Gordon Seymour to Succeed Lewis Ferguson as PCAOB General Counsel

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board today announced that J. Gordon Seymour will succeed Lewis H. Ferguson III as General Counsel beginning in February 2007.

“The Board has greatly benefited from Lew’s advice and legal counsel during these last three years,” said PCAOB Chairman Mark Olson.  “I am confident that the general counsel's office will continue to be in good hands with Gordon. Gordon has played a key role for the organization since it began operations, and he will continue to guide us in fulfilling the Board’s mission to oversee the auditors of public companies in the interest of protecting investors.”

Mr. Seymour joined the PCAOB in February of 2003 as Acting General Counsel, and served in that capacity during 2003 as the Board commenced operations and development of its operating rules.  He became Deputy General Counsel in January of 2004 and also serves as the PCAOB’s Secretary.  Prior to joining the PCAOB, he held several positions including Senior Counselor to the General Counsel and Assistant General Counsel for Legislation at the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Before joining the SEC, Mr. Seymour practiced at the law firm of Williams & Connolly LLP.

Mr. Seymour earned a B.A., magna cum laude, from Yale College in 1989 and received his law degree, with High Honors, from the University of Chicago in 1993, where he was Topics & Comments Editor of the Law Review.  Following law school, he served as law clerk to the Honorable Ralph K. Winter, Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.