The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s top lawyer, General Counsel Megan Barbero, will leave her position next week, joining the exodus of top agency officials who had been responsible for the SEC’s legal battles with the crypto industry in recent years.
“His measured advice and judgment have been instrumental in the Commission’s decision-making,” Chairman Gary Gensler said in a statement about Barbero’s departure, which is scheduled for Jan. 20. That’s the day Gensler, the author of the SEC’s crypto stance, also leaves, just as President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in for a second term.
Barbero was the agency’s top attorney, responsible for how its legal department handled its disputes with cryptocurrency companies in federal courts and advising on its compliance posture. She served as general counsel since February 2023.
SEC enforcement chief Gurbir Grewal left in October, and the chief accounting officer behind the agency’s controversial crypto accounting policy, Paul Munter, also announced his pending departure this week.
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