The last two decades have been marked by robust enforcement of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”) by the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). In line with its “shock...more
In addition to the normal operational and legal risks associated with owning and managing portfolio companies, 2025 has introduced or exacerbated a wave of geopolitical and macroeconomic risks such as inflation, tariffs,...more
On May 12, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a memorandum outlining the Criminal Division’s enforcement priorities and policies for prosecuting corporate and white-collar crimes in the new Administration....more
Times of economic volatility often increase disparities between a seller’s valuation and the buyer’s valuation of the same company. Earn-out provisions are one tool frequently used to address such disparities. An earn-out...more
6/18/2025
/ Acquisitions ,
Contract Disputes ,
Contract Terms ,
Dispute Resolution ,
Earn-Outs ,
EBITDA ,
Litigation Strategies ,
Mergers ,
Private Equity ,
Risk Management ,
Valuation
Private credit has become an essential source of financing globally, with fund sponsors enjoying strong demand from borrowers, market participants, and investors. However, as the industry’s “golden age” continues, regulatory...more
Amid a challenging environment for exits, especially in the wake of the recent market volatility, private fund managers continue to pursue alternative strategies, such as term extensions and liquidity solutions, to ride out...more
Motivated by a rapidly evolving geopolitical climate, governments around the globe have increasingly scrutinized and intervened in transactions under foreign direct investment (FDI) screening regimes in recent years. Rising...more
With Paul Atkins as the new SEC Chair, the agency’s priorities have shifted away from many of the aggressive policies of former Chair Gensler. The first four months of the Republican controlled SEC saw a dramatic shift in the...more
6/18/2025
/ Enforcement Actions ,
Enforcement Priorities ,
Fund Managers ,
Investment Advisers Act of 1940 ,
Investment Management ,
Private Funds ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Retail Investors ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation
Over the past year, regulatory scrutiny of the credit markets has intensified, with the SEC investigating the potential use of material nonpublic information (“MNPI”) relating to credit instruments. The SEC brought a number...more
With ESG regulation now well embedded across all major jurisdictions, the trend we see for 2025 is about increasingly sophisticated triangulation by private fund managers between the regimes that apply by default (such as...more
5/7/2025
/ Disclosure Requirements ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) ,
Fund Managers ,
Greenwashing ,
Investment Funds ,
Popular ,
Private Funds ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
SFDR ,
Sustainable Finance
Confession: writing this in May 2025, we cannot predict with confidence what the rest of 2025 will bring. The year has already seen four months of change and upheaval – political, regulatory, and economic. The new US...more
5/1/2025
/ Compliance ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Enforcement ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) ,
Investment Funds ,
Portfolio Companies ,
Private Equity ,
Private Funds ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Risk Management ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation
Paul Atkins, who has been nominated by President Trump to serve as Chairperson of the Securities & Exchange Commission, last week completed a short confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate Banking Committee. Despite its...more
As we head further into 2025, the landscape of SEC exams and enforcement is poised for significant shifts. How will the SEC adapt to emerging trends and evolving market dynamics? In the first issue of Beyond the Deal in 2025,...more
The Voting Record and Public Statements of the Commissioners Provide a Roadmap -
There has been much speculation on what SEC enforcement will look like under a new administration, especially now that President-elect Donald...more
12/23/2024
/ Cryptocurrency ,
Cybersecurity ,
Data Breach ,
Enforcement ,
Pay-To-Play ,
Penalties ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Statutory Interpretation ,
Transparency ,
Trump Administration
On November 22, 2024, the SEC’s Division of Enforcement announced its Enforcement Results for Fiscal Year 2024. Below are some key takeaways for fund managers: Total enforcement actions were down from recent years. The...more
It is no secret that the incoming Republican Administration has been skeptical of the federal government’s climate change measures, which brings further uncertainty to the SEC’s new climate change rules (the “Rules”). To be...more
11/19/2024
/ Appeals ,
California ,
Capital Markets ,
Carbon Emissions ,
Climate Change ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Final Rules ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Risk Management ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
The Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) National Examination Program is designed to improve compliance, prevent fraud, monitor risk and inform policy. It is also a consistent source of referrals to the SEC’s Division...more
11/13/2024
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Compliance ,
Confidentiality Agreements ,
Custody Rule ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Enforcement ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Filing Requirements ,
Fraud ,
Fund Managers ,
Greenwashing ,
Indemnification ,
MNPI ,
Pay-To-Play ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Retail Investors ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Whistleblowers
Following its adoption almost one year ago of amended rules accelerating filing deadlines for Schedules 13G and 13D (and the imminent effectiveness of the new deadlines for 13Gs), the SEC has continued to bring enforcement...more
In a significant enforcement action, the SEC sanctioned a private fund manager for failing to establish and maintain adequate policies and procedures to prevent the misuse of material nonpublic information (MNPI) while...more
9/9/2024
/ Collateralized Loan Obligations ,
Compliance ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Equity ,
Fraud ,
Investment Advisers Act of 1940 ,
MNPI ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Securities Act of 1933 ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
As reported today, Vice President Harris has announced Tim Walz, the sitting governor of Minnesota, as her running mate. This announcement is particularly significant for investment advisers due to the Advisers Act Political...more
On June 14, 2024, the SEC announced an enforcement action settlement with a Pennsylvania-based hedge fund manager for violating the Marketing Rule under the Investment Advisers Act. The SEC found that the adviser had misled...more
As we reach the midpoint of 2024, the SEC has maintained its rigorous enforcement stance on the private funds industry, proposing new rules and oversight tools to better identify and investigate market practices. As 2024...more
6/14/2024
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Data Retention ,
Employee Training ,
Enforcement ,
Fraud ,
Fund Managers ,
Hedge Funds ,
Indemnification ,
Instant Messaging Apps ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Advisers Act of 1940 ,
New Rules ,
Pay-To-Play ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Private Funds ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Retail Investors ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
In a significant decision released Wednesday morning, a unanimous three-judge panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit vacated what have come to be known as the Private Fund Adviser Rules, a set of rules and...more
The SEC’s recent settlement involving a “pay-to-play” rule violation by a private equity firm is a timely reminder for fund managers, especially with the November elections approaching.
As a refresher, Rule 206(4)-5 of...more
5/29/2024
/ Compliance ,
Employee Training ,
Enforcement ,
Exempt Reporting Advisers (ERAs) ,
Fund Managers ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Advisers Act of 1940 ,
Pay-To-Play ,
Political Contributions ,
Private Equity Firms ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Settlement
In response to rising geopolitical tensions – from the Middle East to the Taiwan Strait to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine –the Biden Administration is increasingly using economic incentives and sanctions to assist the United...more