Former Cravath partner White rejoins from the SEC

Former Cravath Swaine & Moore corporate partner John White is to return to the firm next year after a two-year stint at the Securities and Exchange Commission.

White is currently the SEC’s director of the division of corporation finance. He first joined Cravath in 1975 and became a partner in 1980.

Cravath presiding partner Evan Chesler said: “We are delighted John will be returning to the firm and will be working with our corporate governance and board advisory practice. His exemplary leadership while at the SEC, coupled with the breadth and depth of his advisory experience, is uniquely suited to fit the needs of our clients in the current market environment.”

During his two and a half years at the SEC, White led one of the most significant and prolific rulemaking periods in the division of corporation finance’s history.

He rejoins Cravath at a time when the firm’s corporate governance and board advisory practice has been closely involved in numerous credit crisis matters, including advising Morgan Stanley’s board of directors and the independent directors of Merrill Lynch and Fannie Mae.