Institutional investors are under significant pressure to maximise returns. To that end they have focused on reducing fees and consolidating their portfolios according to the best ideas of their best managers. A few...more
Enforcement -
AXA Prevails in Excessive Fee Trial -
Beware of Failing to Properly Disclose Fees and Assess Adequate Penalties -
Non-Enforcement -
Business Continuity Planning -
SEC Rule Designed to...more
Non-Enforcement -
Mutual Fund Directors Must Be Vigilant in Addressing Risks -
In remarks to the Mutual Fund Directors Forum, SEC Chair Mary Jo White outlined some of the risks and challenges that mutual fund...more
6/3/2016
/ 12b-1 plan ,
Civil Monetary Penalty ,
Conflicts of Interest ,
Custody Rule ,
Directors ,
Disgorgement ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Advisers Act of 1940 ,
Liquidity ,
Mutual Funds ,
No-Action Relief ,
PCAOB ,
Permanent Injunctions ,
Prejudgment Interest ,
Private Funds ,
Risk Assessment ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Fraud ,
Sub-advisers ,
Summary Judgment ,
Third-Party Service Provider
Non-Enforcement -
Amendments to the Venture Capital Fund Adviser and Private Fund Adviser Exemptions -
Last month the SEC’s Division of Investment Management issued a guidance update (Update) addressing recent...more
5/2/2016
/ Commercial Bankruptcy ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Exemptions ,
Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) ,
Guidance Update ,
Investment Advisers Act of 1940 ,
Joint and Several Liability ,
Multi-Employer Pensions ,
Multiemployer Pension Plan Amendments Act (MPPAA) ,
Partnership-in-Fact ,
Private Equity Funds ,
Private Funds ,
SBIC ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Sun Capital Partners ,
Venture Capital ,
Withdrawal Liability
Non-Enforcement -
Remember to Update Your Risk Disclosure on an Ongoing Basis -
The staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued guidance reminding mutual funds, exchange traded funds, and other...more
4/4/2016
/ Breach of Duty ,
Conflicts of Interest ,
Directors ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Exchange-Traded Products ,
Fees ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Form ADV ,
Intermediaries ,
Investor Protection ,
Mutual Funds ,
New Guidance ,
Penalties ,
Registered Investment Advisors ,
Registered Investment Companies (RICs) ,
Risk Assessment ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
Non-Enforcement -
The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program has Provided a Breeding Ground for Securities Fraud -
Back in 1990, Congress created the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) EB-5...more
3/3/2016
/ EB-5 ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Insider Trading ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Funds ,
Material Nonpublic Information ,
Mergers ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Fraud ,
State Regulators ,
Target Company ,
Unregistered Brokers ,
Venture Capital
Non-Enforcement -
FINRA’s Proposed Pay-to-Play Rule Will Impact Investment Advisers -
Late last year (December 24, 2015), the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) submitted a proposed rule to the U.S....more
2/3/2016
/ 12b-1 plan ,
Cybersecurity ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
Fund Managers ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investor Protection ,
OCIE ,
Pay-To-Play ,
Sanctions ,
SEC Examination Priorities ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Fraud ,
Transparency
Non-Enforcement -
Investment Management Division Director Address to Investment Company Institute -
Division Director David Grim addressed the ICI on December 16, 2015. In his remarks, Grim noted 2015 was the 75th...more
12/30/2015
/ CFTC ,
Data Collection ,
Derivatives ,
Dodd-Frank ,
EB-5 ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Insider Trading ,
Investment Companies ,
Liquidity Risk Management Rule ,
Portfolio Managers ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Unregistered Brokers
Non-Enforcement -
A Source of Concern for the SEC — The Outsourcing by Investment Advisers and Funds of Compliance Activities -
In a recent National Exam Program Risk Alert (dated November 9, 2015) the U.S....more
Non-Enforcement -
SEC Decides Against Mounting an Appeal in Koch Ruling -
The July 2015 ruling by the D.C. Circuit Court in Koch v. SEC will apparently not be challenged by the SEC. The Court ruled in that...more
11/2/2015
/ Auditors ,
Board of Directors ,
Breach of Duty ,
Cease and Desist Orders ,
Chief Compliance Officers ,
Civil Monetary Penalty ,
Compliance ,
Conflicts of Interest ,
Cyber Threats ,
Cybersecurity ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Disgorgement ,
Division of Investment Management ,
Dodd-Frank ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Exemptive Orders ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fixed Income Investments ,
Guidance Update ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Advisers Act of 1940 ,
Investment Companies ,
Investment Company Act of 1940 ,
Investment Management ,
Investor Protection ,
Liquidity Risk Management Rule ,
Meals-Gifts-and Entertainment Rules ,
Mismanagement ,
Money Market Funds ,
Municipal Advisers ,
Mutual Funds ,
NRSRO ,
Popular ,
Prejudgment Interest ,
Private Funds ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Registered Investment Advisors ,
Risk Mitigation ,
Sanctions ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Social Media ,
Testimonial Statements ,
Valuation
Non-Enforcement Cybersecurity Is At the Top of SEC Examination Concerns In a recent SEC “risk alert” for registered broker-dealers and investment advisers, the SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE)...more
10/1/2015
/ Blue Sky Laws ,
Board of Directors ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Chief Compliance Officers ,
Civil Monetary Penalty ,
Cyber Attacks ,
Cyber Threats ,
Cybersecurity ,
Data Breach ,
Data Privacy ,
Data Protection ,
Data Security ,
Derivatives ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
ETFs ,
Free Identity Theft Protection ,
Hackers ,
Investment Portfolios ,
Liquidity Risk Management Rule ,
Mutual Funds ,
NAV ,
New Guidance ,
OCIE ,
Personally Identifiable Information ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Registered Investment Advisors ,
Regulation S-P ,
Remedial Actions ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Risk Alert ,
Risk Assessment ,
Risk Management ,
Sanctions ,
Securities Act of 1933 ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Security Risk Assessments ,
Senior Managers ,
Servicing Agreements ,
Share Redemption ,
Shareholder Distributions ,
Swing Pricing
Non-Enforcement -
Form PF — What Purpose?
SEC registered investment advisers with at least $150 million of assets under management in private funds are required to periodically file Form PF with the SEC. The...more
8/31/2015
/ Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD) ,
Board of Directors ,
Breach of Duty ,
CFTC ,
Chief Compliance Officers ,
Compliance ,
Conflicts of Interest ,
Dodd-Frank ,
Enforcement ,
Enforcement Actions ,
EU ,
European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) ,
Excessive Fees ,
Failure To Disclose ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
Form PF ,
FSOC ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Advisers Act of 1940 ,
IOSCO ,
Meals-Gifts-and Entertainment Rules ,
Mutual Funds ,
National Private Placement Regimes (NPPR) ,
Penalties ,
Private Funds ,
Risk Management ,
SCOTUS ,
SEC Examination Priorities ,
Section 36(b) ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Transparency ,
UK
Do I need to be registered as an investment adviser under the Dodd-Frank Act Amendments to Investment Advisers Act? Foley Partner Stuart Fross highlights some thoughts for advisers on that question and tips for those who...more
7/24/2015
The SEC is now looking at the filings of private equity firms with greater scrutiny than ever before. Foley Partner Stuart Fross examines the culture shock within the industry and what advisers need to consider in light of...more
7/23/2015
Be Careful to Adhere to Best Practices When Approving Advisory Agreements -
The Securities and Exchange Commission instituted and settled an administrative proceeding against an investment adviser, its principal, and...more
Compliance Issues With Private Equity Fund Managers Remains a Concern With the SEC - In May of last year, the SEC rang the alarm bells after conducting sweep examinations of private equity fund managers. At that time, the SEC...more
The SEC announced that a compliance professional has been awarded $1.4 million to $1.6 million for reporting misconduct inside his firm to the SEC. The SEC recently noted that it has paid $50 million to 17 whistleblowers, out...more