On 12 March 2025, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) staff issued a no-action letter that provides private fund sponsors with a concrete, streamlined approach to relying on Rule 506(c), based on minimum...more
On 12 March 2025, the SEC staff issued a no-action letter for offerings under Rule 506(c) of Regulation D. In the letter, the Staff concurs that an issuer will have taken “reasonable steps to verify” a purchaser’s accredited...more
2024 was a year of meaningful regulatory change for asset managers globally. The regulatory activity was wide ranging and without a particular unifying theme. In fact, the wide, and in cases diverging focuses of key global...more
2/12/2025
/ Asset Management ,
Australia ,
Capital Markets ,
Cryptoassets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Foreign Investment ,
Hong Kong ,
Investment Firms ,
Investment Funds ,
Investment Management ,
Investors ,
Japan ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Securities ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Singapore ,
Sustainability ,
Sustainable Finance
Effective 17 June 2024, the US Department of Labor (DOL) adopted comprehensive amendments to Prohibited Transaction Exemption (PTE) 84-14, also known as the “QPAM exemption” (Exemption)....more
12/19/2024
/ Banking Sector ,
Banks ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Investment ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Management ,
OCC ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
QPAM
Kamala Harris’ selection of Tim Walz as running mate for her presidential campaign has implications under the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Rule 206(4)-5 under the Investment Advisers Act (SEC Pay-to-Play Rule)....more
In July, two Federal District Courts in Texas issued orders staying the effective date of the Department of Labor’s (DOL) fiduciary rule (Fiduciary Rule)....more
Executive Summary - Many investment advisers and other financial institutions rely on the Department of Labor’s QPAM Exemption when providing services to, and transacting with, employer-sponsored retirement plans, individual...more
5/1/2024
/ Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
Compensation & Benefits ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Exemptions ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Management ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
QPAM ,
Retirement Plan
Brief Overview - On 8 February 2024, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) jointly adopted amendments to Form PF (the Amendments), the confidential reporting form...more
3/6/2024
/ Asset Management ,
CFTC ,
Compliance ,
Digital Assets ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Hedge Funds ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Funds ,
Investors ,
Private Funds ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
It is a dramatic understatement to describe 2023 as a busy year in the United States for asset management regulation. With 24 rules adopted and 18 new rules or rule amendments proposed, the US Securities and Exchange...more
1/22/2024
/ Asset Management ,
Beneficial Owner ,
Capital Markets ,
Compliance ,
Digital Assets ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Company Act of 1940 ,
Investment Management ,
Liquidity ,
Money Market Funds ,
Private Funds ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Standards ,
Risk Management ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ,
Swing Pricing ,
Whistleblowers
On 31 October 2023, the Department of Labor (DOL) unveiled its proposed “Retirement Security Rule” (Proposed Rule) redefining who is an investment advice fiduciary under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)....more
Introduction and Summary - On 3 May 2023, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved amendments to Form PF (the Amendments), the confidential reporting form required to be filed by certain SEC-registered private...more
Executive Summary: The Department of Labor released a final rule that addresses fiduciary duties when (1) considering ESG factors in selecting investments, and (2) considering whether and how to vote proxies, for plans...more
Executive Summary - The Department of Labor’s proposed amendment to the QPAM Exemption would impose stricter conditions and make it more difficult for managers to avail themselves of one of the most commonly utilized ERISA...more
The Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) on 9 February 2022 proposed new rules and amendments (collectively, the Proposed Rules) under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the Advisers Act)....more
On 26 January 2022, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposed amendments to Form PF, the confidential reporting form required to be filed by certain advisers to private funds. If adopted, the proposed...more
On 13 October 2021, the Department of Labor (DOL) proposed amendments (the Proposed Rule) to its investment duties regulation under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA), to clarify that...more
INTRODUCTION - On 26 August 2020, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) adopted amendments to Rule 501(a) of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), which...more
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - The Department of Labor (DOL) published final regulations that make significant strides in reducing barriers to the electronic delivery of a wide array of retirement plan disclosures. Specifically, the...more
9/3/2020
/ Beneficiaries ,
Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Electronic Disclosure ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Pensions ,
Retirement Plan ,
Safe Harbors
On 10 July 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposed amending Form 13F and Rule 13f-1 to raise the reporting threshold at which institutional investment managers are required to complete and file Form 13F...more
This alert is the second in a series. In our first alert, “History and State of Play,” our global financial services policy team described the status of the Department of Labor’s (DOL) proposed rule on socially responsible...more
Private equity sponsors and other managers of private market investments, including private real estate, infrastructure, and credit (together, Private Market Investments), have long cast their eyes upon the 401(k) plan...more
I. INTRODUCTION -
On December 18, 2019, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) proposed amendments to Rule 501(a) of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”),...more
AGENDA -
- Background
- Regulation Best Interest
- Judicial Challenges to Regulation Best Interest
- Form CRS
- Interpretation of Investment Adviser’s Fiduciary Duty
- Interpretation of the “Solely Incidental” Prong...more
TOPICS -
- Socially responsible/ESG investing
- Distribution through consulting/OCIO firms
...more
Sections:
- Executive Summary
- Material Changes Proposed by the Exposure Draft
- Effect of the Proposed Revisions Certain Investment Managers and Transactions -
Executive Summary -
On August 30, 2018 the CFA...more