(202) 261-2990
(917) 344-8790 fax
mmann@rkollp.com

Portrait Building,
701 8th Street NW
Washington, DC 20001-3727

 vCard

Michael D. Mann

Partner

Michael D. Mann established RK&O’s Washington, D.C. office in 1996. Mr. Mann’s legal practice focuses on international securities regulation and enforcement and the cross-border conduct of business. He provides strategic advice and counseling to clients engaged in business subject to regulation in the United States and throughout the world. He regularly represents public companies, and their audit committees, officers, and directors in connection with their compliance with U.S. regulatory requirements including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Examples of Mr. Mann’s recent representations include:

• Representation of Audit and Governance Committees of Boards of Directors of US and foreign private issuers in connection with allegations of violations of the US securities laws;
• Representation of senior officers of U.S. and foreign issuers and hedge funds in connection with SEC investigations and regulatory inquiries in matters involving securities trading, accounting and disclosure, the operation and establishment of internal controls under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the application of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act; and
• On-going advice to hedge funds and financial institutions in connection with the development of comprehensive compliance programs to address regulatory obligations imposed by U.S. and foreign securities laws and regulations.

Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Mann served for seven years as the first Director of the Office of International Affairs at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Mr. Mann established the key formal and informal relationships between the SEC and its foreign regulatory counterparts in the world’s most important developed and emerging markets. In particular, Mr. Mann negotiated formal understandings to facilitate cooperation on enforcement, regulation of cross-border trading activity, and the development of securities markets. These understandings continue to be the centerpiece of the SEC’s international efforts.

Mr. Mann also led the SEC’s development of new regulatory approaches to facilitate access to the U.S. securities markets through cross-border securities offerings. Moreover, Mr. Mann directed the SEC’s multilateral efforts to improve and harmonize regulation world-wide and to remove unnecessary barriers to trade.

Prior to becoming Director of the Office of International Affairs, Mr. Mann served as Associate Director in the SEC’s Division of Enforcement. While in the Division of Enforcement, Mr. Mann carried out investigations and litigation, with a particular emphasis on international matters. He acted as counsel for the Commission in SEC v. Levine, SEC v. Certain Unknown Purchasers (the “Santa Fe” case), and SEC v. Winans (the “Wall Street Journal” case), among others.

In 1993, Mr. Mann was awarded the rank of Distinguished Executive in the Senior Executive Service by President Clinton. In the fall of 1990, he was presented the Chairman’s Award for Excellence. In the fall of 1984, Mr. Mann received The Manual F. Cohen Outstanding SEC Younger Lawyer Award from The Federal Bar Association, Securities Law Committee.

Mr. Mann is a Member of the Council on Foreign Relations. From 1994 to 2002, he was a member of the Hampshire College Board of Trustees. From 1999 to 2003, he served as the Chairman, and currently is a member of the Securities Market Advisory Board of the Toronto International Leadership Centre for Financial Sector Supervision. Mr. Mann was a member of the Board of Directors of the Federation of American Scientists from 1998 to 2002.

Mr. Mann is admitted to practice in New York and the District of Columbia.