Paul S. Atkins
Encyclopedia
Paul S. Atkins is Managing Director of Patomak Partners LLC, which provides consulting services regarding financial services industry matters, including regulatory compliance, risk and crisis management, trade analysis, and strategy. He is also Senior Partner of Sphere Consulting LLC, a public affairs firm also in Washington, D.C.
focusing on the financial services industry.
, Atkins grew up in Tampa, Florida
. He received his A.B. from Wofford College
in 1980 and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Kappa Alpha Order
.
Atkins received his J.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Law in 1983 and was Senior Student Writing Editor of the Vanderbilt Law Review.
, focusing on a wide range of corporate transactions for U.S. and foreign clients, including public and private securities offerings and mergers and acquisitions. He was resident for 2½ years in his firm's Paris office and admitted as conseil juridique in France in 1988.
Before his appointment as commissioner, Atkins assisted financial services firms in improving their compliance with SEC regulations and worked with law enforcement agencies to investigate and rectify situations where investors had been harmed. Most prominent among these situations was Bennett Funding Group
, Inc., a $1 billion leasing company that perpetrated the then-largest "Ponzi" fraud to date in U.S. history. More than 20,000 investors lost much of their investment. Assisting the company’s court-appointed bankruptcy trustee, Atkins served as crisis president of Bennett’s sole surviving subsidiary, according to his SEC biography. By stabilizing its finances and operations and rebuilding and expanding its business, he improved its share value for the remaining investors by almost 2000%.
From 1990-94, Atkins served on the staff of two former chairmen of the SEC, Richard C. Breeden
and Arthur Levitt
. Under Chairman Breeden, he assisted in efforts to improve regulations regarding corporate governance, enhance shareholder communications, strengthen management accountability through proxy reform, and decrease barriers to entry for small businesses and middle market companies to the capital markets. Under Chairman Levitt, he was responsible for organizing the SEC's individual investor program, including the first investor town hall meetings, and an SEC consumer affairs advisory committee.
Atkins was a commissioner of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from July 9, 2002 until his term's completion in August 2008. He served under chairmen Harvey Pitt
, William H. Donaldson
, and Christopher Cox.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
focusing on the financial services industry.
Early life and education
Originally from Lillington, North CarolinaLillington, North Carolina
Lillington is a town in Harnett County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,915 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Harnett County.-Geography:Lillington is located at ....
, Atkins grew up in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
. He received his A.B. from Wofford College
Wofford College
Established in 1854 and related to the United Methodist Church, Wofford College is an independent, Phi Beta Kappa liberal arts college of 1,525 students located in downtown Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States. The historic campus is recognized as a national arboretum and features “The...
in 1980 and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Kappa Alpha Order
Kappa Alpha Order
Kappa Alpha Order is a social fraternity and fraternal order. Kappa Alpha Order has 124 active chapters, 3 provisional chapters, and 2 commissions...
.
Atkins received his J.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Law in 1983 and was Senior Student Writing Editor of the Vanderbilt Law Review.
Career
Atkins began his career as a lawyer in New York City with Davis Polk & WardwellDavis Polk & Wardwell
Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP is an international law firm. The firm employs more than 800 attorneys worldwide and is headquartered in New York City. The firm represents many of the world's largest companies and leading financial institutions, and is best known for its corporate and litigation...
, focusing on a wide range of corporate transactions for U.S. and foreign clients, including public and private securities offerings and mergers and acquisitions. He was resident for 2½ years in his firm's Paris office and admitted as conseil juridique in France in 1988.
Before his appointment as commissioner, Atkins assisted financial services firms in improving their compliance with SEC regulations and worked with law enforcement agencies to investigate and rectify situations where investors had been harmed. Most prominent among these situations was Bennett Funding Group
Bennett Funding Group
The Bennett Funding Group were the perpetrators of the second largest Ponzi scheme in U.S. history. The leasing & funding company was based in Syracuse, New York...
, Inc., a $1 billion leasing company that perpetrated the then-largest "Ponzi" fraud to date in U.S. history. More than 20,000 investors lost much of their investment. Assisting the company’s court-appointed bankruptcy trustee, Atkins served as crisis president of Bennett’s sole surviving subsidiary, according to his SEC biography. By stabilizing its finances and operations and rebuilding and expanding its business, he improved its share value for the remaining investors by almost 2000%.
From 1990-94, Atkins served on the staff of two former chairmen of the SEC, Richard C. Breeden
Richard C. Breeden
Richard C. Breeden is a former Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, hedge fund manager, and corporate chairman.-Early career:Breeden began his career practicing corporate and securities law in New York City...
and Arthur Levitt
Arthur Levitt
Arthur Levitt, Jr. was the twenty-fifth and longest-serving Chairman of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission from 1993 to 2001. Widely hailed as a champion of the individual investor, he has been criticized for not pushing for tougher accounting rules. Since May 2001 he has been...
. Under Chairman Breeden, he assisted in efforts to improve regulations regarding corporate governance, enhance shareholder communications, strengthen management accountability through proxy reform, and decrease barriers to entry for small businesses and middle market companies to the capital markets. Under Chairman Levitt, he was responsible for organizing the SEC's individual investor program, including the first investor town hall meetings, and an SEC consumer affairs advisory committee.
Atkins was a commissioner of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from July 9, 2002 until his term's completion in August 2008. He served under chairmen Harvey Pitt
Harvey Pitt
Harvey Pitt was the 26th chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission , serving from 2001-2003. He led the SEC in restoring the U.S...
, William H. Donaldson
William H. Donaldson
William Henry Donaldson was the 27th Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission , serving from February 2003 to June 2005...
, and Christopher Cox.
See also
- Late-2000s financial crisisLate-2000s financial crisisThe late-2000s financial crisis is considered by many economists to be the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s...