Joan E. McKown

Joan McKown's practice focuses on investigations, enforcement actions, and other proceeding with U.S. and foreign regulators. Joan also counsels financial institutions, boards, corporations, and individuals on issues related to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as corporate governance, compliance, and ethics matters.

Joan recently represented corporations and corporate officers in SEC investigations involving corporate disclosure, books and records, internal controls, insider trading, and the FCPA.

Prior to joining Jones Day Joan was the longtime chief counsel of the Division of Enforcement at the SEC. During her 24-year career at the SEC, she played a key role in establishing enforcement policies at the agency and worked closely with the Commission and senior SEC staff. Her substantive experience extends across the full range of Division of Enforcement matters including corporate disclosure, insider trading, investment companies and investment advisors, broker dealers, and the FCPA. She oversaw the drafting of the Enforcement Division Manual and played a significant role in recent organizational changes in the Division.

Joan also served as a key liaison between the Division of Enforcement and other regulatory authorities including the Department of Justice, Commodities Futures Trading Commission, federal banking regulators, and state securities regulators. Joan led Wells meetings and settlement negotiations of thousands of SEC enforcement matters.

Joan frequently lectures on SEC topics related to Enforcement, Dodd-Frank, financial institutions, disclosure, FCPA, and insider trading.

Joan is a member of the board of trustees of the Legal Aid Society of Washington D.C.


HONORS & DISTINCTIONS

Recipient of the SEC's: Law and Policy Award (2010); Distinguished Service Award, which is the highest honor the agency bestows on an individual (2004); and Stanley Sporkin Award, which recognizes SEC staff who have made exceptionally tenacious and insightful contributions to the enforcement of the federal securities laws (1994)


EDUCATION

Drake University (J.D. with honors 1983; Order of the Coif; Law Review); Vanderbilt University (B.A. 1980)


BAR ADMISSIONS

District of Columbia, Missouri, and Illinois