On October 30, the Securities and Exchange Commission adopted “Regulation Crowdfunding,” which consists of final rules that will enable eligible companies to raise up to $1 million in capital in any 12-month period by...more
On October 30, the Securities and Exchange Commission proposed amendments to modernize: (1) Rule 147, promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933 (Securities Act) as a safe harbor exempting intrastate offerings from federal...more
SEC/CORPORATE -
SEC Proposes Amendments to Rules 147 and 504 -
On October 30, the Securities and Exchange Commission proposed amendments to modernize: (1) Rule 147, promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933...more
On October 21, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced that it will hold its annual Government-Business Forum on Small Business Capital Formation on November 19 at its Washington, DC headquarters. The forum will...more
SEC/CORPORATE -
SEC To Hold Forum on Small Business Capital Formation in November -
On October 21, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced that it will hold its annual Government - Business Forum on Small...more
10/26/2015
/ AML/CFT ,
Banks ,
Capital Formation ,
Deposit Insurance ,
EU ,
European Banking Authority (EBA) ,
European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) ,
FDIC ,
JOBS Act ,
Margin Requirements ,
Regulation Technical Standards (RTS) ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Small Business ,
Startups ,
Uncleared Swaps
On October 6, the US House of Representatives passed the Disclosure Modification and Simplification Act of 2015 (H.R. 1525), which, if enacted, would require the Securities and Exchange Commission to (1) revise Regulation S-K...more
SEC/CORPORATE -
House Passes Disclosure Modification and “4(a)(1)(1/2)” Bills -
On October 6, the US House of Representatives passed the Disclosure Modification and Simplification Act of 2015 (H.R. 1525), which, if...more
10/12/2015
/ Advisory Committee ,
CFTC ,
Derivatives ,
EMIR ,
Equity Research Rule ,
EU ,
European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
Form 10-K ,
Market Risk Capital Rule ,
NASD ,
Registration Requirement ,
Regulation S-K ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
On September 8, the SEC charged a sports supplements and nutrition company, its former audit committee chairman and three of its current and former executive officers with committing accounting, disclosure and other...more
SEC/CORPORATE -
US District Court Orders SEC To Revise Resource Extraction Issuer Rule -
On September 2, the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts ordered the SEC to file with the District Court in 30...more
9/14/2015
/ Banking Sector ,
Broker-Dealer ,
C-Suite Executives ,
CFTC ,
Commodities ,
Consultation ,
Corporate Executive Boards ,
Failure To Disclose ,
FFIEC ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Institutions ,
Investment Funds ,
Major Swap Participants ,
NFA ,
NYSE ,
Oxfam America ,
Resource Extraction ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Swaps ,
Trade Market Abuse ,
UCITS ,
UK
On June 16, the Securities and Exchange Commission denied a motion, filed by Monica J. Lindeen, Montana State Auditor, ex officio Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, which sought to stay the effectiveness of new...more
In This Issue:
- SEC Denies Motion to Stay Regulation A+
- SEC Requests Public Comment on ETPs
- CFTC Further Extends Valuation Data Reporting Relief for SDs and MSPs
- Eleventh Circuit Upholds...more
6/22/2015
/ Alternative Investment Funds ,
AMF ,
Banking Sector ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Brokers ,
CFTC ,
Commodities ,
Corporate Governance ,
Exchange-Traded Products ,
FDIC ,
Food Commodities ,
Insider Trading ,
Mortgage Lenders ,
Mortgages ,
OCC ,
Regulation A ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Wire Fraud
On May 27, the Federal Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia combined lawsuits filed by the commonwealth of Massachusetts and the state of Montana against the Securities and Exchange Commission. The lawsuits seek to...more
In This Issue:
- SEC Staff Releases Analysis Related to Pay Ratio Disclosure Rules
- States Challenge Blue Sky Preemption Under Regulation A+
- FINRA Proposes Revised BrokerCheck Hyperlink Rule
-...more
6/8/2015
/ Blue Sky Laws ,
BrokerCheck ,
Capital Markets ,
CFTC ,
Clawbacks ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Executive Compensation ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
Hedge Funds ,
Investment Adviser ,
National Futures Association ,
NFA ,
Preemption ,
Public Comment ,
Regulation A ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Total Shareholder Return (TSR)
On March 25, the Securities and Exchange Commission adopted final rules that will expand the exemption from registration under the Securities Act of 1933 provided by Regulation A to include an exemption for up to $50 million...more
In this issue:
- SEC Adopts Final Rules for Regulation A+ Offerings
- FINRA Issues Notice on New Rules and Amendments Relating to Transaction-Based Compensation, Membership and Sanctions
- FINRA Issues...more
3/30/2015
/ Algorithmic Trading ,
Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD) ,
CFTC ,
Final Rules ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
New Guidance ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Regulation A ,
Regulation SHO ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Fraud ,
Supervision
On December 18, 2014, the Securities and Exchange Commission proposed rule amendments that, if adopted, would modify SEC rules governing registration under Section 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Exchange Act),...more
In this issue:
- SEC Proposes Rule Amendments to Implement JOBS Act Registration Thresholds
- ISS Releases FAQs on Equity Plan Scorecard and Independent Chair Policy
- FINRA Issues Annual Regulatory and...more
1/12/2015
/ CFTC ,
Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) ,
Equity Plans ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
Futures Commission Merchants (FCMs) ,
Independent Boards ,
Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) ,
JOBS Act ,
NASD ,
No-Action Relief ,
REIT ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Strategic Enforcement Plan
Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis, two leading proxy advisory firms, recently published their 2015 proxy voting guidelines for US companies, which include several updates applicable to the 2015 proxy...more
In this issue:
- Proxy Advisory Firms Release Policy Updates for 2015
- CBOE Makes Enhancements to Its Market-Maker Trade Notification System
- OTC Derivatives Regulators Group Issues Report to G20...more
11/17/2014
/ AIFM ,
Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD) ,
CBOE ,
CFTC ,
Derivatives ,
European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
G20 ,
Glass Lewis ,
Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) ,
Market Making ,
Over The Counter Derivatives (OTC) ,
Prepaid Payment Products ,
Proxy Season ,
Proxy Voting Guidelines
On September 29, Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS), a leading proxy advisory firm, published the results of its 2014–2015 global voting policy survey. The survey, which, according to ISS, received more than 370...more
In this issse:
- ISS Publishes Results of Annual Global Voting Policy Survey
- FINRA Requests Comment on a Rule Proposal to Implement the Comprehensive Automated Risk Data System
- NFA Issues Notice...more
10/6/2014
/ Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD) ,
Commodity Trading Advisors (CTAs) ,
CPOs ,
Derivatives ,
Designated Contract Markets (DCMs) ,
Enforcement ,
Enforcement Actions ,
EU ,
European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
Fraud ,
Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) ,
MiFID ,
NFA ,
Risk Assessment ,
Risk Management ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Fraud ,
SEFs
The Council of Institutional Investors (CII), an advocacy group for corporate governance and shareholder rights, has published a report that highlights two approaches to disclosure regarding a board’s process of...more
In this issue:
- Council of Institutional Investors Issues Report on Board Evaluation Disclosure
- FINRA Revises Proposal to Adopt Consolidated FINRA Rule 2231
- IRS Considers Whether Management Fees of...more
9/22/2014
/ Broker-Dealer ,
CFTC ,
Corporate Governance ,
Dodd-Frank ,
EU ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
Insider Trading ,
Institutional Investment ,
IRS ,
Limited Liability Company (LLC) ,
Margin Requirements ,
Swaps
On June 30, the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Investment Management and Division of Corporation Finance published Staff Legal Bulletin No. 20 (SLB 20), which offers guidance regarding investment advisers’...more
In this issue:
- SEC Publishes Guidance for Investment Advisers and Proxy Advisory Firms Regarding Proxy Voting and Solicitation
- SEC Division of Corporation Finance Issues C&DIs Relating to Accredited Investor...more
7/14/2014
/ Accredited Investors ,
Audits ,
C&DIs ,
Exchange-Traded Products ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
General Solicitation ,
Hedge Funds ,
Insider Trading ,
Investment Adviser ,
Proxy Advisors ,
Proxy Voting Guidelines ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Verification Requirements