Eversheds Sutherland is pleased to announce that Elizabeth H. Baird has joined the firm’s Litigation Practice Group as a partner. Seated in the Washington office, Ms. Baird will expand the firm’s securities enforcement and investment services capabilities with an emphasis on large-scale independent and internal investigations within the financial services sector. Previously, Ms. Baird was the Deputy Director of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Division of Trading and Markets. She joins the firm from Steptoe & Johnson.
An attorney for more than 20 years, Ms. Baird regularly represents clients in the financial services sector, including broker-dealers, public companies, investment advisers, senior management, compliance officials and other financial market participants in connection with private and public investigations and enforcement proceedings brought by the SEC, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and other self-regulatory organizations and government agencies.
“It is my pleasure to welcome Lizzie to the firm and our Litigation Practice Group,” said Mark D. Wasserman, Co-CEO of Eversheds Sutherland. “Her background as an SEC regulator, a Wall Street bond trader and an attorney representing clients through various investigations and enforcement proceedings, brings with it a multi-faceted perspective that will benefit clients working through the complicated and ever-evolving regulatory landscape.”
“Lizzie’s significant experience in the financial services industry and her highly regarded practice greatly complements our existing group of attorneys,” said Kymberly Kochis, Co-head of Global Litigation. “We believe our Litigation team’s bench strength and resources, and the firm’s extensive platform will truly allow Lizzie to excel in the most complex large-scale investigations our clients may face with the SEC, FINRA or other regulatory agencies.”
Prior to becoming an attorney, Ms. Baird spent nearly ten years as a bond trader on Wall Street, giving her a unique understanding of the financial market participants in fixed-income compliance, prime brokerage and all interest rate-sensitive sectors. Ms. Baird’s extensive capabilities also include counseling clients through the rapidly evolving blockchain technology and cryptocurrency regulation space.
“Our deep bench and experience in the securities industry, as well as our team’s appreciation of our clients’ needs and objectives, provides a preeminent platform to defend broker-dealers, investment advisers, and associated individuals through critical matters,” said Olga Greenberg, Co-leader of the Securities Enforcement Practice Group. “Lizzie’s knowledge of both entrenched and evolving markets – such as the cryptocurrency space – within the financial services industry, will be extremely valuable to our clients. We are thrilled Lizzie has joined our practice and are excited to see how she effectively elevates the services we provide to the securities enforcement and investment services community.”
After many years in private practice, Ms. Baird was recruited to the SEC. During her three years as Deputy Director of the SEC’s Division of Trading and Markets, Ms. Baird helped establish and maintain standards for fair, orderly, and efficient markets and regulated major securities market participants. In this role, she oversaw the Offices of Broker-Dealer Finance, Derivative Policy and Trading Practices, and Fixed Income. Additionally, she led the cryptocurrency and digital efforts for the Division of Trading and Markets.
In 2021, Ms. Baird went back into private practice. She brings a practical understanding of the daily challenges and needs of securities market participants, in addition to the regulatory and enforcement insights she offers clients.