Lewis Ferguson to Join PCAOB as General Counsel

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board today announced that Lewis H. Ferguson III will join the Board's staff in January as General Counsel.

Mr. Ferguson, 59, comes to the PCAOB after 23 years with Williams & Connolly LLP, in Washington, DC, from 1975 to 1993 and 1998 to the present. As a partner in the law firm, he specialized in corporate, securities and tax law, financing and restructuring transactions and corporate governance issues.

"Lew's extensive background in corporate governance, business and securities law makes him a tremendous asset to our staff," said Board Chairman William J. McDonough. "The PCAOB will draw on his expertise as we continue to carry out our Congressional mandate of restoring investor confidence by holding auditors to the highest standards. Lew will play a key role in helping the Board achieve this mission."

At Williams & Connolly, Mr. Ferguson advised major corporations, boards of directors and senior executives, and focused on a wide range of issues including substantial financial transactions, corporate governance and securities law matters. Mr. Ferguson also served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel from 1994 to 1997 to Wright Medical Technology, Inc., a medical device company in Arlington, Tenn., where he was responsible for strategic planning, financing activities, mergers and acquisitions and all legal affairs.

"I am deeply honored to be given the opportunity to work with the very able members of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and to perform this public service," Mr. Ferguson said.

Mr. Ferguson received his law degree from Harvard Law School and an MA from King's College at Cambridge University in England. He earned his undergraduate degree from Yale College. Mr. Ferguson served as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, DC from 1981-1983 and 1985-1990.