McGuireWoods is building on its industry-leading securities enforcement and regulatory counseling capabilities with the arrival of Gary Leung, former regional director of the SEC’s Los Angeles office, and Jodi Lopez, a nationally recognized accountant and auditor defense attorney. The new partners join McGuireWoods’ Los Angeles office, continuing the firm’s West Coast expansion.
Leung served as director of the SEC’s Los Angeles Regional Office and associate director in the Division of Enforcement. He led a staff of more than 70 investigative attorneys, trial attorneys and enforcement accountants responsible for investigating and litigating federal securities law violations across Southern California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii and Guam. He supervised an enforcement docket of over 100 investigations and 80 litigated SEC enforcement actions in federal court and in the SEC’s administrative court. He previously held leadership roles in the SEC’s national specialized units and its trial unit as an assistant director in the Enforcement Division’s Asset Management Unit and as the Los Angeles Regional Office’s regional trial counsel.
Lopez comes to McGuireWoods from Sidley Austin, where she represented accounting firms and their professionals, public companies and their directors and officers, and private equity firms in a range of regulatory and litigation matters involving financial reporting, accounting, disclosure and tax issues. Lopez holds a nationwide ranking from Chambers USA for accountant and auditor liability and was named a Client Service All-Star by BTI Consulting Group for securities and professional liability litigation in 2020.
Leung and Lopez join McGuireWoods’ Securities Enforcement & Regulatory Counseling Practice Group, which holds a nationwide ranking in Chambers USA for its work advising broker-dealers in compliance and enforcement matters. Lopez will also assume co-leadership of McGuireWoods’ Accountant & Auditor Liability Practice Area, underscoring the firm’s focus and commitment to an area in which it has long excelled.
“After a distinguished career at the SEC, including his role overseeing the enforcement program and operations of the commission’s third-largest regional office, Gary brings a wealth of knowledge to our securities enforcement practice,” said Noreen Kelly, McGuireWoods’ deputy managing partner for litigation. “Jodi’s nationally recognized work and sterling reputation in the area of accountant and auditor liability adds great depth for our audit and accounting firm clients on the West Coast and nationwide.”
Mark Kinghorn, chair of McGuireWoods’ Financial Services & Securities Enforcement Department, added, “Gary’s experience supervising complex enforcement cases across the full spectrum of securities law will be invaluable to clients. Jodi has a stellar track record defending accounting firms and financial professionals in high-stakes matters. Together, their deep understanding of the regulatory landscape will help our clients anticipate and manage risks.”
Leung’s arrival at McGuireWoods marks a homecoming. Before entering public service with the SEC in 2012, he was a litigation partner in the firm’s Chicago office.
“After 13 years at the SEC, I am thrilled to return to McGuireWoods and put my enforcement experience to work for clients,” Leung said. “The firm’s deep bench in securities enforcement and regulatory counseling, combined with its national platform, provides a solid foundation to serve clients.”
Lopez added, “Joining McGuireWoods is an exciting opportunity to build on the firm’s strong securities enforcement platform and expand its accountant and auditor defense capabilities. I look forward to working alongside Gary and our talented team to deliver results for our clients.”
Leung and Lopez arrive at the firm following the recent addition of private equity partner Zachary Shub-Essig in Los Angeles. McGuireWoods also recently launched a Seattle office led by a nationally recognized litigation team.
“Gary and Jodi are outstanding additions to our Los Angeles office, furthering our commitment to building a premier team that can handle clients’ most critical legal challenges from coast to coast,” said Alice Youngbar, managing partner of McGuireWoods’ Los Angeles office.