Barclays hires ex-SEC enforcement chief as general counsel

UK banking Group Barclays is set to appoint WilmerHale partner Stephanie Avakian (pictured) as its next global general counsel, succeeding Stephen Shapiro, who will step down at the end of June. Avakian is expected to join the bank in May and formally assume the role in July.

In the position, she will lead Barclays’ worldwide legal function.

Avakian currently heads WilmerHale’s securities and financial services practice and has been with the firm since rejoining in 2021 from the US Securities and Exchange Commission, where she led the enforcement division. Her career also includes over a decade as a partner at WilmerHale earlier on, as well as prior senior roles at the SEC.

Shapiro is leaving after nearly ten years at Barclays, most of them as group general counsel. He joined the bank from SABMiller and previously worked in private practice at Hogan Lovells.