Securities

Expert Analysis

• Opening Comments: A Key Strategic Decision In Mediation

  

  Opening comments by parties in mediation that are made with the proper content and tone can diffuse pent-up emotion and pave the way for a successful resolution. But an opening presentation can do more harm than good if delivered the wrong way, say Jann Johnson and William Haddad of ADR Systems LLC.

• 2018 In Review: Significant White Collar Developments At DOJ

  

  As the year comes to a close, attorneys at King & Spalding LLP look back at a few of the most notable developments at the U.S. Department of Justice, including corporate monitor guidance, a False Claims Act policy shift, foreign exchange prosecutions, cryptocurrency fraud and international cooperation developments.

• Walters Case Commands Tougher Cure For Gov't Misconduct

  

  In U.S. v. Walters, a Second Circuit panel determined last week that professional gambler William Walters was not prejudiced by repeated FBI leaks of confidential grand jury information. There is a risk that the government may draw the wrong conclusion from this decision, say Harry Sandick and Danielle Quinn of Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP.

• Top 10 Whistleblowing And Retaliation Events Of 2018

  

  This year saw significant changes in the landscape of whistleblower and retaliation law, including a game-changing decision from the U.S. Supreme Court and the three largest bounty awards issued in the history of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, say Steven Pearlman and Meika Freeman of Proskauer Rose LLP.

• Will High Court Avoid Deadlock In Lorenzo?

  

  Oral argument in Lorenzo v. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission revealed clear divisions within the U.S. Supreme Court on the type of conduct that forms the basis of liability under Rule 10b-5, say attorneys with Alston & Bird LLP.

• Blockvest Ruling Reminds Token Issuers To Push Back

  

  Digital token issuers caught up in the onslaught of U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission investigations finally received some good news last month regarding token sales’ exposure to federal securities laws. The decision in SEC v. Blockvest is encouraging for a few reasons, say Michael Dicke and Eric Young of Fenwick & West LLP.

• Opinion

  Why We Need Anti-Money Laundering Whistleblower Awards

  

  The recent Mossack Fonseca indictments and Deutsche Bank raid would not have been possible without the whistleblower behind the Panama Papers leak. But there is no incentive for rooting out the type of criminal money laundering revealed here, creating a large enforcement gap, say Eric Havian and Michael Ronickher of Constantine Cannon LLP.

• Breaking Down SEC’s Risk-Based Exam Initiatives For Funds

  

  The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission last month announced a series of examination initiatives focused on practices and risks relevant to mutual funds and exchange-traded funds. Attorneys with K&L Gates LLP offer takeaways for fund complexes conducting annual compliance reviews.

• In-House Counsel’s Role As Whistleblower

  Excerpt from Lexis Practice Advisor

  

  In-house attorneys owe a duty of confidentiality to their corporate clients and are obligated to preserve attorney-client privilege. But they are also likely to be exposed to sensitive internal issues, thereby increasing the potential for circumstances where it might be appropriate to "blow the whistle," says Devika Kewalramani of Moses & Singer LLP.

• Assessing A New Path To Compliance For ICO Issuers

  

  The Airfox and Paragon settlements last month represent the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's acceptance of a new road map for initial coin offering issuers eager to remove the taint from past illegal offers. The approach is not perfect but signals a lighter regulatory construct, say attorneys with Paul Hastings LLP.