SEC’s Riewe to join Debevoise

After stepping down from her post at the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) last month, Julie Riewe will join Debevoise & Plimpton as a partner in the firm’s White Collar & Regulatory Defense Group in March. She will be based in the firm’s Washington office.

Riewe served as co-chief of the asset management unit at the SEC’s Division of Enforcement for the past two and a half years, overseeing a staff of 80 across 12 offices. She was responsible for directing the SEC’s enforcement efforts involving private equity and hedge funds, registered investment companies, BDCs and other asset managers.

During her 10-year tenure at the SEC, Riewe focused on many issues specific to private equity, including private fund valuation, allocation practices, conflicts of interest, and improper termination and monitoring fees.

“The SEC’s enforcement activity against asset managers has become statutorily entrenched with the passage of Dodd-Frank and institutionally entrenched by the creation of the asset management unit, making [Riewe’s] arrival particularly timely and beneficial to our many clients in this space,” noted Debevoise deputy presiding partner Bruce Yannett in a statement.

Riewe is the second former co-chief of the asset management unit to join the ranks at Debevoise. Robert Kaplan joined the firm as a litigation partner in 2012 following his 17-year tenure at the commission.