The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that Paula Dubberly, Deputy Director of the Division of Corporation Finance, is retiring from the agency later this month after more than 20 years of service.

Ms. Dubberly arrived at the SEC in 1992 and worked on a wide variety of rulemakings shaping public companies’ disclosure requirements to investors.  She ascended through various leadership positions in the division as she was named Assistant Director in 1995, became Chief Counsel in 2000, and was named Associate Director in 2003.  Ms. Dubberly was promoted to Deputy Director in July 2010.

Ms. Dubberly received the SEC’s Distinguished Service Award in 2010.  The award is the highest honor that the agency bestows on an individual.

“Paula is a true professional and always has served as a pillar of excellence and dedication for the Division of Corporation Finance,” said Mary Jo White, Chair of the SEC.  “She has a deep appreciation for the vital role that our securities laws play in the lives of investors everywhere.”

Keith Higgins, Director of the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance, added, “Paula has been a thought leader in the division and the agency for a long time.  She has been an extremely dedicated public servant, and investors and the capital markets have greatly benefited from her many talents and tireless efforts.”

Ms. Dubberly said, “I have loved serving at the SEC.  One of my greatest experiences here has been having the pleasure of working with the dedicated and smart staff in the division and throughout the agency.” 

Ms. Dubberly spearheaded the Division of Corporation Finance’s efforts to address issues stemming from the financial crisis, and she also played an integral role in the agency’s rulemakings to extensively revise executive compensation disclosure rules for the benefit of investors.  Ms. Dubberly helped develop the first comprehensive set of disclosure and registration rules for the asset-backed securities market.  She has managed many of the division’s rulemaking tasks to implement Dodd-Frank Act requirements, including conflict minerals, say-on-pay, and credit risk retention.  She also has managed a number of JOBS Act related initiatives within the Division of Corporation Finance. 

Earlier in her career following a flurry of financial reporting scandals by public companies in 2002, Ms. Dubberly helped lead the effort to require certification of past SEC filings by CEOs and CFOs of the largest 1,000 U.S. issuers.  She was an integral member of the implementation team for internal control requirements under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.  Ms. Dubberly also oversaw the review of filings by entities ranging from small limited partnerships to large investment banks, leading Internet companies, REITs, and asset-backed issuers.

Before joining the SEC staff, Ms. Dubberly was an associate with Jones Day.  She received her J.D. from Washington College of Law at American University, where she was Articles Editor of the law review.  She received her B.A. from George Washington University.