O’Melveny has added D. Mark Cave, former Chief Counsel of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Enforcement, as a partner in its White Collar Defense & Corporate Investigations Practice in Washington, D.C.
Cave will represent and advise corporations, financial institutions, investment advisers, broker-dealers, senior executives and boards of directors across SEC enforcement proceedings and related regulatory matters.
He brings more than two decades of experience spanning federal securities law, government enforcement and private practice.
Most recently, Cave served as Chief Counsel of the SEC’s Division of Enforcement, where he was the division’s principal legal and policy adviser.
In that role, he provided strategic guidance across investigations and related litigation within the SEC’s national enforcement program.
Cave previously held several other leadership positions in the Enforcement Division, including Associate Director.
During his SEC career, he led teams of federal attorneys and accountants in hundreds of investigations and related litigation.
His experience includes matters involving complex accounting and disclosure violations, auditor misconduct, investment adviser and broker-dealer misconduct, insider trading, market manipulation, Ponzi schemes and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations.
Cave also led the SEC’s Cross-Border Task Force, which focuses on international-based conduct and the role of gatekeepers.
Before entering public service, Cave worked in private practice as a litigation associate at Paul Weiss.
At Paul Weiss, he represented financial institutions and corporations in complex commercial litigation, regulatory matters, commercial arbitration and internal investigations, with a particular focus on securities litigation and regulatory defense.
Cave is the 59th lateral partner to join O’Melveny since 2023.
His arrival follows the recent additions of partners David Leviss, James R. Burns, Brant K. Brown and Todd M. Beaton Jr., who will work across the firm’s securities regulatory and enforcement capabilities.
Cave earned his J.D. from New York University School of Law and his B.A. from Duke University.
KEY QUOTES:
“Adding practitioners with extensive SEC experience is a strategic priority for us, and we are delighted to welcome Mark to our firm. Mark brings a comprehensive command of federal securities laws, deep relationships throughout the enforcement and regulatory community, and a long record of managing the SEC’s most consequential matters. His versatile skillset, combined with his well-established reputation for integrity and tireless advocacy, will immediately benefit our clients. It is a pleasure to welcome him aboard.”
Bradley J. Butwin, Chair of O’Melveny
“I’m thrilled to join O’Melveny’s award-winning White Collar team, and I can think of no better firm to call ‘home’ as I reenter private practice. The current SEC regulatory and enforcement environment presents many unique challenges, and I’m excited to bring all of my knowledge and experience to bear as I work alongside my new colleagues to help our clients resolve their most pressing matters.”
D. Mark Cave, Partner at O’Melveny
