The announcement Wednesday that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission had brought charges against several big-name broker-dealers and investment advisers is the strongest indication yet of increasing demand for white-collar and securities enforcement lawyers inside the Beltway.

The market has expected the SEC to step up enforcement ever since Joe Biden entered the White House. So far, a strong uptick has not happened. But Wednesday’s charges have been seen by the market as SEC chair Gary Gensler now fulfilling Biden’s promise to increase enforcement activity and hold corporate America accountable.