David Sewell is a counsel in the firm’s New York office and a member of the firm’s Financial Institutions and Banking Groups. Mr. Sewell’s practice focuses on banking regulatory and enforcement matters.
Prior to joining Debevoise, Mr. Sewell was Counsel and Assistant Vice President at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (“FRBNY”). During his tenure at the FRBNY, Mr. Sewell advised on a wide variety of bank regulatory issues, including interpretations, applications, and supervisory matters under the Bank Holding Company Act and various Federal Reserve regulations. He evaluated Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering, Office of Foreign Assets Control and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act programs for compliance with applicable laws, regulations and guidance. Mr. Sewell also supported regulatory implementation of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, including resolution and recovery planning, systemically important financial institution designation, and the Volcker Rule. In addition to his regulatory experience, he was involved in many of the large enforcement actions the FRBNY brought against bank holding companies and foreign banking organizations especially with respect to U.S. sanctions violations.
Mr. Sewell joined the FRBNY as a Compliance Officer in 2009, was promoted to Counsel in 2011 and advanced to his most recent position as Counsel and Assistant Vice President in 2014. From 2006 to 2009, he was an associate with a New York-based law firm, where his practice focused on white collar criminal defense and financial investigations. In 2005 and 2006, Mr. Sewell served as a law clerk to the Hon. Gladys Kessler of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
Before attending law school, Mr. Sewell served in a variety of roles in the federal government. From 2001 to 2003, he was a senior congressional aide, serving on the staffs of Congressman John Tierney and Senator John Edwards, respectively. From 2000 to 2001, Mr. Sewell served in the White House Domestic Policy Council as an Associate Director for Domestic Policy.
Mr. Sewell earned his J.D., magna cum laude, in 2005 from the Georgetown University Law Center, where he was a member of the Order of the Coif, as well as the Executive Board Member and Senior Book Reviews and Essays Editor of the Georgetown Law Journal. He received his M.A. in 1998 from Columbia University and his B.A., Phi Beta Kappa and with High Honors, in 1996 from Wesleyan University.
