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Full-Text Articles in Securities Law

The Securities Laws And The Mechanics Of Legal Change, Barry Cushman Aug 2019

The Securities Laws And The Mechanics Of Legal Change, Barry Cushman

Barry Cushman

This essay, prepared for the Virginia Law Review symposium marking the 75th anniversary of the Securities Exchange Commission, explores the mechanisms through which the Roosevelt Administration secured the Supreme Court's approval of various features of the New Deal's securities law program.


Securities Law Research, Adeen Postar Aug 2019

Securities Law Research, Adeen Postar

Adeen Postar

This research guide provides an overview of resources and search strategies for researching Securities Law: primary and secondary materials, specialized databases, and government websites. It also identifies sources for researching case law.


Securities Laws As Foreign Policy, Karen E. Woody Jul 2019

Securities Laws As Foreign Policy, Karen E. Woody

Karen Woody

No abstract provided.


Dialectical Regulation, Robert B. Ahdieh Jun 2018

Dialectical Regulation, Robert B. Ahdieh

Robert B. Ahdieh

While theories of regulation abound, woefully inadequate attention has been given to growing patterns of "intersystemic" and "dialectical" regulation in the world today. In this rapidly expanding universe of interactions, independent regulatory agencies, born of autonomous jurisdictions, nonetheless face a combination of jurisdictional overlap with, and regulatory dependence on, one another. Here, the cross-jurisdictional interaction of regulators is no longer the voluntary interaction embraced by transnationalists; it is, instead, an unavoidable reality of acknowledgement and engagement, potentially culminating in the integration of discrete sets of regulatory rules into a collective whole.

Such patterns of regulatory engagement are increasingly evident, across …


From Federal Rules To Intersystemic Governance In Securities Regulation, Robert B. Ahdieh Jun 2018

From Federal Rules To Intersystemic Governance In Securities Regulation, Robert B. Ahdieh

Robert B. Ahdieh

In this brief essay, prepared as part of a symposium on The New Federalism: Plural Governance in a Decentered World, I explore the regulatory dynamics at work: (1) in the operation of Securities Exchange Act Rule 14a-8, (2) in the interventions of then-Attorney General Eliot Spitzer in the national securities markets, and (3) in recent steps by the Securities and Exchange Commission to reconcile U.S. and international accounting standards. In each case, a distinct dynamic of regulatory interaction - what I term intersystemic governance - can be observed. In such cases, overlapping jurisdiction combines with various sources of interdependence to …


Comment On Whistling Loud And Clear: Applying Chevron To Subsection 21f Of Dodd–Frank, Sarah C. Haan Apr 2018

Comment On Whistling Loud And Clear: Applying Chevron To Subsection 21f Of Dodd–Frank, Sarah C. Haan

Sarah Haan

No abstract provided.


Keep Securities Reform Moving: Eliminate The Sec's Integration Doctrine, Stuart R. Cohn Apr 2016

Keep Securities Reform Moving: Eliminate The Sec's Integration Doctrine, Stuart R. Cohn

Stuart R. Cohn

Small and developing companies raising capital under the federal securities laws often face the considerable barrier imposed by the SEC's integration doctrine. Despite recent reforms in registration exemptions the integration doctrine has remained untouched and continues to be a significant problem for many companies needing multiple infusions of capital. This article examines and recommends that the integration doctrine be eliminated nearly in its entirety.


Stock Appreciation Rights And The Sec: A Case Of Questionable Rulemaking, Stuart R. Cohn Aug 2015

Stock Appreciation Rights And The Sec: A Case Of Questionable Rulemaking, Stuart R. Cohn

Stuart R. Cohn

A stock appreciation rights (SARs) program is a form of deferred incentive compensation. Grantees are awarded SAR-units representing an equal number of the grantor’s equity shares currently being traded in public markets. SARs provide grantees the benefit of stock ownership without equity interest, investment, or risk of loss. Stock appreciation rights programs offer various advantages over other forms of executive compensation and have grown rapidly in number. These advantages include the availability of benefits without the requirement of monetary payments, the utilization of SARs as an interest-free form of financing the purchase of stock under tandem stock option programs, the …


Democratizing Startups, Seth C. Oranburg Aug 2015

Democratizing Startups, Seth C. Oranburg

Seth C Oranburg

The Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 intends to “help entrepreneurs raise the capital they need to put Americans back to work and create an economy that’s built to last.” The goal is to “democratize startups” by making capital available to diverse entrepreneurs in new geographies. Yet the net effect of securities regulations and market conditions is the opposite. Startup companies are encouraged to stay private so capital is consolidating in large, mature firms instead of recycling into new startups. Evidence of consolidation is that once-rare “Unicorns” (billion-dollar startups) now number over 111. More money is going into huge …


The Sec's Proposed Uniform Fiduciary Standard For Investment Advisers: An Update, Barry R. Temkin, Matthew Photis Feb 2015

The Sec's Proposed Uniform Fiduciary Standard For Investment Advisers: An Update, Barry R. Temkin, Matthew Photis

Barry R. Temkin

It has been been three years since the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting under the authority of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, released the results of its study recommending a uniform fiduciary standard for the conduct of registered representatives and investment advisers. While SEC Chair Mary Jo White has proclaimed that adoption of a uniform fiduciary standard as a major regulatory priority, the SEC has yet to promulgate final regulations implementing the change. It is unclear whether or when a universal fiduciary standard will be adopted. Adoption of a uniform fiduciary standard could lead …


Managing Cyberthreat, Lawrence J. Trautman Jan 2015

Managing Cyberthreat, Lawrence J. Trautman

Lawrence J. Trautman Sr.

Cyber security is an important strategic and governance issue. However, because most corporate CEOs and directors have no formal engineering or information technology training, it is understandable that their lack of actual cybersecurity knowledge is problematic. Particularly among smaller companies having limited resources, knowledge regarding what their enterprise should actually be doing about cybersecurity can’t be all that good. My goal in this article is to explore the unusually complex subject of cybersecurity in a highly readable manner. First, an examination of recent threats is provided. Next, governmental policy initiatives are discussed. Third, some basic tools that can be used …


Bringing Coherence To Mens Rea Analysis For Securities-Related Offenses, Michael L. Seigel Dec 2014

Bringing Coherence To Mens Rea Analysis For Securities-Related Offenses, Michael L. Seigel

Michael L Seigel

This Article has demonstrated that the failure of commentators and the courts to tackle mens rea analysis head-on has resulted in lasting incoherence in the law. Unintelligible legal doctrine does not simply upset individuals who strive for elegant solutions to legal problems; it also exacts a huge, real-life toll. Juries faced with incoherent legal instructions are likely to become disillusioned about the justice system. Citizens receive inadequate guidance as to acceptable and unacceptable behavior, hampering deterrence -- particularly in the securities-law arena, where one presumably finds mostly rational actors who would be deterred by clear legal rules. Securities regulation is …


Remembering George Michaely, Lawrence J. Trautman, Stanley Sporkin, John A. Dudley Apr 2014

Remembering George Michaely, Lawrence J. Trautman, Stanley Sporkin, John A. Dudley

Lawrence J. Trautman Sr.

This short essay is a memorial tribute about George P. Michaely, Jr. (1926 to 2014). After graduating from both the University of Notre Dame and its law school, he began his legal career, serving for approximately seven years as attorney in the Office of General Counsel. He was then appointed Chief Counsel of the Commission’s Division of Corporation Finance, where he served for approximately the next four years and was responsible for advising the Commission and the public concerning the interpretation of the statutory provisions and rules relating to the registration provisions of the Securities Act of 1933 and the …


Canceling The Order: How High Frequency Traders Are Disrupting The Derivatives Market, And What The Regulators Can Do To Stop Them, Andrew C. Burr Apr 2014

Canceling The Order: How High Frequency Traders Are Disrupting The Derivatives Market, And What The Regulators Can Do To Stop Them, Andrew C. Burr

Andrew C Burr

High Frequency Trading (“HFT”) is now a part of the modern financial lexicon, and inspires feelings of awe, fear, and ignorance. While millions of investors around the world are still trying to grapple with what exactly HFT is and does, the U.S. regulators who are tasked with investigating and charging manipulators are finding themselves in a quandary of how to prosecute the offenders. Further, while the media has focused its attention on the U.S. Securites Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) new policies on the subject, few have noticed the progress made by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”), and how the …


The Sec Whistleblower Program - What Employers Need To Know, Matthew P. Allen Feb 2014

The Sec Whistleblower Program - What Employers Need To Know, Matthew P. Allen

Matthew P. Allen

No abstract provided.


Sec Preventative Measures Against Securities Violations And Fraud Post-Jobs Act, Kristie Benner Jan 2014

Sec Preventative Measures Against Securities Violations And Fraud Post-Jobs Act, Kristie Benner

Kristie Benner

The purpose of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act is to supply investors with the necessary information to make informed decisions regarding an entity’s offerings. After the 2010 financial crisis, the economic crisis devastated the economy leaving many without jobs. In response to this economic recession, President Obama signed the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (JOBS Act) into law in 2012 as one method of stimulating the economy. This Act deregulated the securities laws for small businesses in the hopes of creating jobs and invigorating the economy. These changes allow a small business more access to capital by reducing …


Present At The Creation: Reflections On The Early Years Of The National Association Of Corporate Directors, Lawrence J. Trautman Jul 2013

Present At The Creation: Reflections On The Early Years Of The National Association Of Corporate Directors, Lawrence J. Trautman

Lawrence J. Trautman Sr.

Effective corporate governance is critical to the productive operation of the global economy and preservation of our way of life. Excellent governance execution is also required to achieve economic growth and robust job creation in any country. In the United States, the premier director membership organization is the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD). Now over 36 years old, NACD plays a major role in fostering excellence in corporate governance in the United States and beyond. Over the past thirty-six years NACD has grown from a mere realization of the importance of corporate governance to become the only national membership …


The Sec Cooperation Initiative And Its Criminal Roots, Matthew P. Allen Feb 2013

The Sec Cooperation Initiative And Its Criminal Roots, Matthew P. Allen

Matthew P. Allen

No abstract provided.


Rise Of The Intercontinentalexchange And Implications Of Its Merger With Nyse Euronext, Latoya C. Brown Jan 2013

Rise Of The Intercontinentalexchange And Implications Of Its Merger With Nyse Euronext, Latoya C. Brown

Latoya C. Brown, Esq.

This paper examines the impending merger between the IntercontinentalExchange (ICE) and NYSE Euronext against the backdrop of the current structure of the global financial services industry. The paper concludes that the merger embodies what the financial services industry is becoming and captures the model that will allow exchanges to remain competitive in today’s marketplace: mega-exchanges with broader asset classes and electronic platforms. As technology and globalization threaten their vitality, exchanges will need to continue reinventing and adapting. Increasingly over the last decade they have done so by merging and by moving, at least a part of, their operations on screen. …


The Regulation Of U.S. Money Market Funds: Lessons From Europe, Latoya C. Brown Jan 2013

The Regulation Of U.S. Money Market Funds: Lessons From Europe, Latoya C. Brown

Latoya C. Brown, Esq.

The recent financial crisis challenged long held perceptions of money market funds (“MMFs”) as stable and highly liquid instruments. Regulators in the US and in Europe now seek to impose additional rules on MMFs to avoid another significant failure as happened to the Reserve Fund. In the US, the debate is drawing even more media attention as question of which regulatory body - such as the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Treasury Department, and the Financial Stability Oversight Council – should lead the way has taken interesting twists and turns. This paper examines primary reform options being proposed in the …


Dear Sec: Please Don't Abdicate Your Jobs Act Responsibility To Make Forthcoming "Regulation A+" Exemption From Registration Available To Small Businesses, Rutheford B. Campbell Jr. Nov 2012

Dear Sec: Please Don't Abdicate Your Jobs Act Responsibility To Make Forthcoming "Regulation A+" Exemption From Registration Available To Small Businesses, Rutheford B. Campbell Jr.

Rutheford B Campbell Jr.

Title IV of the Jobs Act amends Section 3(b) of the Securities Act of 1933 by adding a new Section 3(b)(2). This new statute requires the Commission to adopt regulations (“Section 3(b)(2) Regulations”) that provide an exemption from registration for offerings of up to $50 million. The anticipated Section 3(b)(2) Regulations are often referred to as “Regulation A+”. The name used for Title IV of the Jobs Act – “Small Company Capital Formation” – indicates that the purpose of the legislation is to provide small businesses an efficient access external capital. The provisions of Title IV also suggest Regulation A …


Threats Escalate: Corporate Information Technology Governance Under Fire, Lawrence J. Trautman Jan 2012

Threats Escalate: Corporate Information Technology Governance Under Fire, Lawrence J. Trautman

Lawrence J. Trautman Sr.

In a previous publication The Board’s Responsibility for Information Technology Governance, (with Kara Altenbaumer-Price) we examined: The IT Governance Institute’s Executive Summary and Framework for Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology 4.1 (COBIT®); reviewed the Weill and Ross Corporate and Key Asset Governance Framework; and observed “that in a survey of audit executives and board members, 58 percent believed that their corporate employees had little to no understanding of how to assess risk.” We further described the new SEC rules on risk management; Congressional action on cyber security; legal basis for director’s duties and responsibilities relative to IT governance; …


Legitimacy And Corporate Law: The Case For Regulatory Redundancy, Renee M. Jones Nov 2011

Legitimacy And Corporate Law: The Case For Regulatory Redundancy, Renee M. Jones

Renee Jones

This article provides a democratic assessment of the corporate law making structure in the United States. It draws upon the basic democratic principle that those affected by legal rules should have a voice in determining the substance of those rules. Although other commentators have noted certain undemocratic aspects of corporate law, this Article is the first to present a comprehensive assessment of the corporate regulatory structure from the perspective of democracy. It departs from prior accounts by looking past the states' role to consider the ways that federal regulation shores up the legitimacy of the overarching structure. This focus on …


Falling Short: Has The Sec’S Quest To Control Market Manipulation And Abusive Short-Selling Come To An End Or Has It Really Just Begun?, Richard Ramirez Dec 2010

Falling Short: Has The Sec’S Quest To Control Market Manipulation And Abusive Short-Selling Come To An End Or Has It Really Just Begun?, Richard Ramirez

Richard E. Ramirez, J.D. | CFCS

No abstract provided.


Risky Business: The Credit Crisis And Failure, Olufunmilayo B. Arewa Dec 2009

Risky Business: The Credit Crisis And Failure, Olufunmilayo B. Arewa

Olufunmilayo B. Arewa

The credit crisis represents a watershed event for global financial markets and has been linked to significant declines in real economy performance on a level of magnitude not experienced since World War II. Recognition of the crisis in 2008 has been followed in 2009 and 2010 by a plethora of competing proposals in response to the credit crisis. The result has been a cacophony of visions, voices, and approaches. The sheer noise that has ensued threatens to drown out the fundamental core questions that should be asked about the credit crisis. Among the most important are questions about the relationships …