Paul Helms helps clients navigate their most serious securities and fraud-related challenges, acting as both a trusted counselor and steady advocate. A former senior attorney at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), where he served as counsel to the Director of Enforcement, Paul draws on his government experience to defend clients in SEC enforcement matters, internal investigations, and private securities litigation.

As the co-lead of McDermott Will & Schulte’s SEC enforcement practice, Paul represents public companies, investment advisers, accounting firms, and corporate leaders nationwide. He knows that investigations and lawsuits are not just legal matters – they can be personally and professionally disruptive. Paul’s approach centers on clear communication, practical strategy, and securing the best possible outcome while minimizing the impact on clients’ lives and businesses.

With experience on both sides of the table, Paul has handled the full spectrum of SEC matters: accounting and disclosure issues, investment adviser and broker-dealer compliance, offering fraud, market manipulation, public finance, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), insider trading, and professional liability. He has led high-profile internal investigations into complex fraud and compliance problems and successfully defended clients in shareholder derivative suits and securities class actions, achieving dismissals and favorable settlements.

Paul also dedicates time to pro bono work. He serves as external general counsel of Episcopal Charities in Chicago and has led fraud-related investigations for nonprofit organizations. Earlier in his career, Paul clerked for Judge James H. Michael Jr. of the US District Court for the Western District of Virginia and served as editor in chief of the Vanderbilt Law Review. He is a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) and a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE).

Caitlyn M. Campbell, a former US Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) Enforcement Attorney, co-leads the firm’s SEC enforcement practice. She represents clients in SEC investigations, securities class action and derivative litigation and compliance matters. With more than two decades of experience in public service and private practice, Caitlyn advises on complex issues involving alleged violations of federal securities laws, including accounting fraud, disclosure and internal controls-related violations, regulatory violations by investment advisers and broker-dealers, insider trading, market abuse, anti-corruption and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) violations and whistleblower claims. She also assists companies in developing training programs and compliance policies and procedures.

Before joining McDermott Will & Schulte, Caitlyn served eight years at the SEC, including as Senior Counsel to the Directors of Enforcement, assisting with the management of the Commission’s largest division. At the SEC, Caitlyn led all aspects of investigations involving accounting fraud, complex insider trading schemes, market abuse, market manipulation, misappropriation of investor funds, investment adviser fraud and the Immigrant Investor Program. She also coordinated complex, cross-border investigations with foreign regulators. In addition to her investigative work, Caitlyn co-chaired the New England region committee that focused on proactively identifying accounting and disclosure fraud and served as liaison to both the SEC’s national Financial Reporting and Audit Group and the Boston FBI.

Caitlyn has conducted numerous internal investigations for major public companies, their boards of directors, and board committees.  She has represented public companies, audit firms, senior executives, registered investment advisers, hedge funds and private equity firms in matters before the SEC, US Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). Her litigation experience includes representing corporations, directors, and officers in securities class actions and shareholder derivative suits. She has also advised clients in Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC)-related litigation and SEC investigations.

A frequent speaker on enforcement, accounting fraud, and internal investigations, Caitlyn is recognized for her deep understanding of the intersection between regulatory expectations and corporate governance.