Public LecturesA.A. Sommer, Jr. Lecture on Corporate, Securities, and Financial Law The A.A. Sommer, Jr. Lecture on Corporate, Securities and Financial Law was established in 2000 by Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP in tribute to their distinguished partner who dedicated over three decades of service to the legal profession and to public service. Al Sommer was an expert in a broad range of securities law topics and was influential in creating important regulatory innovations in the securities markets in addition to those in the accounting profession. Mr. Sommer, a prolific writer and Adjunct Professor of Securities Law at the University of Michigan Law School, was also chair or a member of virtually every significant organization in corporate and securities laws. Mr. Sommer served as a Commissioner with the SEC (1973-1976) and Chair of the Public Oversight Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (1986-99), before starting the Morgan, Lewis & Bockius securities law practice in 1979. He was a partner there until 1994 and then became Of Counsel. Through this lecture series, the world’s leading regulators share with the Law School and the business community their insights into the critical problems confronting the global financial markets. Past speakers have included leaders from the country's most important regulatory agencies, including the Securities and Exchange Commission, the National Association of Securities Dealers, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, and the U.K. Financial Services Authority. Beginning in 2004 with the Fourth Annual A. A. Sommer, Jr. Lecture and in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the SEC Historical Society (http://www.sechistorical.org) joined the Corporate Law Center in honoring Commissioner Sommer.
Benjamin M. Lawsky Troy A. Paredes Peter J. Wallison Paul S. Atkins Margaret Cole William J. McDonough Harvey Goldschmid Mary L. Schapiro Arthur Levitt, Jr.
Becker Ross, LLP (formerly known as Becker, Ross, Stone, DeStefano & Klein) established the Albert A. DeStefano Lecture Series in 2001 to honor the distinguished law career of one of the firm’s principal partners. Mr. DeStefano, a 1947 cum laude graduate of Fordham Law School, specialized in corporate matters, especially mergers and acquisitions. From 1973 – 1983, he shared his expertise with Fordham Law students as an Adjunct Professor, teaching corporate acquisitions. Mr. DeStefano dedicated his life to the service of others and was a devoted trustee to numerous charitable organizations including Helen Keller Services for the Blind and Cleary School for the Deaf. The annual DeStefano Lecture brings policymakers, members of the judiciary and distinguished attorneys to Fordham Law to share their insights of important developments in business and business law. Previous speakers include former Rep. Michael G. Oxley (R-OH).the Honorable Jed S. Rakoff, United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York and former Chief Judge of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, Stuart M. Bernstein ’75. Additional previous programs included expert panel discussions on such topics as: “The Subprime Mortgage Meltdown and the Global Financial Crisis” (2008), “Crisis in Confidence: Self Regulation in the Securities Industry” (2004), and “Enron: What Went Wrong?” (2002).
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