Articles Tagged with Rules Regulations

Published on:

On April 14, 2015, the Department of Labor issued its much anticipated re-proposal of regulations defining and expanding the persons who are treated as ERISA fiduciaries.  Under the proposal, subject to certain exceptions, all persons who  provide investment advice or recommendations for a fee to an employer-sponsored  retirement plan, plan fiduciary, plan participant, IRA or IRA owner would be deemed “fiduciaries”.  Other than investment education and “order taking”, most other investment sales related activities will result in fiduciary status.  Some of these advisors are subject to federal securities laws, others are not.

Being a fiduciary means that the advisor must provide impartial advice and put the client’s best interest first and must not accept any compensation payments creating conflicts of interest unless the payments qualify for an exemption (newly proposed) intended to ensure that the customer is adequately protected.  If the regulations are finalized, compliance with the terms of the new exemption will be a necessary condition for continuing many of the compensation practices currently in use by the investment industry.

We expect to issue a Client Alert on the Proposal and new Rule.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our Funds or Employee Benefits attorneys.

Published on:

By

In a press release yesterday, the CFTC issued an exemptive letter, CFTC Letter No. 14-116, providing relief from certain provisions of CFTC Regulations 4.7(b) and 4.13(a)(3) that restrict marketing to the public.  The exemptive relief was issued to make CFTC Regulations 4.7(b) and 4.13(a)(3) consistent with SEC Rule 506(c) of Reg. D and Rule 144A, which were amended by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (JOBS Act), to permit general solicitation or advertising subject to certain limitations.

Generally, the JOBS Act adopted SEC Rule 506(c) to permit an issuer, subject to the conditions of the rule, to engage in general solicitation or general advertising when offering and selling securities, and amended SEC Rule 144A to permit the use of general solicitation, subject to the limitations of the rule, when securities are sold to qualified institutional buyers (“QIBs”) or to purchasers that the seller reasonably believes are QIBs.  Prior to the CFTC’s exemptive relief, commodity pool operators (“CPOs”) relying on CFTC Regulations 4.7(b) and 4.13(a)(3) were not able to use general solicitation under Rule 506(c) or Rule 144A, as the CFTC exemptions prohibited general solicitation.

The new relief from provisions in CFTC Regulations 4.7(b) and 4.13(a)(3) is subject to the following conditions:

  1. The exemptive relief is strictly limited to CPOs who are 506(c) Issuers or CPOs using 144A Resellers.
  2. CPOs claiming the exemptive relief must file a notice with the Division.  The notice of claim of exemptive relief must:
  • State the name, business address, and main business telephone number of the CPO claiming the relief;
  • State the name of the pool(s) for which the claim is being filed;
  • State whether the CPO claiming relief is a 506(c) Issuer or is using one or more 144A Resellers;
  • Specify whether the CPO intends to rely on the exemptive relief pursuant to Regulation 4.7(b) or 4.13(a)(3), with respect to the listed pool(s);

 i.      If relying on Regulation 4.7(b), represent that the CPO meets the conditions
of the exemption, other than that provision’s requirements that the offering be
exempt pursuant to section 4(a)(2) of the 33 Act and be offered solely to QEPs,
such that the CPO meets the remaining conditions and is still required to sell
the participations of its pool(s) to QEPs;
ii.       If relying on Regulation 4.13(a)(3), represent that the CPO meets the
conditions of the exemption, other than that provision’s prohibition against
marketing to the public;

  • Be signed by the CPO; and
  • Be filed with the Division via email using the email address dsionoaction@cftc.gov and stating “JOBS Act Marketing Relief” in the subject line of such email.
Published on:

The relentless attention being paid to cyber-attacks is driving companies to increase cyber security budgets and purchases. In turn, this has led institutional investors and asset managers to see potentially massive returns associated with companies in the cyber security market. Indeed a number of companies that have gone public have had phenomenal success, and the constantly morphing nature of cyber-attacks means that purchasing trends are not likely to slow down any time soon.

However, it is critical to keep in mind that just as cyber security capabilities can be a very attractive component in evaluating a potential investment; it also could lead to potentially negative consequences. Ignorance of some key legal and policy considerations could lead to an improper assessment of the value/future earnings potential of technology investments. These considerations are true regardless of whether or not the technology or service has a core “security” component.

Below are some key issues to consider when making cyber security investment decisions:

  • Cyber security matters in every investment
    • It is a simple fact that every company faces cyber threats. Multiple studies have  demonstrated that essentially every company has been or is currently subject to cyber-attack and that most if not all have already been successfully penetrated at least once. This leads to a key consideration: every company’s cyber security posture should be considered when making investment decisions. For example, a company selling information technology that is less prone to cyber-attacks should be viewed as a better investment than competitors who pay little to no attention to how their products can be breached.
  • Cybercrime is cheap
    • The cost of conducting cyber-attacks is depressingly cheap: $2/hour to overload and shutdown websites, $30 to test whether malware will penetrate standard anti-virus systems, and $5,000 for an attack using newly designed methods to exploit previously undiscovered flaws. Indeed it is now so cheap to create malware that the majority of malicious programs are only used once – thereby defeating many existing cyber security systems which are designed to recognize existing threats. This all adds up to a cost/benefit analysis that is irresistible for cyber-attackers, and essentially guarantees that the pace and sophistication of attacks will not let up any time soon.
  • Cyber security should be in the company’s DNA
    • Whether a company is offering a service or a technology, a critical factor to consider is its approach to security. Companies that consider security a key functionality that needs to be integrated from the start of the design process are far more likely to go to market with an offering that has higher degree of security. Security as an afterthought is just that – an afterthought. Weaving security into the DNA of a service or technology will be extremely helpful in decreasing security risks. Just remember though that no security program or process is flawless, and no one should expect perfection.
  • Is there a nation-state problem?
    • An R&D or manufacturing connection to countries known for conducting large-scale cyber espionage causes heartburn for companies and governments alike. Too many instances have occurred where buying items from companies owned by or operated in problem nation states have resulted in cyber-attacks. In some cases, Federal agencies are prohibited from buying IT systems from companies with connections to specific governments. Investors and managers need to stay abreast of problem countries, and also examine whether the product or service has a connection to such countries. Failure to do so can lead to investments in companies that have limited market potential.
  • Do your homework and forensic analyses
    • There’s nothing like buying a trade secret only to find out it really isn’t a secret. Before investing in any company, conduct due diligence to determine how good the security of the company is and whether IP or trade secret information has been compromised.
  • If the government cares, so should you
    • The Federal government is stepping up its requirements regarding cyber security in procurements. That means that all federal contractors (not just defense contractors) are going to have to increase their internal cyber security programs if they want to win government contracts. Failure to have a good cyber security program could lead to lost contracts, and thus decreased growth. 
  • Words matter
    • Companies have been too lax in negotiating terms that explicitly set forth security expectations for IT products as well as who will be liable should there be a breach/attack. Judicious reviews of terms and conditions can help avoid liability following a cyber-attack. For example, companies should not accept boilerplate language regarding the following of “industry standards” or “best practices” with respect to cyber security. Instead, specific obligations and benchmarks need to be agreed upon before signing any agreement. Further agreements should be drafted to that make clear that security measures are the obligation of the other party. That way the investor has set up a stronger argument for recovering losses as well as shifting liability away from itself.
  • Insurance isn’t everything
    • Companies may be tempted to think that if a company has a cyber-insurance policy, they are protected in the event of a cyber-attack. The reality is that there is an enormous chasm between buying coverage and having claims paid. Cyber policies are increasingly being written and interpreted to cover fewer types of attacks, and so do not be tempted to think that cyber insurance can fully protect an investment.
  • SAFETY Act
    • Under the Support Anti-Terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies Act (SAFETY Act), cyber security services, policies, and technology providers are all eligible to receive either a damages cap or immunity from liability claims. The SAFETY Act also protects cyber security buyers, as they cannot be sued for using SAFETY Act approved items. Possessing SAFETY Act protections should be considered a positive sign and indicative of potential earnings growth.

There is no doubt about it; cyber risks are here to stay. Addressing those risks should be a core component of any business or investment strategy, because even if “today’s problem” is solved the introduction of new technologies will just mean a new threat vector for adversaries to exploit.

It is not all doom and gloom, however. Paying attention to cyber security trends and doing some simple due diligence will go far in minimizing digital risks. Make no mistake: defenses will always be incomplete and successful attacks will happen. However, with the right processes and approach, the bad outcomes can be minimized and investments will be protected.

Published on:

By

Written by:  Jay B. Gould

On October 23, 2013, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) brought charges against three different investment advisory firms for recidivist behavior.  The enforcement actions came out of the SEC’s Compliance Program Initiative, which targets firms that have been previously warned by SEC examiners about compliance deficiencies, but failed to effectively act upon those warnings.  The enforcement actions came out of the SEC’s Compliance Program Initiative, which targets firms that have been previously warned by SEC examiners about compliance deficiencies but failed to effectively act upon those warnings.  The SEC takes the view that investment advisory firms that ignore findings in deficiency letters, or represent that corrective action will or has been taken, and then do not take such corrective action, should be provided special treatment.  The SEC Enforcement Division’s Asset Management Unit has coordinated with examiners to bring several cases since the initiative began two years ago

The firms charged, Modern Portfolio Management Inc., Equitas Capital Advisers LLC, and Equitas Partners LLC, agreed to settlements in which they will pay financial penalties and hire compliance consultants.  Since the adoption of Rule 206(4)-7 under the Investment Advisers Act (“Compliance Rule”), requiring an investment adviser to hire an outside compliance consultant has been a preferred remedy imposed by the SEC.  .

The SEC’s order against Modern Portfolio Management (“MPM”) and its owners found that they failed to correct ongoing compliance violations, such as failing to complete annual compliance reviews in 2006 and 2009, and making misleading statements on their website and investor brochure.  According to the SEC findings, one location on MPM’s website represented that the firm had more than $600 million in assets.  However, on its Form ADV filing to the SEC during that same time period, MPM reported that the firm’s assets under management were $359 million or less.  Asset inflation, as well as education and professional experience “enhancement” are two favorites among Advisers Act violators, and fairly easy to verify by SEC examiners. 

MPM and their owners agreed to be censured and pay a total of $175,000 in penalties.  The two principals of MPM were required to complete 30 hours of compliance training, a remedy seemingly very close to violating the 8th Amendment.  MPM also agreed to designate someone other than the two principals to be its chief compliance officer, and is also required to retain a compliance consultant for three years.

According to the SEC’s orders against New Orleans-based Equitas Capital Advisers and Equitas Partners as well as their owner, current chief compliance officer, and former owner and chief compliance officer, they failed to adopt and implement written compliance policies and procedures and conduct annual compliance reviews to satisfy the Compliance Rule.  The SEC charged the Equitas firms with making false and misleading disclosures about historical performance, compensation, and conflicts of interest, and repeatedly overbilled and underbilled their clients.  Many of these violations occurred despite warnings by SEC examiners during examinations of the Equitas firms in 2005, 2008, and 2011.  Equitas and the named individuals failed to disclose these deficiencies to potential clients in response to questions in certain due diligence questionnaires or requests for proposals.  

The former owner of Equitas, who later went on to form Crescent Capital Consulting, an investment advisory firm, was also found to have been responsible for Compliance Rule violations at his new firm (as well as at Equitas) by inflating the amounts of assets under management of both firms their respective Forms ADV by improperly removing and retaining nonpublic personal client information when he left Equitas.

Equitas Capital Advisers and Crescent reimbursed all overcharged clients, and agreed to pay a total of $225,000 in additional penalties, but presumable did not go back after the clients that they undercharged. The Equitas firms agreed to censures, and both the Equitas firms and Crescent were required to hire an independent compliance consultant.  Perhaps the most damaging sanction was that the Equitas firms and Crescent are required to provide notice to clients regarding the SEC enforcement actions. 

Published on:

Written by:  Jay Gould and Peter Chess

While you were touring the Champagne region or sipping umbrella drinks at the beach this summer, the California Department of Corporations (the “DOC”) was busy overhauling the rules applicable to investment advisers.  On August 27, 2012, the DOC adopted final rules, available here, that provide for an exemption from registration for certain private fund managers pursuant to specific conditions.  This exemption, along with the rules previously adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), now permits certain investment advisers that provide advice only to private funds to operate without being fully registered with either the SEC or the State of California. 

Unlike the SEC rules, this exemption does not prohibit a fund manager from registering with the DOC—it simply allows the fund manager to decide whether it would like to register or rely on the exemption.  To rely upon this exemption, a California based adviser must complete and file the Form ADV (required under Rule 204-4 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”)) with the DOC that is required of an adviser that files for “exempt reporting adviser” status with the SEC.  But why would any adviser that is eligible to take advantage of the exemption decide to register? 

If a fund manager intends only to seek capital from “friends and family,” subjecting itself to the full registration requirements and the more complete compliance rules that are expected soon from the DOC could represent a significant expense to the manager.  Or, if a manager is leaving another organization and must quickly get to market, the three to four month process associated with the DOC review of an investment adviser application may be viewed as too long to wait.  But if a fund manager expects to target more institutional capital, or other investors that would have a reasonable expectation that the manager is subject to some regulatory oversight, the manager may very well decide that a California investment adviser registration is not so burdensome.  After all, a manager that seeks to rely on the exemption must still file the Form ADV, prepare a private placement memorandum, and have the fund audited, among other requirements discussed below.  The analysis that each fund manager must undertake in order to make this decision is multi-faceted and is ultimately one that is unique to each adviser and its own circumstance.

To briefly summarize the results of the DOC rulemaking, an investment adviser located in California may conduct its business without being a fully registered and regulated investment adviser under the DOC regulations so long as:

  • the adviser only advises private funds that rely on either Section 3(c)(1) or Section 3(c)(5) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (which the DOC defines as “Retail Buyer Funds”) the investors of which are all “accredited investors”;
  • the adviser is not subject to any statutory disqualifications;
  • the adviser files certain periodic reports and notices; and
  • the adviser pays the annual registration fee of $125.  

Additionally, with respect to Retail Buyer Funds:

  • the adviser may only charge performance fees to investors that meet the Advisers Act definition of a “qualified client”;
  • the Retail Buyer Fund must be audited annually by a Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) registered accounting firm and deliver a copy of the audited financial statements to each beneficial owner; and
  • the adviser must provide “material disclosures” to fund investors that adequately and accurately describe the investment program of the fund and the relationship of the adviser to the fund (e.g., the type of disclosures that competent counsel drafts on behalf of fund managers now).

When an adviser that is eligible for the California exemption reaches $100 million in assets, it would become an exempt reporting adviser with the SEC and would need to switch its status over to the SEC.  And when it reaches $150 million it must become a fully registered investment adviser with the SEC; accordingly, investment advisers can operate without being fully registered with the SEC or the State of California so long as they have less than $150 million in assets and satisfy the conditions discussed above.

The California exemption contains a “grandfathering” provision for Retail Buyer Funds formed prior to the release of the exemption, as the additional requirements listed above are deemed satisfied if the Retail Buyer Fund: (i) distributes annual audited financial statements; (ii) pre-existing investors receive the “material disclosures” discussed above; (iii) from August 27, 2012 on, the Fund only sells interests to “accredited investors”; and (iv) the adviser receives performance-based compensation only from pre-existing investors or “qualified clients.”

Published on:

Written by:  Jay Gould and Peter Chess

Heath Abshure, President of the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) and Arkansas State Securities Commissioner, sharply criticized the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (the SEC’s) new rulemaking that will lift restrictions on general solicitation and general advertising for hedge funds and other private investment vehicles in a press-teleconference on October 9, 2012.  At the heart of the criticism is the contention that hedge funds and private equity funds could be among the amended rule’s biggest users and beneficiaries. “The SEC’s proposed rule would open the door for private equity and hedge funds, typically only offered to the most sophisticated investors, to advertise to the general public without putting in place basic disclosure requirements that would allow investors to make informed decisions about the products being offered. This is the wrong way to go,” remarked Heath Slavkin Corzo, senior legal and policy advisor of the AFL-CIO’s Office of Investment during the teleconference.

Under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (the JOBS Act), as discussed here and here, the SEC was directed to amend Rule 506 of Regulation D under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, to permit general solicitation and general advertising in unregistered offerings made under Rule 506, provided that all purchasers of the securities are accredited investors.  In reaction to the SEC’s answer to the directives of the JOBS Act, Abshure called for the SEC to withdraw its proposal and draft a new rule that promotes capital formation without sacrificing investor protection.

“People don’t seem to think so, but this is a drastic change to the face of securities regulation,” Abshure said. “Rule 506 offerings already are the most frequent financial product at the heart of state enforcement investigations and actions. Lifting the advertising ban on these highly risky, illiquid offerings, without requiring appropriate safeguards, will create chaos in the market and expose investors to an even greater risk of fraud and abuse. Without adequate investor protections to safeguard the integrity of the private placement marketplace, investors should and will flee from the market, leaving small businesses without an important source of capital.”

“The Commission itself has acknowledged that lifting the ban on general solicitation in private offerings will increase the risk of fraud, potentially harming investors and issuers alike,” added Barbara Roper, Director of Investor Protection for the Consumer Federation of America and the chair of the Investor Issues task force of Americans for Financial Reform during the teleconference. “While the Commission is required by the JOBS Act to lift the solicitation ban, it also has an obligation to adopt rules that protect investors and promote market integrity and the authority to do so.  A number of reasonable, concrete proposals have been suggested that, if adopted, would significantly improve safeguards for investors in private offerings.  Its rule proposal completely ignores those suggestions.  It cannot in good conscience continue to do so.”

The full press release about the teleconference is available here

Published on:

Written by: Jay Gould and Peter Chess

Effective December 3, 2012, hedge funds and other private funds that rely on Section 3(c)(1) of the Investment Company Act (“3(c)(1) Funds”) and which sell their interests through third party marketers, must ensure that their private placement memoranda (“PPM”) are filed with FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.  The Securities and Exchange Commission recently approved new FINRA Rule 5123, Private Placements of Securities, which is part of an ongoing approach by FINRA to enhance oversight and investor protection in private placements.  Under Rule 5123, each firm that sells a security in a private placement, subject to certain exemptions, must file a copy of the offering document with FINRA within 15 calendar days of the date of the first sale.  If a firm sells a private placement without using any offering documents, then the firm must indicate that it did not use an offering document.  The rule also requires firms to file any materially amended versions of the documents originally filed.  Rule 5123 exempts some private placements sold solely to qualified purchasers, institutional purchasers and other sophisticated investors.

For hedge funds and other  private funds that have hired a third party marketer, the fund manager must make sure that the agreement with the marketer, which is required to be a registered broker dealer, obligates the marketer to file the PPM with FINRA and amend the filing if the PPM is materially revised.  The marketing agreement, or “placement agency agreement” as it is sometimes called, should indemnify the fund manager for the failure of the marketer to make these filings.      

Rule 5123 will become effective December 3, 2012, and the full text of the FINRA regulatory notice regarding Rule 5123 is available here.

Published on:

Written by: Jay Gould

On August 30, 2012, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) released the Dodd Frank Act’s mandated study (the “Study”) on the financial literacy of retail investors which concludes, as you might have predicted, that retail investors are essentially clueless about investing and financial matters generally.  That slapping sound you heard was the high-fiving by stockbrokers everywhere across America.  Among the selected findings were that retail investors lack “basic financial literacy” and that such investors have a weak grasp of elementary financial concepts and lack critical knowledge of ways to avoid investment fraud.  It should come as no surprise that certain subgroups, such as women, African-Americans, Hispanics, the elderly, and the poorly educated have even less basic financial knowledge than the general population. 

Without water boarding you with the details of this 182 page report, the SEC obtained the information necessary to reach these conclusions by conducting focus groups and quizzing investors through an online survey.  These methods revealed that investors can’t identify basic financial products, can’t calculate fees, do not understand conflicts of interest, and, if that were not enough, can’t read an account statement.  The Study concludes with a strategy and set of goals for increasing financial literacy among this retail class.  The goals should be to improve investors’ understanding of risk, the fees and cost associated with investing, proactive steps for avoiding fraud and increasing general financial knowledge.  These laudable goals are to be achieved, quite magically, by devising education programs that target specific groups that are deemed vulnerable, such as young investors, lump sum payout recipients, investment trustees, members of the military (if you ever want to know how much we value our military personnel, look into periodic payment plans), underserved populations, and older investors. 

Certain members of the financial industry have agreed to work together on an “ask and check” campaign that would encourage individuals to check the background of investment professionals before using them, and to encourage investors to verify that a potential investment is legitimate before investing.  Financial regulators have agreed that more information should be added to the investor protection section of the SEC’s website and that a general campaign should be embarked upon that will help individuals understand the fees and costs associated with financial products.  

But why are the findings and conclusions of the Study important now?  Well, a couple of reasons come to mind, one of an immediate concern, the other longer term in nature.  First, you may have read that the SEC recently released for public comment the rules that will lift the ban on “general solicitation” for otherwise private offerings.  These rules, if adopted in their proposed form, would permit private issuers, including private funds, to solicit investors generally through all forms of public media, including newspapers, the internet and mass mailings.  Issuers will be required to take reasonable steps to determine that all investors meet sophistication and accreditation standards before accepting an investment, but make no mistake, these rules are the most significant changes to the securities offering process since the Securities Act of 1933 was signed into law.  Many state securities regulators are predicting an avalanche of new frauds aimed squarely at those categories of vulnerable investors that the Study identified. 

In a world where modern means of communication have forever blurred the lines between information that is privately distributed and that which is in the public domain, it makes little sense to cling to the old concepts of private offerings to investors with whom one has “pre-existing, substantial relationships,” and we have actively supported the lifting of the ban.  However, with increased rights come increased responsibilities.  It will be the responsibility of all of those in the private funds business to remain vigilant against potential frauds and scams, to adopt “best practices” on behalf of ourselves and our clients, and to work more closely with regulators in order to protect not just investors, but the viability of our industry itself.  We hope that fund managers and those who serve them will take these obligations seriously with a longer term view. 

As for the longer term, this November the U.S. will elect or re-elect a President.  One of the most significant issues in this campaign will be around entitlement reform.  That is, what to do about the long term health of Medicare, Medicaid and, for purposes of this discussion, Social Security.  In his second term, Bush II attempted to privatize Social Security to some degree.  This proposal generally envisioned allocating a third or a half of a retiree’s account into a “personal plan” over which the retiree would have investment discretion.  Rather than a guaranteed payout from Social Security after choosing a retirement age, each retiree, most of which have the level of sophistication discussed in the Study, would be responsible for making his or her own investment decisions.  It is fairly easy to figure out who might be in favor of putting millions of unsophisticated, financially illiterate people in charge of the assets that would otherwise be paid out by Social Security on a monthly basis.  Whether and how the results of the Study are used in the debate on Social Security reform should be, at a minimum, very interesting to watch.


  

Published on:

Under current gift tax law, any individual may make a gift of up to $5.12 million this year to the individual’s children, grandchildren and other beneficiaries without paying gift tax.  Any gift in excess of that amount is taxed at a historically-low 35%.  Unless Congress acts to extend (in whole or part) this benefit, created under the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010, the gift exemption will decrease to $1 million on January 1, 2013.  Any gift in excess of $1 million will thereafter be taxed at up to 55%.  Fund managers and other financial services professionals who have significant estates should consult their tax and estate planning professionals immediately to take advantage of this enormous opportunity.  Many fund managers are making gifts of carried interests to “dynasty trusts” created in states that permit trusts to continue in perpetuity, where the gift may be held for the benefit of future generations without being reduced by estate or other transfer taxes at each generation.  Pillsbury’s latest Advisory addresses this topic in detail; you can find the Advisory at www.pillsburylaw.com/publications.

Published on:

Written by:  Jay Gould and Peter Chess

In a July 10, 2012, no-action letter[1], available here, issued by a Division of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”) in response to requested relief from certain new CFTC registration obligations, the CFTC granted temporary relief to commodity pool operators (“CPOs”) and commodity trading advisors (“CTAs”).  As previously discussed on this blog, earlier this year the CFTC rescinded an exemption under CFTC Rule 4.13(a)(4) used by many CPOs and CTAs.  This rescission went into effect on April 24, 2012 and denied the use of the exemption under Rule 4.13(a)(4) to any CPOs and CTAs of new pools on or after that date, although CPOs and CTAs already availing themselves of the exemption were able to continue its use until the end of the year.

The no-action letter offers relief to CPOs and CTAs of new pools, recommending that the CFTC not take enforcement action against CPOs or CTAs for new pool launched after the issuance of the no-action letter for failure to register as such until December 31, 2012, as outlined below.

No-action relief will be granted for each pool for which the CPO submits a claim to take advantage of the no-action relief and remains in compliance with the following:

  • Interests in the pool are exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and such interests are offered and sold without marketing to the public;
  • The CPO reasonably believes, at the time of investment, that (i) each natural person participant is a “qualified eligible person” as that term is defined in Section 4.7(a)(2) of the Commodity Exchange Act; and (ii) each non-natural person participant is a “qualified eligible person” as that term is defined in Section 4.7 of the Commodity Exchange Act or an “accredited investor” as defined under the Securities Act; and
  • In addition, no-action relief will be granted where each pool for which the CPO claims relief is a registered investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

No-action relief will be granted when the CTA submits a claim to take advantage of the relief and remains in compliance with the following:

  • The CTA’s commodity interest trading advice is directed solely to, and for the sole use of, the pools that it operates; or
  • The CTA’s commodity interest trading advice is directed solely to, and for the sole use of, pools operated by CPOs who claim relief from CPO registration under Rules 4.13(a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(4) or 4.5 of the Commodity Exchange Act, or under no-action relief provided by the no-action letter.

CPOs and CTAs should note that the no-action relief granted is not self-executing and must be affirmatively sought, and any relief sought and/or granted will expire at the end of the year and such CPOs and CTAs must remain in compliance with registration obligations going forward.


[1]   The No-Action letter was issued by the Division of Swap Dealer and Intermediary Oversight of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission to the Managed Funds Association, the Investment Adviser Association, the Alternative Investment Management Association, Ltd., and the Investment Company Institute, collectively.