Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is pleased to announce Lewis H. Ferguson has joined the firm's D.C. office as partner. Ferguson was previously the first General Counsel of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), a not-for-profit corporation chartered by the U.S. Congress as part of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 to oversee auditors of U.S. public companies.
"We are pleased to have someone of Lew's stature join the firm," said Ken Doran, Managing Partner of Gibson Dunn. "Lew is a seasoned, highly regarded lawyer. While we have robust securities regulatory and auditor liability practices, the market in these areas will continue to grow, and Lew's arrival will help us meet our clients' needs in the ever evolving regulatory environment and enhance our capabilities to represent clients in securities enforcement, litigation, and crisis management matters."
"Lew will be a terrific addition to our practice in representing public accounting firms and public companies in securities issues, particularly those dealing with accounting, auditing and financial reporting issues," said Stephanie Tsacoumis, Co-Partner in charge of the D.C. office. "His extensive experience and unique background will allow him to take a leadership role at the firm and add breadth to our significant experience on the SEC enforcement side in the accounting regulation arena."
"I am pleased to return to private practice," said Ferguson. "My new colleagues at Gibson Dunn are recognized as top tier in the regulatory enforcement area, and I am looking forward to adding my skills and experience to such a strong team."
About Lewis H. Ferguson
As General Counsel of PCAOB since January 2004, Ferguson was in charge of all legal affairs, including the development of the PCAOB's rules and procedures governing registration, inspection, and investigation of registered accounting firms. He also oversaw the litigation against the PCAOB challenging the constitutionality of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. In his role as general counsel, Ferguson led a team of 12 professionals, who advise on all aspects of PCAOB operations and dealt frequently with other regulators, such as the SEC, banking regulators, state accounting regulators and the financial regulatory authorities of other countries.
Prior to his three-year stint at the PCAOB, Ferguson was a partner with Williams & Connolly LLP and served as Director, Senior Vice President and General Counsel to Wright Medical Technology, a mid-size medical device company.
Ferguson clerked for Judge Frank Murray, of the U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts from 1971 to 1972. He has also served as adjunct professor for Georgetown University Law Center for tax and business planning. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors for Impulse Monitoring, Inc. and Cogent Communications, Inc.
He received his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1971, where he was a member of the Board of Editors of the Harvard Law Review. He attended King's College, Cambridge University on a fellowship and received his undergraduate degree from Yale College.