Overview

Scott brings in-depth knowledge of SEC policies, procedures and enforcement philosophy to each representation. Scott regularly advises clients across a broad sector of the economy facing sensitive reporting, compliance and enforcement matters before the Securities and Exchange Commission and other capital markets regulators. His practice encompasses a wide range of matters involving the securities laws, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, regulatory enforcement, administrative law and public policy. Scott heads Hunton’s ESG practice, and also leads the firm’s working group on blockchain and digital assets. 

Before joining the firm, Scott served on the Executive Staff of the SEC as Counsel to Commissioner Troy A. Paredes from 2008 to 2012. At the SEC, Scott acted as Commissioner Paredes’s liaison to the Commission’s senior staff as well as external constituencies including issuers and other SEC registrants, investors, press, members of Congress, professional firms and trade associations. He advised the Commissioner on all aspects of the federal securities laws and SEC policy across all SEC divisions and offices, focusing especially on the Division of Corporation Finance and the Division of Enforcement. Scott was also involved in financial regulatory reform efforts, including the SEC’s response to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act as well as the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act. Prior to the SEC, Scott practiced for ten years with another major law firm in Dallas and Washington.

Scott is frequently quoted by major news sources, including The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Law360, Compliance Week and The National Law Journal. Scott previously served with the legal staff of a Fortune 10 company on a seconded basis, supporting the SEC reporting, compliance, investor relations and corporate secretary functions.

Experience

  • Represents issuers, investors and underwriters in all aspects of Securities Act and Exchange Act compliance, including public and private offerings of debt and equity securities, structured financing, disclosure and periodic reporting, ESG and sustainability reporting, business combinations and communication with SEC staff.
  • Counsels executives and boards of directors in matters concerning corporate governance and investor relations, including discharge of fiduciary duties, conduct of shareholder meetings, shareholder proposals and preparation of proxy statements, ESG strategy, executive compensation, restricted stock issues, beneficial ownership reporting, stock exchange listing requirements, proxy advisors and shareholder engagement.
  • Advises broker-dealers, investment advisers and other financial intermediaries on compliance with state and federal securities laws, FINRA rules and other applicable market regulations.
  • Counsels leading trade associations in formulating legislative and administrative policy objectives concerning securities regulation and corporate governance.
  • Represents bidders, targets, special committees and significant stockholders in public and private mergers, acquisitions, tender offers, divestitures, Section 363 sales, joint ventures and going-private transactions.
  • In the blockchain and digital asset space, represents entrepreneurs, emerging and established businesses in deploying distributed ledger technology to all facets of their operations, including token and stablecoin offerings, financings involving collateral originated on blockchain, and a broad range of contractual and regulatory compliance issues for FinTech companies, financial institutions, trading platforms and other market intermediaries in connection with their digital asset strategies.
  • While at the SEC, participated in drafting and reviewing SEC rules, interpretive guidance, appellate briefs, congressional testimony and policy statements on matters concerning capital markets and market structure, securities offerings and investment products, corporate governance and disclosure, accounting and auditing standards, climate change, conflict minerals, whistleblowers, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and private investment funds.
  • During his tenure with the SEC, counseled Commissioner Paredes through deliberations over all stages of enforcement actions and Commission adjudications concerning a wide variety of liability theories in cases including those involving scienter- and nonscienter-based fraud, insider trading, offering and registration violations, accounting matters and financial restatements, disclosure issues and periodic reporting, attorney and accountant misconduct, structured products, trading practices, Regulation M, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, asset management, investment advisers, broker-dealers and transfer agents.

Accolades

Honors & Recognitions

  • Recommended for FinTech, Legal 500 United States, 2020-2023
  • Expert Panel, The Law Reviews, 2020

Affiliations

Professional

  • Former Member, Grand Council (National Board of Trustees), Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity, 2005-2014; National Vice President, 2009-2014
  • Former Board Member, Dallas Wind Symphony

Insights

Events & Speaking Engagements

  • April 3, 2024
    Event
    Presenter
    Sustainability and ESG Webinar Series: Corporate Governance and ESG
  • December 12, 2023
    Event
    Presenter
    SEC Cybersecurity Disclosure Rules: Practical Advice on What to Do Now
  • October 10, 2023
    Event
    Panelist
    HuntonAK Advantage Series – ESG CLE Webinar
  • February 23, 2023
    Event
    Speaker
    How to Integrate ESG into ERM
  • December 1, 2022
    Event
    Speaker
    From Stormy Seas to Safe Harbors: Crypto and New UCC Article 12
  • October 11, 2022
    Event
    Panelist
    Navigating the Evolving Reporting Metrics Landscape, US Chamber of Commerce Foundation Sustainability and the Circular Economy 2022
  • July 14, 2022
    Event
    Speaker
    Understanding the SEC’s Climate Proposal for Public Companies
  • February 17, 2022
    Event
    Panelist
    The Future of ESG: The SEC, Scope 3 and Liability, US Chamber of Commerce
  • February 11, 2022
    Event
    Panelist
    Blockchain and ESG, Villanova University Environmental Law Journal Symposium
  • January 19, 2022
    Event
    Speaker
    SEC Disclosure Trends Webinar Series: SEC Reporting for Q4
  • November 3, 2021
    Event
    Speaker
    Everything You Need to Know about ESG, Association of General Contractors/Construction Financial Management Association Annual Financial Management Conference
  • October 20, 2021
    Event
    Speaker
    SEC Disclosure Trends Webinar Series: SEC Reporting for Q3
  • July 29, 2021
    Event
    Speaker
    SEC Disclosure Trends Webinar Series: SEC Reporting for Q2
  • April 28, 2021
    Event
    Speaker
    SEC Disclosure Trends Webinar Series: SEC Reporting for Q1
  • February 11, March 11, and April 8, 2021
    Event
    Moderator
    American Bar Association’s Securitization and Structured Finance Committee Spring Forward Virtual Event
  • January 27, 2021
    Event
    Speaker
    SEC Disclosure Trends Webinar Series: SEC Reporting for Q4
  • December 8, 2020
    Event
    Panelist
    Modernizing Your Form 10-K: Incorporating Reg S-K Amendments, Thecorporatecounsel.net
  • October 15, 2020
    Event
    Speaker
    SEC Disclosure Trends Webinar Series: SEC Reporting for Q3
  • September 30, 2020
    Event
    Speaker
    The SEC’s New Human Capital Rule, Workplace Diversity and Compensation Design: Year-end Disclosures and the Board Agenda 2020
  • July 27, 2020
    Event
    Speaker
    SEC Disclosure Trends Webinar Series Recording: SEC Reporting for Q2
  • July 23, 2020
    Event
    Speaker
    SEC Reporting for Q2
  • February 26, 2020
    Event
    Speaker
    Wealth Management Compliance: 2020 Regulatory Developments
  • November 6, 2019
    Event
    Panelist
    Blockchain: What is It? And How Does it Impact Corporate Governance?, Society for Corporate Governance Mid-Atlantic Chapter
  • October 21, 2019
    Event
    Panelist
    Staying Ahead of the Chain, Blockchain’s Growing Impact on Your Business and the Law, Association for Financial Professionals, Annual Treasury and Finance Conference
  • October 18, 2019
    Event
    Panelist
    Regulating Technology to Facilitate Innovation: Blockchain Technology, American University Washington College of Law Symposium
  • September 30, 2019
    Event
    Speaker
    Selecting and Forming a Business Entity in the District of Columbia, District of Columbia Bar Association Continuing Legal Education Program
  • May 8, 2019
    Event
    Speaker
    Regulation A and Regulation D: Evolving Securities Exemptions for Private Placement Offerings, Strafford Publications Webinar
  • May 8, 2019
    Event
    Panelist
    Environment, Social and Governance “ESG” Trends Shaping the Oilfield Services Industry (Panel), French-American Chamber of Commerce
  • April 11, 2019
    Event
    Moderator
    “Blockchain, Smart Contracts and the Future of Real Estate,” USC Gould School of Law 2019 Real Estate Law and Business Forum
  • October 17, 2018
    Event
    Panelist
    Initial Coin Offerings: Can Securities Regulators Balance Market Growth and Investor Protection, Washington Legal Foundation
  • June 26, 2018
    Event
    Speaker
    How Blockchain Technology is Revolutionizing Business and the Law
  • June 5, 2018
    Event
    Speaker
    Managing Cybersecurity Governance in the Boardroom
  • May 17, 2018
    Event
    Presenter
    SEC Guidance on Public Company Cybersecurity, Middle Atlantic Chapter--Society for Corporate Governance, Philadelphia
  • April 26, 2018
    Event
    Panelist
    The Latest on ICOs/Token Deals, thecorporatecounsel.net
  • March 7, 2018
    Event
    Speaker
    SEC Cybersecurity Guidance 2018
  • February 2, 2018
    Event
    Speaker
    Proxy Season 2018 Preview (Panel), BoardBookit Corporate Governance Webinar Series
  • January 24, 2018
    Event
    Presenter
    Technology and IP Forum: How Blockchain Technology is Revolutionizing Business and the Law, ACC National Capital Region
  • November 28, 2017
    Event
    Speaker
    Shareholder Proposals - New SEC Guidance
  • August 9, 2017
    Event
    Speaker
    Demystifying Blockchain Technology, New York Privacy Officers’ Forum Breakfast Briefing
  • June 22, 2017
    Event
    Speaker
    When Bad Things Happen To Good Firms: Reacting to Whistleblowers and other Ethical Issues for In-House Counsel (Panel), DFW Financial Services Counsel Roundtable
  • May 24, 2017
    Event
    Panelist
    SEC Compliance and Deregulation in the Trump Era, Intelligize
  • February 9, 2017
    Event
    2016 Proxy Season Review and Corporate Governance Update
  • December 12, 2016
    Event
    Speaker
    Shareholder Activism and the 2017 Proxy Season, National Association of Manufacturers
  • September 30, 2016
    Event
    Speaker
    Update on Cross-Border Auditing Developments (Panel), National Asian Pacific American Bar Association 2016 Southeast Regional Conference, Arlington, VA
  • July 14, 2016
    Event
    Speaker
    Telephonic Briefing: New SEC Guidance on Use of Non-GAAP Measures
  • June 22, 2016
    Event
    Speaker
    Update on SEC Guidance on Use of Non-GAAP Measures, Presented to Securities Law Committee of the Society of Corporate Secretaries and Governance Professionals, Colorado Springs, CO
  • June 2, 2016
    Event
    Speaker
    Legislative and Regulatory Update (Panel), Center on Executive Compensation Seminar on Developing Practices in Contemporary Executive Compensation, Washington, DC
  • April 26, 2016
    Event
    Speaker
    Company Buybacks – Best Practices (Panel), Webcast hosted by TheCorporateCounsel.net
  • December 16, 2015
    Event
    Speaker
    Shareholder Activism and the 2016 Proxy Season, National Association of Manufacturers, Washington, DC
  • November 19, 2015
    Event
    Moderator
    Public Pension Funds, Proxy Season and the Changing Regulatory Environment: Public Pension Fund Activism, US Chamber of Commerce, Washington, DC
  • November 19, 2015
    Event
    Speaker
    Public Pension Funds, Proxy Season and the Changing Regulatory Environment: Corporate Governance and Proxy Issues, US Chamber of Commerce, Washington, DC
  • November 18, 2015
    Event
    Speaker
    Shareholder Activism: Issues for Trade Associations, National Association of Manufacturers, Washington, DC
  • October 8, 2015
    Event
    Speaker
    Webinar: Shareholder Activism for Corporate Finance Professionals
  • July 15, 2015
    Event
    Speaker
    Examining U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Enforcement Recommendations on Current Processes and Practices: The Future of SEC Enforcement (Panel), US Chamber of Commerce, Washington, DC
  • June 26, 2015
    Event
    Moderator
    Bitcoin: A Primer, ABA National Institute on Bitcoin and Other Digital Currencies, Washington, DC
  • May 27, 2015
    Event
    Speaker
    The View of the Regulators: The SEC’s Role in Monitoring Executive Compensation (Panel), Center on Executive Compensation Seminar on New Trends Influencing the Success of the CHRO in the Contemporary Executive Compensation Paradigm, Washington, DC
  • April 28, 2015
    Event
    Presenter
    Accelerated Debt Tender Offers and Exchange Offers Webinar
  • November 19, 2014
    Event
    Speaker
    Shareholder Activism Webinar, National Association of Manufacturers
  • November 13, 2014
    Event
    Speaker
    Bitcoin or Bit Player? SEC and State Regulators Weigh In, ABA National Institute on Securities Fraud, New Orleans
  • November 7, 2014
    Event
    Speaker
    Regulatory and Legal Update, Broadridge Investor Communications Conference, New York City
  • October 8, 2014
    Event
    Speaker
    Update on Public Company Governance Issues, Webcast hosted by CT Corporation
  • August 21, 2014
    Event
    Speaker
    Environmental Reporting for Public Companies, Webcast hosted by Lorman Education Services
  • July 29, 2014
    Event
    Moderator
    Corporate Disclosure Reform: Ensuring a Balanced System that Informs and Protects Investors and Capital Formation, US Chamber of Commerce, Washington, DC
  • July 22, 2014
    Event
    Moderator
    SEC Conflict Mineral Rules: Compliance Trends and Strategies for the Regulated Community, Webcast hosted by Law Seminars International
  • May 22, 2014
    Event
    Speaker
    Conflict Minerals Update: Making Sense of the Appellate Court Decision and SEC Statement, Webcast hosted by Ethisphere
  • February 28, 2014
    Event
    Speaker
    The Past, Present and Future of Securities Class Actions--The View from the Courtroom: The Litigation Landscape Before and After Erica P. John Fund, US Chamber of Commerce, Washington, DC
  • February 25, 2014
    Event
    Speaker
    Conflict Minerals Management: Current Legal Challenge and Best Practices, Webcast hosted by Marcus Evans
  • November 19, 2013
    Event
    Speaker
    The SEC's Proposed Pay Ratio Rules (Panel), Center on Executive Compensation Annual Meeting, Washington, DC
  • November 13, 2013
    Event
    Speaker
    Crafting SEC Rulemaking Comment Letters, Webcast hosted by TheCorporateCounsel.net
  • October 17, 2013
    Event
    Speaker
    Strategies for Dealing with Activist Shareholders (Panel), Retail Industry Leaders Association Retail Law Conference, Phoenix, AZ
  • September 19, 2013
    Event
    Webinar: 2013 Proxy Season Review and Corporate Governance Update
  • July 31, 2013
    Event
    Presenter
    Demystifying the SEC and CFPB Enforcement Processes, Webinar, Washington, DC
  • May 29, 2013
    Event
    Speaker
    The Role of the Legislators and Regulators (Panel), Center on Executive Compensation, Arlington, VA
  • May 8, 2013
    Event
    Speaker
    The Need to Anticipate—Best Practices for Compliance Readiness (Panel), Argyle Executive Forum 2013 Chief Legal Officer Leadership Forum, Washington, DC
  • April 12, 2013
    Event
    Guest Lecturer
    Climate Change and the Law, St. Thomas University School of Law
  • March 23, 2013
    Event
    Speaker
    Ethics and Environmental Disclosure—The Evolving Duty to Disclose Environmental Risks (Panel), American Bar Association 42nd Spring Conference on Environment, Energy and Resource Law, Salt Lake City
  • February 28, 2013
    Event
    Speaker
    Conflict Minerals Reporting: Latest Developments
  • January 23, 2013
    Event
    Speaker
    2013 Public Company Update Webinar
  • January 15, 2013
    Event
    Speaker
    SEC Role in Mandating Disclosure of Political Spending (Panel), National Summit on Corporate Political Spending, Arlington, VA
  • December 11, 2012
    Event
    Speaker
    Compliance with Conflict Mineral Regulations Under Dodd-Frank Section 1502 (Panel), Joint Program of the International Investment and Finance Committee of the International Law Section of the DC Bar, the Corporation, Finance and Securities Law Section of the DC Bar, the ABA Section of International Law’s International Trade Committee, and the Virginia State Bar International Practice Section, Washington, DC
  • December 6, 2012
    Event
    Speaker
    How the SEC Really Works (Panel), Webcast hosted by TheCorporateCounsel.net
  • October 12, 2012
    Event
    Speaker
    What the JOBS Act Means for Startup and Emerging Growth Company Clients (Panel), Virginia CLE 42nd Annual Advanced Business Law Conference, Williamsburg, VA
  • May 30, 2012
    Event
    Speaker
    The Role of the Chief Human Resources Officer in the New Governance Paradigm (Panel), Center on Executive Compensation, Arlington, VA
  • June 1, 2011
    Event
    Speaker
    Executive Compensation: Perspectives of the Current and Former SEC Staff (Panel), Center on Executive Compensation, Arlington, VA
  • January 13, 2011
    Event
    Speaker
    Recent Developments in International Securities Law (Panel), District of Columbia Bar, Corporation, Finance and Securities Law Section, Washington, DC
  • March 10, 2009
    Event
    Speaker
    International Securities Regulation and International Financial Reporting Standards: Impact of Recent Developments in U.S. Securities Law (Panel), New York State Bar Association, International Law & Practice Section Committee on International Banking, Securities & Financial Transactions, New York, NY
  • December 2, 2008
    Event
    Panelist
    Reg A and Reg D: Evolving Securities Exemptions for Private Offerings, Strafford Seminars
  • November 28, 2007
    Event
    Speaker
    Global Offerings Under Rule 144A and Regulation S, CLE presented to U.S. broker-dealer subsidiary of European investment bank, New York, NY
  • March 21, 2007
    Event
    Speaker
    Developments in the U.S. Securities Regulations and Impact on Cross-Border Capital Markets (Panel), New York State Bar Association, International Law & Practice Section Committee on International Banking, Securities & Financial Transactions, New York, NY
  • January 12, 2007
    Event
    Speaker
    Ethics and Corporate Governance After Sarbanes-Oxley, Delta Sigma Phi Alumni Executive Roundtable, Miami, FL
  • November 8, 2006
    Event
    Speaker
    Overview of U.S. Securities Laws and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, Seminar for Oslo Stock Exchange and Norwegian Ministry of Finance, Oslo, Norway
  • May 18, 2006
    Event
    Speaker
    A Practical Introduction to the Texas Business Organizations Code, CLE presented to Corporate Counsel Section of Houston Bar Association
  • April 12, 2005
    Event
    Speaker
    Corporate Governance and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, CLE presented to multinational company’s legal and finance departments, Dallas, TX
  • August 19, 2004
    Event
    Speaker
    Surviving the Outsourcing Deal, CLE presented to Association of Corporate Counsel, Dallas Chapter

Publications

Blog Posts

News

Education

JD, SMU Dedman School of Law, cum laude, Managing Editor, SMU Law Review and Journal of Air Law and Commerce, 1998

BBA, The University of Texas at Austin, 1995

Admissions

District of Columbia

New York

Texas

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