Catholic Law is excited to announce that Lecturer Jack W. Murphy will take over as the new Director of the Securities Law Program (SLP) for the 2021-2022 academic year. Murphy's previous involvement with SLP includes having taught Securities Regulation: Investment Company and Investment Advisers Act and Securities Regulation: Compliance. This fall, in addition to his responsibilities as Director, Murphy is also teaching Introduction to Securities Law.

Regarding Murphy's appointment as Director, Dean Stephen Payne said, "We are delighted to strengthen our well-regarded Securities Law Program with the addition of Jack Murphy as its leader. The program will miss its founder, Professor David Lipton, now that he is no longer teaching, but Jack's expertise and experience in Securities Law have already proven invaluable to our students. They secure amazing experience and jobs through the program, and Jack has terrific plans for the future."

Murphy brings with him decades of experience in the field of securities law. As a former partner at the law firm of Dechert LLP, he provided legal advice to registered mutual funds, closed-end funds, and investment advisers in connection with all aspects of their operations. Murphy worked at the firm for 21 years following his time at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) where he served as Associate Director and Chief Counsel of the Division of Investment Management from 1994 until 1997. In that role, he supervised the office primarily responsible for interpreting and establishing the Division’s positions under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

Murphy began his career with the SEC's Division of Investment Management as an attorney-adviser from 1985 until 1988. In the years between 1988 and 1994, he worked in private practice—first as an associate at Shereff, Friedman, Hoffman & Goodman, then as associate general counsel of PaineWebber/Mitchell Hutchins Asset Management, Inc. in New York. Since 2005, Murphy has been designated as one of a handful of leading lawyers for investment management by Chambers USA. In its most recent edition, Chambers notes that he “is able to provide comprehensive guidance to mutual funds and investment advisers, drawing upon valuable experience from his tenure at the SEC.” Past editions have described him as a “first-rate lawyer” and “a walking encyclopedia on regulatory and operational matters.” They have also stated that he is hailed as “one of the best in the business,” “very, very good on issues of regulatory interpretation” and commented on his “comprehensive experience and ability to work on cutting-edge issues.” Murphy has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America in the specialty of mutual funds law since 2006 and was named the Best Lawyers’ 2013 Mutual Funds Lawyer of the Year for Washington, D.C. He has also been recognized by The Legal 500 (US) in the area of mutual/registered funds.