David S. Ruder was the dean of Northwestern Pritzker School of Law from 1977 to 1985. Following his deanship, he served as the chairman of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission from 1987 to 1989. Ruder received a bachelor’s degree, cum laude, in 1951 from Williams College, and his law degree with honors in 1957 from the University of Wisconsin. He practiced law as an associate at Quarles & Brady, of counsel at Schiff Hardin, and as partner and senior counsel at Baker & McKenzie. As dean of the Law School, he helped to persuade the American Bar Association and the American Bar Foundation to move their headquarters to the Rubloff Building on Northwestern’s Chicago campus. As chairman of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, Ruder dealt with the October 1987 stock market crash, initiated a penny stock fraud program, and enlarged SEC initiatives in international securities regulation.
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