the property insurance landscape and raising fundamental questions about the long-term viability of traditional risk-spreading models. But with heightened awareness comes an opportunity to learn, innovate, and build resilience, starting at the community level and scaling upward, ultimately positioning society to not only respond to climate risks but to shape a more sustainable and prepared future.

Please note, the positions and opinions expressed by the speakers are strictly their own, and do not necessarily represent the views of their employers, nor those of the D.C. Bar, its Board of Governors or co-sponsoring Communities and organizations.

Join Gabrielle Kohlmeier—ABA Commissioner on Women, ex-Verizon Global Head of Legal Innovation & Emerging Solutions, and a leading voice on responsible AI governance and adoption—and Tamara Kraljic, Counsel at Hughes Hubbard & Reed and a leader with the Women’s Bar Association of DC, for an International Women’s Day conversation on why we all need to be AI literate and how the ABA’s 21 Days of AI: A Grit and Growth Mindset Challenge helps move us forward.

This episode explores why AI fluency is becoming essential for legal professionals (and everyone!), and how the ABA’s bite-sized daily practice Challenge helps lawyers build confidence using AI safely and thoughtfully—even in cautious or regulated environments. We also discuss why closing the gender gap in AI adoption matters: women need to be in that conversation not as a matter of symbolic inclusion but because the quality and equity of the outcomes depend on it.

Please note, the positions and opinions expressed by the speakers are strictly their own, and do not necessarily represent the views of their employers, nor those of the D.C. Bar, its Board of Governors or co-sponsoring Communities and organizations.

In this episode, Shadow Representative Oye Owolewa joins D.C. Affairs Community Co-Chair Angela Parsons to discuss the history of the District of Columbia Shadow Delegation, and explain how it differs from that of the District’s Congressional Delegate. He emphasizes how D.C.’s lack of full voting representation affects the District’s ability to control its budget, pass local laws, and exercise meaningful home rule. The conversation also explores the historical development of D.C.’s political status, the practical consequences of Congressional oversight, and what fuller representation could mean for governance in the nation’s capital. For attorneys, law students, and anyone interested in the intersection of constitutional structure and local autonomy, this episode offers a historical and substantive look at how representation shapes life in Washington, D.C.

The D.C. Affairs Community is proud to present this podcast with a reminder that the history of D.C. is the history of our Nation.

Please note, the positions and opinions expressed by the speakers are strictly their own, and do not necessarily represent the views of their employers, nor those of the D.C. Bar, its Board of Governors or co-sponsoring Communities and organizations. Participation in this podcast does not constitute endorsement of any candidate, campaign, or political position by the D.C. Bar or D.C. Bar Communities.

In this Season 3 episode, co-hosts Valerie Mirko, Partner at Armstrong Teasdale LLP and leader of the firm’s Securities Regulation and Litigation Practice, and William Nelson, Director of Public Policy and Associate General Counsel at the Investment Adviser Association, break down a timely set of regulatory and legislative developments shaping today’s securities landscape.

The conversation begins with a recent House Financial Services Committee hearing, A New Day at the SEC: Restoring Accountability, Due Process, and Public Confidence, and why many in the industry have welcomed the hearing as an opportunity to reinforce transparency, accountability, and adherence to the SEC’s core mission - particularly in the Commission’s rulemaking and enforcement processes.

Valerie and William also discuss the SEC’s recent January 30, 2026 statement on tokenization, highlighting how the Commission is thinking about the application of the federal securities laws to traditional asset classes as new technologies reshape market infrastructure. The episode wraps up with a look at FINRA’s rule modernization initiative, including a proposed update to the outside business activities rule, and how FINRA's efforts are aligning with broader SEC and congressional priorities.

A must-listen for securities lawyers, compliance professionals, regulators, and others navigating a rapidly evolving regulatory environment.

Recent Past Episodes of this Series:

A Study in Contrasts: Innovation and Crypto versus the Crypto Fraud Landscape (1/21/2026)

⁠A Year of Change, Challenges, and What Comes Next⁠ (12/17/2025)

⁠⁠When Washington Stops: What the 2025 Shutdown Means for the SEC and Congress Going Forward⁠⁠ (11/19/2025)

⁠⁠⁠⁠The SEC’s New Direction: Enforcement and Governance in Focus⁠⁠⁠⁠ (10/22/25)

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠From Memecoins to Custody: What Firms Need to Know About Crypto⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (9/24/25)

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Corp Fin in Flux: What the SEC’s Latest Moves Mean for Issuers and Investors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (8/13/25)

Please note, the positions and opinions expressed by the speakers are strictly their own, and do not necessarily represent the views of their employers, nor those of the D.C. Bar, its Board of Governors or co-sponsoring Communities and organizations.