Introduction
Jay Clayton is a well-known Wall Street attorney who is a partner at the law firm Sullivan & Cromwell. He specializes in mergers and acquisitions transactions and capital markets offerings.
Early life and education
- 1988: Received a Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
- 1990: Received BA/MA in economics from University of Cambridge.
- 1993: Received J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.
Career
Clayton specializes in mergers and acquisitions, and has been involved in financial, telecoms, airlines, and international companies. His clients have included Goldman Sachs, British Airways, and Bear Stearns, among others. He was involved in the IPO of Alibaba and the acquisition of Lehman by Barclays.
Since 2009, he is an adjunct professor at University of Pennsylvania.
Clayton also advises several high-net-worth families regarding their public and private investments, and various companies in matters involving the Federal Reserve, SEC, DOJ and other authorities.
On January 4, 2016, he was nominated by the president-elect Donald Trump as chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. He'll replace Mary Jo White, who will leave at the end of the Obama administration.
Trump on Clayon:
Jay Clayton is a highly talented expert on many aspects of financial and regulatory law, and he will ensure our financial institutions can thrive and create jobs while playing by the rules at the same time… We need to undo many regulations which have stifled investment in American businesses, and restore oversight of the financial industry in a way that does not harm American workers.
Awards and recognitions
- Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2008-2015)
- Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2006-2015)
- The Legal 500 United States (2009-2015)
- IFLR1000 (2008-2017)
- New York Super Lawyers (2008-2015)
- The Lawdragon 500: Leading Lawyers in America (2006-2010)
- The Best Lawyers in America (2014-2017)
Publications
- Co-Author “We Don’t Need a Crisis to Act Unitedly Against Cyber Threats” Knowledge@Wharton, June 2015
- Chair of the Drafting Committee for “The FCPA and its Impact on International Business Transactions – Should Anything be Done to Minimize the Consequences of the U.S.’s Unique Position on Combating Offshore Corruption?” International Business Transactions Committee, New York City Bar Association, December 2011Co-Author “USA 10-K: Why America Needs an Annual Report” Knowledge@Wharton, July 2012