The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced the appointment of James J. Moloney as the new Director of its Division of Corporation Finance, effective next month. Moloney, who has provided esteemed legal counsel to public companies worldwide on corporate transactions and governance issues for many years, brings a wealth of experience to the role.
Concurrently, Cicely LaMothe, who has been serving as Acting Director, will transition back to her position as a Deputy Director within the Division.
Mr. Moloney's career includes a prior six-year tenure at the SEC, from 1994 to 2000. During this period, he served as an attorney-advisor and later a special counsel in the Office of Mergers & Acquisitions within the Division of Corporation Finance. A significant achievement from this time was his role as the primary author of the proposing and adopting releases for Regulation M-A, a foundational set of rules governing mergers & acquisitions, tender offers, and proxy solicitations.
For the past 25 years, Mr. Moloney has been a key figure at Gibson Dunn & Cutcher, rising from corporate associate to equity partner. As a longstanding co-chair of the firm’s securities regulation and corporate governance practice, he has provided expert guidance to a diverse client base on critical issues such as corporate governance, disclosure regulations, mergers and acquisitions, tender offers, proxy contests, and going-private transactions.
Commenting on the appointment, SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins praised Moloney, stating, “Jim is a seasoned professional who understands all aspects of corporate governance and disclosure. He brings decades of experience to our regulatory efforts with an eye toward supporting innovation and facilitating capital formation.” Chairman Atkins also expressed his anticipation of collaborating with Moloney, Cicely LaMothe, and other members of the Division of Corporation Finance to modernize existing rules and reduce disclosure burdens, while acknowledging Cicely LaMothe’s leadership and dedicated service to the agency and markets.
In response to his new role, Mr. Moloney conveyed his enthusiasm, remarking, “I am both excited and grateful for this opportunity to work with Chairman Atkins to implement a clear regulatory framework for companies to disclose valuable information to investors. I’m honored the Commissioners have placed their trust in me at such a critical time for our markets. There is much to be done, and I am looking forward to rejoining my colleagues in the Division of Corporation Finance in tailoring smart, practical, and effective regulations that will allow companies to thrive and investors to benefit.”
Mr. Moloney holds an LL.M. degree in securities regulation with distinction from the Georgetown University Law Center. He earned his J.D. degree cum laude from Pepperdine University, where he served as an editor of The Pepperdine Law Review, and a B.S. degree in business administration from Boston University.