3L Skyler Kretz Prepares for Securities Litigation Career with SEC Attorneys Through UC Law-UCDC Program 

3L Skyler Kretz worked on high-stakes securities enforcement matters at the SEC, reconstructing evidence trails and supporting active investigations.

3L student Skyler Kretz reflects on her semester in Washington, D.C., where she worked on investigations with attorneys from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission through UC Law SF’s partnership with the University of California Washington Program (UCDC). 

• Spent a semester embedded with SEC enforcement attorneys in Washington, D.C. 

• Developed practical skills in financial tracing, evidence analysis, witness evaluation, and enforcement strategy. 

• Gained insight into how SEC investigations shape private securities litigation and plans to join a securities litigation firm after law school. 

3L Skyler Kretz:  

Through the UC Washington Program, I spent the Fall 2025 semester in Washington, D.C., working full-time in the Enforcement Division of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. I gained an inside look at how complex securities investigations unfold, and this experience confirmed my interest in high-stakes corporate litigation. 

Working in the Investigations Unit, I contributed to several active matters across two enforcement teams. My responsibilities included reconstructing evidence trails involving related-party transactions, misuse of corporate funds, and insider trading. I strategically evaluated and organized pieces of evidence, drafted digests of witness testimony, investigated tips, complaints, and referrals, and collaborated with senior trading analysts on market manipulation matters. I also helped trace financial transactions across domestic and offshore bank accounts. 

Because I worked 40 hours per week, I was the only extern in the Enforcement Division staffed on two teams, with approximately 14 staff attorneys, an assistant director, and an associate director. I learned how the government handles investigations into private and public companies, seeing firsthand what evidence is most critical at various stages and how attorneys approach complex fact patterns and difficult witnesses. Working on multiple teams exposed me to different investigative strategies and approaches to case development. I assisted with matters from reviewing tips, complaints, and referrals to seeking and gathering evidence for early and late-stage investigations. I also attended closed-commission meetings. This strengthened my ability to analyze scienter (intent or knowledge of wrongdoing) and to understand how to build legal theories in practice. 

After the bar, I will join a boutique litigation firm specializing in securities fraud, shareholder rights, and complex class action lawsuits. My time in the Enforcement Division directly supports that goal. Understanding how regulators investigate and prioritize cases has given me insight into how government enforcement actions influence parallel and follow-on private litigation. Seeing how cases are built from the inside has been invaluable. It’s given me a clearer picture of how enforcement decisions shape the broader litigation landscape. 

Through hands-on federal enforcement work and rigorous academic training, I feel prepared to enter securities litigation with confidence, technical skill, and a deeper understanding of how regulatory action shapes the legal system. 

Beyond professional experience, I value the community I built at UC Law SF. Some of my favorite memories have been simple ones like having lunch in study rooms with close friends from my first-year cohort, finding time to connect even during busy semesters. 

The Evidence of Success series highlights UC Law SF students as they share how the College’s opportunities equip them with the experience, skills, and confidence to excel in the legal profession.