Jay Clayton

Walter J. "Jay" Clayton III (born July 11, 1966) is an American attorney. He was the 32nd Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from May 4, 2017 until December 23, 2020.

From 1993 to 1995, Clayton clerked for Marvin Katz, judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

At Sullivan & Cromwell, Clayton was co-managing partner of the firm's General Practice Group.

On January 4, 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Clayton to be SEC Chairman. On May 2, 2017, the U.S. Senate voted 61-37 to confirm Clayton as Chairman of the SEC. Votes cast in favor of Clayton's confirmation included nine Democrats and one Independent alongside 51 Republican votes. On May 4, 2017, Clayton was sworn in, marking the official beginning of his role as Chairman.

On June 19, 2020, United States Attorney General Bill Barr announced that President Trump would nominate Clayton to replace Geoffrey Berman as United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. However, Clayton was not selected, and instead Audrey Strauss was picked as acting US attorney for Southern District of New York.

In April 2025, Clayton was nominated by President Trump to become the interim U.S. Attorney for Manhattan.

References

Category:1966 births
Category:Living people
Category:Members of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
Category:Businesspeople from New York (state)
Category:Businesspeople from Pennsylvania
Category:Businesspeople from Virginia
Category:Lawyers from New York (state)
Category:Lawyers from Pennsylvania
Category:Lawyers from Virginia
Category:Politicians from New York (state)
Category:Politicians from Pennsylvania
Category:People from Newport News, Virginia