David Woodcock
Partner, Gibson Dunn
David Woodcock is a partner in the Dallas and Washington offices of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. He is a co-chair of the firm’s Securities Enforcement Practice Group, and a member of the firm’s Securities Regulation and Corporate Governance, Accounting Firm Advisory and Defense; White Collar Defense and Investigations; Energy, Regulation and Litigation; Securities Litigation; and Oil and Gas Practice Groups.
Mr. Woodcock has been recognized as a leading attorney by Chambers, Lawdragon and Super Lawyers, among others. Most recently, he was recognized as one of Lawdragon’s 2023 500 Leading U.S. Energy Lawyers list which recognizes “outstanding elite” attorneys who “apply their knowledge to help old-school and new energy companies finance and build new power sources throughout the world.”
Mr. Woodcock’s background as a CPA, senior officer at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), global law firm partner, and senior in-house corporate attorney at a Fortune 10 company provides a diverse set of experiences and perspectives that are helpful in guiding clients through an array of complex matters. His practice focuses on internal investigations and SEC defense, with a particular emphasis on accounting and financial reporting, corporate compliance, and audit/special committee investigations. Mr. Woodcock regularly advises clients on corporate securities and governance, the role of the board, shareholder activism, and ESG-related issues, including the energy transition, climate disclosures, enterprise risk management practices, cybersecurity, and related U.S./European regulations. He also counsels investment advisors and private equity funds in the context of SEC examinations and investigations, ESG matters, and portfolio due diligence and compliance.
Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Mr. Woodcock was Assistant General Counsel – Corporate at ExxonMobil Corporation, where he led all aspects of corporate, securities, ESG/sustainability, and governance. Before that, he served as Head of Litigation in the Dallas office of an AmLaw 20 law firm. Earlier in his career, Mr. Woodcock served as Director of the Fort Worth Regional Office of the Securities Exchange Commission from 2011 to 2015. In this role, he led over 120 lawyers, accountants, and examiners on all aspects of the SEC’s enforcement and examination activities in four states (Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Kansas). During his tenure, Mr. Woodcock helped create, and served as chair of, the cross-office/division Financial Reporting and Audit Task Force, which was designed to enhance the SEC’s detection and prosecution of violations involving accounting and false financial statements. During this time, Mr. Woodcock oversaw investigations in nearly every major area of the SEC’s enforcement program, including public company disclosure and reporting; the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA); insider trading; and investigations of SEC registrants. He also served as a member of the Enforcement Advisory Committee. Previously, Mr. Woodcock was an associate, and then partner, in the Austin office of a major law firm from 2001 to 2011.
Mr. Woodcock received his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Louisiana State University in 1992. He was a CPA at Ernst & Young and Price Waterhouse for nearly five years before graduating with honors from the University of Texas School of Law in 2000. Mr. Woodcock clerked for Judge Howell Cobb in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas from 2000 to 2001 before going into private practice.
Mr. Woodcock has been recognized as a leading attorney by Chambers, Lawdragon and Super Lawyers, among others. Most recently, he was recognized as one of Lawdragon’s 2023 500 Leading U.S. Energy Lawyers list which recognizes “outstanding elite” attorneys who “apply their knowledge to help old-school and new energy companies finance and build new power sources throughout the world.”
Mr. Woodcock’s background as a CPA, senior officer at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), global law firm partner, and senior in-house corporate attorney at a Fortune 10 company provides a diverse set of experiences and perspectives that are helpful in guiding clients through an array of complex matters. His practice focuses on internal investigations and SEC defense, with a particular emphasis on accounting and financial reporting, corporate compliance, and audit/special committee investigations. Mr. Woodcock regularly advises clients on corporate securities and governance, the role of the board, shareholder activism, and ESG-related issues, including the energy transition, climate disclosures, enterprise risk management practices, cybersecurity, and related U.S./European regulations. He also counsels investment advisors and private equity funds in the context of SEC examinations and investigations, ESG matters, and portfolio due diligence and compliance.
Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Mr. Woodcock was Assistant General Counsel – Corporate at ExxonMobil Corporation, where he led all aspects of corporate, securities, ESG/sustainability, and governance. Before that, he served as Head of Litigation in the Dallas office of an AmLaw 20 law firm. Earlier in his career, Mr. Woodcock served as Director of the Fort Worth Regional Office of the Securities Exchange Commission from 2011 to 2015. In this role, he led over 120 lawyers, accountants, and examiners on all aspects of the SEC’s enforcement and examination activities in four states (Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Kansas). During his tenure, Mr. Woodcock helped create, and served as chair of, the cross-office/division Financial Reporting and Audit Task Force, which was designed to enhance the SEC’s detection and prosecution of violations involving accounting and false financial statements. During this time, Mr. Woodcock oversaw investigations in nearly every major area of the SEC’s enforcement program, including public company disclosure and reporting; the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA); insider trading; and investigations of SEC registrants. He also served as a member of the Enforcement Advisory Committee. Previously, Mr. Woodcock was an associate, and then partner, in the Austin office of a major law firm from 2001 to 2011.
Mr. Woodcock received his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Louisiana State University in 1992. He was a CPA at Ernst & Young and Price Waterhouse for nearly five years before graduating with honors from the University of Texas School of Law in 2000. Mr. Woodcock clerked for Judge Howell Cobb in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas from 2000 to 2001 before going into private practice.