Jason Goode, partner at Alston & Bird, sat down for a video interview at Nareit's REITwise: 2025 Law, Accounting & Finance Conference® in San Antonio, Texas.
Goode discussed anticipated regulatory changes at the SEC under the new leadership of Paul Atkins. He noted early shifts in the SEC’s enforcement approach, including changes to personnel and internal processes. These include removing the delegation of authority from the Director of Enforcement, meaning more decisions now go before all SEC commissioners. On the regulatory front, Goode expects significant changes aligned with the new administration’s broader policy direction.
He advised clients that 2025 is not a year for “business as usual.” Instead of reusing past reports and disclosures, companies should reassess their governance, compliance documents, and strategic priorities in light of shifting regulatory expectations and societal developments. This may require revisiting board-level discussions and reassessing what remains core to the company’s identity.
Regarding cybersecurity and AI risk, Goode highlighted that these issues have overtaken climate risk as top concerns for public company boards. Cybersecurity, he said, is now a routine topic at board meetings, often addressed quarterly.