Hester M. Peirce is an American lawyer specializing in financial market regulation. Peirce serves as a Commissioner on the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Peirce was appointed by President Donald Trump to the SEC and was sworn in on January 11, 2018.

Prior to joining the Commission, Commissioner Peirce served as Senior Research Fellow and Director of the Financial Markets Working Group (now Program on Financial Regulation) at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. While at the Mercatus Center, Commissioner Peirce’s research explored how financial markets foster economic growth and prosperity and the role well-designed regulation plays in protecting investors and consumers while promoting financial stability and innovation. Commissioner Peirce co-edited two books, authored publications, testified before Congress, and served on the SEC’s Investor Advisory Committee.

Before joining the Mercatus Center, Commissioner Peirce worked on Senator Richard Shelby’s Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs staff as Senior Counsel. In that position, she oversaw financial regulatory reform efforts following the 2008 financial crisis and conducted oversight of the regulatory implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act.

From 2004 to 2008, Commissioner Peirce worked as counsel to SEC Commissioner Paul S. Atkins. Prior to serving Commissioner Atkins, Commissioner Peirce worked as a Staff Attorney in the Division of Investment Management.

Before working at the SEC, Commissioner Peirce was an associate at Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering (now WilmerHale) and clerked for Judge Roger Andewelt on the Court of Federal Claims.

Commissioner Peirce earned her B.A. in Economics from Case Western Reserve University and her J.D. from Yale Law School.

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