Michele Layne joined O’Melveny following a distinguished career at the Securities and Exchange Commission, where she served as the SEC’s Los Angeles Regional Director for eleven years. Michele draws upon her experience to represent and advise corporate clients and their officers and directors on securities-related enforcement matters, internal and regulatory investigations, and governance and compliance issues.

During her tenure at the SEC, Michele conducted and supervised matters involving financial reporting and accounting, disclosure, auditor misconduct, insider trading, investment advisers, investment companies, broker-dealers, market manipulation, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and anti-money laundering. She was also one of the founding members of the SEC Enforcement Division’s Climate and Environmental, Social and Governance Task Force.

As the Los Angeles Regional Director, Michele supervised the SEC’s examination and enforcement programs in Southern California, Arizona, Nevada, and Hawaii. She led a staff of approximately 185 enforcement attorneys, accountants, investigators, and compliance examiners who investigated and litigated the federal securities laws and performed compliance inspections.

Michele has extensive experience working closely with leadership in numerous United States Attorney’s Offices, the Department of Justice, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the US Department of Labor, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), and state securities regulators.

In 2010, Michele received the Distinguished Service Award, the SEC's highest award. In 2021, Michele received the Scott W. Friestad Award for demonstrating a commitment to public service and mentoring, outstanding leadership, and exceptional judgment in conducting investigations.