The Securities and Exchange Commission has already seen a significant flow of attorneys leaving for private practice this year, and industry observers foresee more on the horizon.

Data from Leopard Solutions’ attorney database shows that 17 attorneys left the SEC’s legal ranks between January and June of 2021, but in the first six months of this year, the number of laterals leaving the watchdog rose to 18. While it’s only a slight uptick, this has still piqued the interest of some industry observers.