Proposed SEC Rule Governing Derivatives and Short Sales

On Dec. 11, 2015, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) issued a release proposing the adoption of new Rule 18f-4 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”). The proposed rule, if adopted as proposed, will establish new limitations on the use of derivatives by registered investment companies and business development companies (collectively, “regulated funds”). It will also regulate other trading practices of such funds (including short sales of securities) that are deemed to involve the issuance of “senior securities.” Hedge funds and other private investment funds will not be subject to the rule.

Read more here: SEC Proposes Rule Governing the Use of Derivatives and Short Sales

Kenneth J. Berman – Contributor

Kenneth Berman, a member of the Investment Management Group, focuses his practice on providing regulatory and compliance advice to financial services firms, particularly investment advisers and sponsors of mutual funds, private equity funds and other pooled investment vehicles. Mr. Berman also counsels mutual fund independent directors and advises operating companies concerning status issues they may face under the Investment Company Act of 1940. He is recognized as a leading lawyer by Chambers USA (2009-2016), where clients note that he is an “impressive” and “great” lawyer who offers “invaluable support throughout the decision-making process.” Mr. Berman is also recommended by The Legal 500 US (2012-2016).

Prior to joining Debevoise, Mr. Berman was Associate Director of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Investment Management, where he oversaw the division offices responsible for processing applications for exemptive relief under the Investment Company Act and administering the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935. He joined the SEC staff in 1988 after several years of private practice. Before becoming Associate Director in 1997, Mr. Berman was Assistant Director of the Division’s Office of Regulatory Policy.

Mr Berman is the co-author of numerous articles, including “What Will The “Eyes And Ears” Of The SEC Choose To See And Hear This Year? OCIE Announces Examination Priorities For 2015,” Vol. 16 No.2, Journal of Investment Compliance, (July, 2015); “Expense Allocation: The SEC Brings Down The Hammer,” Vol. 16 No. 1, Journal of Investment Compliance(May, 2015); “SEC Settles First “Pay-To-Play” Enforcement Action,” Financial Fraud Law Report (October, 2014); “Debevoise & Plimpton Discusses JOBS Act General Solicitations,” The CLS Blue Sky Blog (September, 2014); “Debevoise & Plimpton Discusses Treatment of Special Purposes Vehicles under the Advisers Act,” The CLS Blue Sky Blog (August, 2014); “Good News on ‘Bad Actors’,” PE Manager (March, 2014); “A Touch of Solace for Broker-Dealer Compliance Personnel,” Law360 (November, 2013); “Debevoise & Plimpton Discusses SEC’s Guidance on Supervisory Liability for a Broker-Dealer’s Compliance and Legal Personnel,” The CLS Blue Sky Blog (November, 2013); “Time For Private Equity To Focus On Form PF,” The Deal (June, 2012); “International Survey of Investment Adviser Regulation,” Wolters Kluwer(June, 2012) and “SEC Risk Alert Discusses When Social Media Interactions May Constitute Prohibited Hedge Fund Client Testimonials,” The Hedge Fund Law Report (April, 2012).

Mr. Berman is a frequent speaker at conferences relating to investment company and investment adviser issues. He is a member of the Committee on Investment Management Regulation of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York and served as Chair of that Committee from 2009 to 2012. Mr. Berman is also a member of the American Bar Association (Subcommittee on Investment Companies and Investment Advisers, Subcommittee on Private Investment Entities) and the District of Columbia Bar. Mr. Berman is also an adjunct professor of law in Georgetown University’s LLM program.

Mr. Berman received his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School, where he was a member of the Law Review, and his B.A. from Dickinson College, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

Education

-University of Chicago Law School, 1979, J.D.

-Dickinson College, 1976, B.A.

Bar Admissions

-New York

-District of Columbia

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David F. Freeman, Jr. – Contributor

David Freeman is head of the firm’s Financial Services practice group. He represents financial institutions, investment managers, and broker-dealers on banking and securities regulatory issues, legislation, mergers and acquisitions, private investment funds, and new product development and documentation. As part of his practice, Mr. Freeman advises domestic and foreign banks, investment management firms, and broker-dealers on compliance with state and federal banking and securities laws, federal commodities laws, and SRO rules.

 

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Benjamin T. Marzouk – Contributor

Ben Marzouk is a financial services attorney who advises broker-dealers and investment advisers on compliance with federal and state securities laws, including Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) rules and regulations. Ben represents registered investment companies and investment funds in regulatory matters and helps clients navigate the complex rules governing capital-raising activities, as well as public and private securities offerings.

With a deep knowledge of the financial services industry, Ben’s regulatory experience also extends to anti-money laundering compliance, crowdfunding, and corporate mergers and acquisitions. Ben also advises broker-dealers and other financial services intermediaries on the distribution of a wide variety of investment products, such as equity stocks, corporate and municipal bonds, mutual funds, insurance contracts, variable annuities, and other alternative investment products.

Before joining Sutherland as an associate, Ben participated in the firm’s Summer Associate program in 2010 where he assisted primarily with financial services matters. He previously worked as an analyst for a global consulting firm where he conducted an analysis as part of a large-scale restructuring of the United States Army’s financial branch.

Awards and Rankings

Named to the  DC Bar Pro Bono Honor Roll (2013-2015)

Selected for inclusion in Washington, D.C., Super Lawyer® “Rising Stars” (2016)

Professional Activities

Member, ABA Business Law Section
Member, Business Development Committee, DC Bar’s Law Practice Management Section

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Anna T. Pinedo – Contributor

Anna Pinedo has concentrated her practice on securities and derivatives. She represents issuers, investment banks/financial intermediaries, and investors in financing transactions, including public offerings and private placements of equity and debt securities, as well as structured notes and other hybrid and structured products.

Ms. Pinedo works closely with financial institutions to create and structure innovative financing techniques, including new securities distribution methodologies and financial products. Ms. Pinedo has particular financing expertise in certain industries, including working with technology-based companies, telecommunications companies, healthcare companies, financial institutions, REITs and consumer finance companies. Ms. Pinedo has worked closely with foreign private issuers in their securities offerings in the United States and in the Euro markets. She also works with financial institutions in connection with international offerings of equity and debt securities, equity- and credit-linked notes, and hybrid and structured products, as well as medium-term note and other continuous offering programs.

In the derivatives area, Ms. Pinedo counsels a number of major financial institutions acting as dealers and participants in the commodities and derivatives markets. Ms. Pinedo advises on structuring issues, as well as on regulatory issues, including those arising under the Dodd-Frank Act. Her work focuses on foreign exchange, equity and credit derivatives products, and structured derivatives transactions. Ms. Pinedo has experience with a wide range of transactions and structures, including collars, swaps, forward and accelerated repurchases, forward sales, hybrid preferred stock, and off-balance sheet structures. Ms. Pinedo also has advised derivatives dealers regarding their Internet sites and other Internet and electronic signature/delivery issues, as well as on compliance matters.

Ms. Pinedo regularly speaks at conferences and participates in panel discussions addressing securities law issues, as well as the securities issues arising in connection with derivatives and other financial products. She is the co-author of JOBS Act Quick Start, published by International Financial Law Review (2013, 2014, updated 2016), contributor to OTC Derivatives Regulation Under Dodd-Frank: A Guide to Registration, Reporting, Business Conduct, and Clearing (Thomson Reuters, 2014, second ed. 2015, 2016 ed.), co-author of Considerations for Foreign Banks Financing in the US, published by International Financial Law Review (2012, updated 2014, 2016), Liability Management: An Overview (2011, updated 2015), published by International Financial Law Review, co-author of Covered Bonds Handbook, published by Practising Law Institute (2010, updated 2012-2014), co-author of the treatise Exempt and Hybrid Securities Offerings, published by Practising Law Institute (2009, second ed. 2011) and also co-author of BNA Tax and Accounting Portfolio, SEC Reporting Issues for Foreign Private Issuers (BNA Accounting Policy and Practice Series, 2009, second ed. 2012, updated 2016). Ms. Pinedo is also a contributing author to Broker-Dealer Regulation (2011, second ed. 2012), published by Practising Law Institute. Ms. Pinedo co-authored “The Approaches to Bank Resolution,” a chapter in Bank Resolution: The European Regime (Oxford University Press, 2016). Ms. Pinedo contributed to The Future of Bank Funding and Capital: Solutions for Issuers, Opportunities for Investors (IFR Market Intelligence, 2009). Additionally, Ms. Pinedo co-authored “The Ties that Bind: the Prime-Brokerage Regulation,” a chapter in Global Financial Crisis (Globe Law and Business, 2009) and “The Law: Legal and Regulatory Framework,” a chapter in PIPEs: A Guide to Private Investments in Public Equity (Bloomberg, 2006).

Ms. Pinedo has been included in Best Lawyers in America, Euromoney’s Expert Guide for Capital Markets and Expert Guide for Women in Business Law, Super Lawyers, Crain’s New York Business “Forty Under 40,” Investment Dealer’s Digest “Forty Under 40” and Hispanic Business‘s “100 Most Influential Hispanics.” Ms. Pinedo has been ranked by Chambers USAas one of America’s leading capital markets-derivatives and capital markets-structured products lawyers and has been recognized as a notable lawyer for financial services regulation-broker dealer (compliance). Chambers Globalhas ranked Ms. Pinedo as one of the world’s leading lawyers (recommended in capital markets–derivatives). Ms. Pinedo has also been cited as a recommended lawyer for capital markets in the IFLR1000 Guide to Leading Lawyers, and as a recommended lawyer by The Legal 500 US for her work in capital markets: debt, equity, and global offerings, as well as structured finance and REITs. Ms. Pinedo was a recipient of the Burton Award for Legal Achievement in 2007, 2009 and 2011 which honors excellence in legal writing. Ms. Pinedo was also a winner of the 2013 Euromoney LMGAmericas Women in Business Law Awards as the Leading Lawyer in the Americas in the category of Structured Finance, which includes Derivatives.

Ms. Pinedo is a member of the American Bar Association’s Committee on the Federal Regulation of Securities, a member of the subcommittee on Disclosure and Continuous Reporting, vice-chair of the subcommittee on Securities Registration, and a member of the task force on the future of securities regulation. She has participated in the drafting committee for the ABA’s comment letters on such topics as securities offering reform, revisions to accelerated filing, smaller public company proposals, and various JOBS Act related matters. Ms. Pinedo also is a member of the ABA Committee on the Regulation of Futures and Derivatives Instruments.  Ms. Pinedo is a chair of the Structured Products Association Legal, Regulatory and Compliance Executive Committee.  She is a member of the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Mortgage REIT Council and a member of the MBA’s Secondary & Capital Markets Committee.

Ms. Pinedo is a member of the George Washington University Center for Law, Economics & Finance Advisory Board. Ms. Pinedo is a member of the Visiting Committee of the Law School of the University of Chicago. Ms. Pinedo was a member of the University of Chicago Legal Forum during her time at the University of Chicago Law School.

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