J. Bradley Bennett has been chosen to serve as the new head of FINRA's Enforcement Division. The announcement was made Thursday, and Bennett will assume his new post on Jan. 1. He will be taking over from James Shorris, acting chief of enforcement; Shorris has served in the position since March, when Susan Merrill departed the organization.
Bennett, a partner at Baker Botts in Washington since 2001, specialized in financial and securities law violations. At FINRA, he will head up a staff of about 300 enforcement personnel in 17 offices throughout the U.S. He will be reporting to Stephen Luparello, vice chairman of FINRA.
Luparello said in a statement, "Brad will be a forceful advocate for investors, especially in dealing with those who would seek to violate the rules. I have known Brad for many years and he stands out for his understanding of securities laws."
