Adam S. Aderton is a partner in the Litigation Department and a member of the Securities Litigation & Enforcement Practice Group. His practice focuses on regulatory enforcement matters and white collar defense. Adam has particular experience in regulatory inquiries and litigation involving the asset management industry, including matters involving private equity funds, hedge funds, venture capital funds, mutual funds, ETFs, business development companies, and separately managed accounts. In addition to representing clients in connection with SEC and other government examinations, investigations, and litigations, Adam provides compliance counseling to asset managers. Before joining Willkie, Adam served in the SEC’s Division of Enforcement for over 14 years, including as Co-Chief of Enforcement’s Asset Management Unit from 2019 to 2022.
Experience
Adam previously served as Co-Chief of the Asset Management Unit in the Division of Enforcement of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), where he led Enforcement’s engagement with the asset management industry and directed investigative teams across the country responsible for investigating and litigating actions involving private funds, registered funds, and separately managed accounts. In addition, he was a member of Enforcement’s Climate and ESG Task Force. As Co-Chief of the Asset Management Unit, Adam led investigations resulting in many of the most significant SEC asset management enforcement actions in recent years, including actions involving undisclosed conflicts of interest at one of the world’s largest hedge funds, allegations of a billion-dollar fraudulent fund valuation scheme, and the SEC’s first action in more than a decade charging an investment adviser with misleading disclosures regarding ESG investing. Adam also led Enforcement’s coordination with the Division of Examinations and represented Enforcement on significant rulemakings involving the asset management industry, including Regulation Best Interest, the Proposed Private Fund Adviser Rule, and the Proposed ESG Disclosure Rule for Investment Advisers and Investment Companies. Prior to joining the SEC in 2008, Adam practiced at an international law firm.
Credentials
Education
University of Virginia School of Law, J.D., Order of the Coif; Editor, Virginia Law Review, 2004 Truman State University, B.A., 2001