William Birdthistle

William Birdthistle is the Director of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Investment Management. In his role as Director, Mr. Birdthistle oversees the Division’s overall operations, core functions, and mission.

Prior to joining the SEC in 2021, Mr. Birdthistle was a professor of law at Chicago-Kent College of Law, where his scholarship focused on investment funds, securities regulation, and corporate governance.

Mr. Birdthistle received his J.D. from Harvard Law School, where he served as managing editor of the Harvard Law Review, his M.A. in history from the University of Chicago, and a B.A. in English and psychology from Duke University.