Washington, D.C. — Commodity Futures Trading Commission Acting Chairman Rostin Behnam today announced that Alicia L. Lewis has rejoined his office as of yesterday and will serve as his Special Counsel. Lewis has served at the CFTC since 2009 and is the fourth African American in the CFTC’s history to hold such a role.

“I am very excited to welcome Alicia back to my office,” said Acting Chairman Behnam. “In addition to spending several years as a counsel in my office, dating back to when I first joined the Commission, Alicia has skillfully led my Market Risk Advisory Committee for which I am very grateful. I’m looking forward to continuing our work together.”

Currently, Lewis serves as the Designated Federal Officer for the CFTC’s Market Risk Advisory Committee for which Acting Chairman Behnam serves as the sponsor. She has held this role since 2017. From 2017 to 2019, she was a member of then-Commissioner Behnam’s legal team where she covered clearing and international regulatory matters. Most recently, Lewis served as Special Counsel in the Office of International Affairs (OIA). While in OIA, Lewis focused on international clearing initiatives, cooperative arrangements with European authorities, and represented the CFTC in international standard setting bodies such as CPMI-IOSCO. Prior to joining OIA, Lewis served as Special Counsel in the International and Domestic Clearing Initiatives and Chief Counsel Branches of the Division of Clearing and Risk (DCR). While in DCR, Lewis worked on numerous clearing matters including central counterparty (CCP) recovery and wind down, CCP resolution, and represented the CFTC at U.S. CCP crisis management groups. Additionally, she served as team leader for the CFTC’s Dodd-Frank Act Governance and Conflicts of Interest rulemakings.

Before the CFTC, Lewis was Interim Legal Counsel at the Managed Funds Association where she was responsible for monitoring and commenting on regulatory developments affecting the alternative investment industry at U.S. financial regulatory agencies. Lewis began her legal career as an associate in the Securities Enforcement and Investment Management practices at K&L Gates where she served for eight years. Lewis is also licensed as a Certified Public Accountant (inactive status) and previously worked on investment company audit engagements at Price Waterhouse LLP. Lewis holds degrees from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business Undergraduate Division (BS) and William & Mary Law School (JD). 

Lewis joins David Gillers, Chief of Staff, and John Dunfee and Laura Gardy, also Special Counsels in the Acting Chairman’s office.