Professor of Accounting · Litigation economist and consultant · Financial regulations expert

Mikhail Pevzner

PhD, CPA (Maryland)

A business-school professor, higher-education leader, and expert consultant in accounting, auditing, finance, and economics. I provide valuation and economic-damages estimation for corporate litigation, have contributed economic analyses to SEC rulemaking, and have published more than forty peer-reviewed publications.

Ernst & Young Chair in Accounting, The University of Baltimore · Ph.D., Washington University in St. Louis

Mikhail Pevzner
17+Years in academia
40+Peer-reviewed publications
SEC · FINRAFormer visiting economist
2007Ph.D., Washington University · Olin
Current and prior affiliations
  • The University of Baltimore
  • U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission
  • FINRA
  • Georgetown University
  • EmployStats

Profile

About

My research, consulting, and regulatory-policy interests lie in financial accounting, auditing, valuation, financial statement analysis, and financial regulation. I have been an accounting faculty member in business-school academia since completing my Ph.D. in Business Administration at Washington University's Olin School of Business in 2007.

In addition to holding a tenured full professorship at The University of Baltimore, I teach in the MBA and graduate programs at the Merrick School of Business, and I have held part-time adjunct appointments at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business and Virginia Tech's MBA program.

I developed substantial financial-regulatory expertise through three appointments at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission — most recently as an expert financial economist in its Division of Economic and Risk Analysis, through early 2026 — and a sabbatical at FINRA. I also serve as a part-time contract economist with EmployStats, an economic-litigation consulting firm based in Texas.

Academic appointments

Ernst & Young Chair in Accounting, Professor (with tenure) — The University of BaltimorePresent
Adjunct Professor of Finance, McDonough School of Business — Georgetown UniversityPresent
Adjunct Professor of Accounting, MBA Program — Virginia Tech2018–2022, 2024
Associate Professor of Accounting — The University of Baltimore2013–2018
Assistant Professor of Accounting — George Mason University2007–2013

Federal & regulatory service

Expert Financial Economist, Econ. & Risk Analysis — U.S. SEC2022–2026
Visiting Scholar / Economist, Chief Economist's Office — FINRA2021–2022
Visiting Economist, Econ. & Risk Analysis — U.S. SEC2018–2019
Visiting Academic Fellow, Office of Chief Accountant — U.S. SEC2016–2017

Intellectual Contributions

Research & publications

  • Empirical capital-markets research
  • Empirical auditing
  • Corporate disclosure
  • International accounting & finance

Peer-reviewed journal articles

  1. 01
    The Effect of Audit Partner National Office Experience on Audit and Career OutcomesMatkaluk, L., N. Newton, M. Pevzner & A. Zimmerman · Journal of Accounting, Auditing & Finance · 2025 · forthcoming
  2. 02
    The Impact of Part-Time Labor on Firm Efficiency: The Role of Task ComplexityGolden, J., R. Mashruwala & M. Pevzner · Advances in Management Accounting · 2026
  3. 03
  4. 04
    The Impact of Capping the SALT Deduction on Municipal Bond PricingPevzner, M., A. Reinstein, T. Yao & M. Wynter · Journal of Accounting & Public Policy · 2025
  5. 05
    Audit Quality in the Face of Crisis: Evidence from the Audit Inspection ScandalMcKenna, F., M. Pevzner, A. Sheneman & T. Zach · British Accounting Review · 2025 · forthcoming
  6. 06
    Audit Committee–CFO Political Dissimilarity and Financial Reporting QualityFelix, R., S. Mansi & M. Pevzner · Journal of Accounting & Public Policy · 2024
  7. 07
    The Effects of Local Newspaper Closures on Nonprofits' Executive CompensationFelix, R., J. Khavis & M. Pevzner · Journal of Accounting & Public Policy · 2024
  8. 08
    Corruption in the Auditor Inspection Process: The Case of KPMG and the PCAOBMcKenna, F., M. Pevzner, A. Sheneman & T. Zach · Issues in Accounting Education · 2023
  9. 09
    Terrorism Activities and Long-Term Management Earnings ForecastsChang, Y., A. Duru, Y. Fan, C. Pirinsky & M. Pevzner · Journal of Accounting & Public Policy · 2022
  10. 10
  11. 11
    Macroeconomic Outlook Optimism and Analysts' Four-Quarter-Ahead Quarterly Earnings Forecast OptimismPevzner, M., S. Radhakrishnan & C. Seethamraju · Asia-Pacific Journal of Accounting & Economics · 2022
  12. 12
    Cultural Diversity of Audit Committees and Firms' Financial Reporting QualityFelix, R., M. Pevzner & M. Zhao · Accounting Horizons · 2021
  13. 13
    Labor Heterogeneity and Asymmetric Cost Behavior: An ExtensionGolden, J., R. Mashruwala & M. Pevzner · Management Accounting Research · 2020
  14. 14
    The Effects of Generalized Trust and Civic Cooperation on the Big N Presence and Audit Fees Across the GlobeKnechel, W. R., N. Mintchik, M. Pevzner & U. Velury · Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory · 2019
  15. 15
    Foreign Institutional Ownership and Auditor Choice: Evidence from Worldwide Institutional OwnershipKim, J.-B., M. Pevzner & X. Xin · Journal of International Business Studies · 2019
  16. 16
    The Consequences of Providing Lower-Quality Audits at the Audit Partner LevelChi, W., L. Lisic, L. Myers, M. Pevzner & T. Seidel · Journal of International Accounting Research · 2019
  17. 17
    Societal Trust and the Economic Behavior of Not-for-Profit OrganizationsFelix, R., G. Gaynor, M. Pevzner & J. Williams · Advances in Accounting · 2017
  18. 18
    Culture and Cost Stickiness: A Cross-Country StudyKitching, K., R. Mashruwala & M. Pevzner · The International Journal of Accounting · 2016
  19. 19
    The Impact of Internal Control Weaknesses on Firms' Cash PoliciesPevzner, M. & G. Gaynor · International Journal of Accounting, Auditing and Performance Evaluation · 2016
  20. 20
  21. 21
    Debtholders' Demand for Conservatism: Evidence from Changes in Directors' Fiduciary DutiesAier, J. K., L. Chen & M. Pevzner · Journal of Accounting Research · 2014 · lead article
  22. 22
    Relevant but Delayed Information in Negotiated Audit FeesHackenbrack, K., N. Jenkins & M. Pevzner · Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory · 2014
  23. 23
    Audit Quality Indicators: Insights from the Academic LiteratureKnechel, W. R., G. Krishnan, M. Pevzner, L. Shefchik & U. Velury · Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory · 2013
  24. 24
    Asset Liquidity and Stock LiquidityGopalan, R., O. Kadan & M. Pevzner · Journal of Financial & Quantitative Analysis · 2012
  25. 25
    Pro-Forma Disclosures, Audit Fees, and Auditor ResignationsChen, L., G. Krishnan & M. Pevzner · Journal of Accounting & Public Policy · 2012 · lead article
  26. 26
    How Do Auditors View Managers' Voluntary Disclosure Strategy? The Effect of Management Guidance on Audit FeesKrishnan, G., M. Pevzner & P. Sengupta · Journal of Accounting & Public Policy · 2012
  27. 27
    Is Enhanced Audit Quality Associated with Greater Real Earnings Management?Chi, W., L. Lisic & M. Pevzner · Accounting Horizons · 2011
  28. 28
    The Implications of Absorption Cost Accounting and Production Decisions for Future Firm Performance and ValuationGupta, M., M. Pevzner & C. Seethamraju · Contemporary Accounting Research · 2010
  29. 29
    Conditional Accounting Conservatism and Future Negative Surprises: An Empirical InvestigationKim, B.-H. & M. Pevzner · Journal of Accounting & Public Policy · 2010 · lead article

Selected working papers

  1. 01
    The Role of International Experience in Audit Partners' CareersMatkaluk, L., N. Newton, M. Pevzner & A. Zimmerman · Working paper · 2025
  2. 02
    Deconstructing the PCAOB: Anatomy of Failure?McKenna, F., M. Pevzner, A. Sheneman & T. Zach · Working paper · 2022

Policy comment letters, book chapters, and a white paper round out the record — the full list is in the curriculum vitae.

Contributions to policy & practice

Beyond academic journals, my work informs standard-setting and professional practice. I have authored and co-authored numerous comment letters on behalf of the Auditing Section of the American Accounting Association — addressing PCAOB and SEC proposals on auditor independence, audit-committee disclosure, and audit quality — and written for practitioner outlets such as Strategic Finance.

Litigation & regulatory consulting

Where financial expertise meets litigation strategy

I help attorneys resolve disputes involving business valuation, economic damages, financial reporting, executive compensation, and complex accounting issues. I work with counsel to value businesses, quantify damages, evaluate financial evidence, identify weaknesses in opposing expert opinions, and explain complex financial issues clearly to judges, juries, mediators, and arbitrators.

How I help counsel

  • Value closely held businesses and ownership interests
  • Quantify lost profits and economic damages
  • Analyze executive and equity compensation — RSUs, stock options, and other equity-based awards
  • Evaluate financial statements, accounting records, and complex corporate-finance issues
  • Review and rebut opposing expert reports
  • Prepare expert reports and support counsel through depositions, mediation, arbitration, and trial

Litigation consulting

I work with attorneys throughout every stage of a case — from early case assessment and discovery strategy through expert reports, rebuttal analyses, depositions, mediation, arbitration, and trial. My work combines business valuation, economic damages, financial analysis, executive compensation, and accounting expertise to help counsel build well-supported, persuasive financial arguments. Engaging a financial expert early often strengthens discovery, sharpens case strategy, and identifies critical issues before expert-report deadlines.

Securities & regulatory consulting

After many years as an accounting professor and researcher, I served as an Expert Financial Economist in the SEC's Division of Economic and Risk Analysis, an Academic Fellow in the SEC's Office of the Chief Accountant, and a Visiting Economist at FINRA. In those roles, I evaluated the economic implications of regulations affecting financial reporting, auditing, corporate governance, broker-dealers, investment advisers, and capital markets.

That experience gives me a practical understanding of how the SEC, PCAOB, and FINRA develop, interpret, and apply the regulations governing public companies. It lets me assist counsel in matters involving accounting and auditing standards, financial reporting, corporate governance, disclosure practices, securities regulation, and the economic consequences of regulatory decisions.

A distinctive perspective

My background combines SEC and FINRA regulatory experience, CPA credentials, public accounting experience, academic research, and litigation consulting. Together, these let me analyze financial disputes from multiple perspectives — regulatory, accounting, valuation, and economic — and deliver opinions that are analytically rigorous, well-supported, and clearly communicated.

Lectures & Talks

Speaking

I welcome invitations to lecture and present — to academic audiences, professional groups, and students. Recent and ongoing work includes:

  • Research presentations — including a Research Dialogues talk on trust and financial markets.
  • Open-access teaching series — video lecture courses in Auditing, Advanced Auditing, Government Accounting, Financial-Statement Analysis, and Intermediate Accounting.
  • Guest lectures & panels — available for seminars, professional development, and expert panels.

Get in touch

Contact

For consulting inquiries, speaking invitations, or academic correspondence.