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Mary Jo White

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Mary Jo White
NameMary Jo White
CaptionOfficial portrait, 2013
Office31st Chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
PresidentBarack Obama
Term startApril 10, 2013
Term endJanuary 20, 2017
PredecessorElisse B. Walter
SuccessorJay Clayton
Office1United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York
President1Bill Clinton
Term start1June 1993
Term end1January 2002
Predecessor1Otto G. Obermaier
Successor1James B. Comey
Birth date27 December 1947
Birth placeKansas City, Missouri, U.S.
EducationThe College of William & Mary (BA), Columbia University (JD)
SpouseJohn W. White

Mary Jo White is an American attorney who served as the 31st Chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from 2013 to 2017, appointed by President Barack Obama. She previously served as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York from 1993 to 2002, becoming the first woman to hold that prestigious position. Her career has been defined by high-profile prosecutions of terrorists and financial criminals, followed by a tenure at the SEC marked by significant enforcement actions and rulemaking.

Early life and education

Born in Kansas City, Missouri, she was raised in McLean, Virginia. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from The College of William & Mary in 1968. She then attended Columbia Law School, where she was an editor of the Columbia Law Review and graduated with a Juris Doctor in 1974.

Following law school, she served as a law clerk for Judge Marvin E. Frankel of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. She then began her prosecutorial career as an assistant United States attorney in the same district, trying cases involving fraud, organized crime, and arms trafficking. In 1981, she moved to the private sector, becoming a litigation partner at the law firm Debevoise & Plimpton in New York City.

Tenure as U.S. Attorney

Appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1993, her tenure as U.S. Attorney was notably aggressive and wide-ranging. She oversaw the prosecution of those responsible for the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and the 1998 United States embassy bombings, securing convictions against Ramzi Yousef and Osama bin Laden. Her office also prosecuted high-profile financial cases, including those against mobster John Gotti and the securities fraud case against Michael Milken. She led the investigation into the 1996 crash of TWA Flight 800.

Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission

Nominated by President Obama and confirmed by the United States Senate, she led the SEC in the aftermath of the Financial crisis of 2007–2008. Her tenure emphasized robust enforcement, resulting in record penalties against major financial institutions like Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and Citigroup. She prioritized implementing rules from the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, including the Volcker Rule and money market fund reforms. The commission also advanced the JOBS Act and brought significant actions in areas like insider trading and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations.

Later career and private practice

After leaving the SEC, she returned to Debevoise & Plimpton as a senior chair of the litigation department. She has served on corporate boards, including that of Morgan Stanley, and was appointed by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to lead an investigation into allegations of misconduct within the governor's administration. She has also been a member of the Independent Review Committee for the National Football League.

Personal life

She is married to John W. White, a former partner at Cravath, Swaine & Moore and former director of the SEC's Division of Corporation Finance. They have two sons and reside in New York City.

Category:1947 births Category:Living people Category:American lawyers Category:United States Attorneys for the Southern District of New York Category:Chairs of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission Category:Columbia Law School alumni Category:College of William & Mary alumni