Stacy A. Puente

Of Counsel

Stacy’s expertise includes general commercial and securities litigation, internal investigations, mediation, arbitration, and securities industry regulatory counseling. Prior to joining the firm, Stacy was appointed Ombuds of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), where she was responsible for resolving public concerns about the SEC and the self-regulatory organizations (SROs) subject to SEC oversight. As the Ombuds, Stacy submitted bi-annual reports to Congress and, at Congressional direction, authored an in-depth, landmark report on mandatory arbitration among investment advisers. While serving as Senior Counsel in the SEC Division of Trading and Markets, Stacy participated in the drafting and implementation of SEC rules and reviewed SRO rules for compliance with the Securities Exchange Act.

Before joining the SEC, Stacy led internal investigations of multinational corporations, successfully defended corporate directors and officers in derivative actions and shareholder class actions, arbitrated disputes between and among broker-dealers, and litigated insurance, reinsurance, and general commercial litigation matters.
Stacy has written numerous publications, and she has been a host, moderator, panelist and speaker at securities industry events. She is currently an adjunct professor of Securities Regulation at Vermont Law and Graduate School.

Associations

California Bar Association

District of Columbia Bar Association

Coalition of Federal Ombuds (2021-2024)

United States Ombuds Association (2021-2024)

Recognition

SEC Chairman’s Award for Excellence (2019)

SEC Division of Trading and Markets Problem Solving Award (2018)

Publications and Presentations

Panelist, Public Investor Advocacy Bar Association Annual Meeting (Mar. 15, 2025)

Ombuds Report to Congress on Activities for Fiscal Year 2024 (Dec. 2024).

Ombuds Report to Congress on Objectives for Fiscal Year 2025 (June 2024).

Host, moderator, and organizer, 2024 SEC Investor Advocacy Clinic Summit (April 2024).

Ombuds Report to Congress on Activities for Fiscal Year 2023 (Dec. 2023).

Presenter, “The Neutral as Advocate,” Coalition of Federal Ombuds Annual Conference (Oct. 2023).

Response to Congress, Mandatory Arbitration among SEC-Registered Investment Advisers, as Directed by the House Committee on Appropriations, H.R. Report No. 117-393 (June 2023).

Ombuds Report to Congress on Objectives for Fiscal Year 2024 (June 2023).

Host, moderator, and organizer, 2023 SEC Investor Advocacy Clinic Summit (April 2023).

Ombuds Report to Congress on Activities for Fiscal Year 2022 (Dec. 2022).

Ombuds Report to Congress on Objectives for Fiscal Year 2023 (June 2022).

Organizer and Speaker, 2022 SEC Investor Advocacy Clinic Summit (April 2022).

Contributing Author, Ombuds Report to Congress on Activities for Fiscal Year 2021 (Dec. 2021).

Contributing Author, Ombuds Report to Congress on Objectives for Fiscal Year 2022 (June 2021).

Organizer and Speaker, 2021 SEC Investor Advocacy Clinic Summit (April 2021).

Chapter Contributor, The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Reporter (Wolters Kluwer Law and Business, 2011).

Co-Author, “Shareholder Derivative Suits: Getting it Wrong,” Securities Litigation Report (Dec./Jan. 2012).

Co-Author, “Holding IPOs Hostage to Class Actions: Mandatory Arbitration Clauses in IPOs,” Securities Litigation Report (April 2012).

Co-Author, “When a Storm Warning is Only an Advisory: Construing Statutes of Limitations in Securities Fraud Actions,” Securities Litigation Report (June 2011).

Co-Author, “Virtual Deception: Might Computer Hackers Face Securities Liability?” Securities Litigation Report (May 2011).

Co-Author, “Insider Trading Redux: Trust and Confidence versus Trust or Confidence – Which Is Fraud?” BNA Securities Regulation and Law Report (May 2011).

Co-Author, “Betwixt and Between: Preserving Privilege When Compliance Meets Legal,” Bloomberg Law Reports (April 2011).

Co-Author, “Who Tore a Hole in the Golden Parachute? Say-on-Pay in a Post-Bailout World,” Bloomberg Law Reports (April 2011).