In a significant move reflecting its aggressive growth strategy, Houston-based Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) Americana Partners has acquired Boulevard Family Wealth in Beverly Hills, California. This marks Americana’s first expansion outside of Texas. To navigate the complexities of this multibillion-dollar deal, Americana worked with Winstead’s Investment Management and Private Funds Industry Group. The team involved

As an asset manager, you may be familiar with the regulatory issues that come into play when a fund permits investments from “benefit plan investors,” which generally include certain employee benefit plans subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”) and individual retirement accounts.  The main concerns include the need

As promised, FinCEN has adopted its interim final rule and narrowed the filing requirements for Beneficial Ownership Information (“BOI”) reporting under the Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”). This rule exempts U.S. entities from BOI reporting requirements and only requires foreign reporting companies to report.

Per the interim final rule, entities previously defined as “domestic reporting companies”

This article is the third and final part in a series discussing trusts in the context of certain common investor thresholds for investment in private securities. This article will examine trusts as “qualified purchasers” under the Investment Company Act.

What is the Investment Company Act and Why Does It Matter?

The Investment Company Act of

FinCEN and the Department of the Treasury both provided updates this week regarding the Corporate Transparency Act.

On February 27, FinCEN announced that it would release an interim final rule before the current filing deadline of March 21. It will not issue any fines, penalties, or other enforcement actions against any companies (foreign or domestic)

This article is the second of a three-part series discussing trusts in the context of certain common investor thresholds for investment in private securities. This article will examine trusts as “qualified clients” under the Advisers Act.

What is the Advisers Act and Who Does It Affect?

Broadly speaking, the Advisers Act regulates the activities of

Investments in private markets are rapidly becoming an essential part of a well-rounded investment portfolio, especially for ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families. According to Ernst & Young, the assets under management in private markets more than doubled from $9.7 trillion in 2012 to $22.6 trillion in 2022. This growth is projected to continue, with an estimated $72.6 trillion expected to be transferred to heirs by 2045, marking the largest intergenerational wealth transfer in history.

Beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting requirements under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) are now back in effect. As a result, all entities subject to the CTA are once again obligated to file BOI reports with FinCEN.

Following the most recent order from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas in Smith v.

Hedge Clauses and the SEC’s Position

Hedge clauses are provisions in investment advisory agreements that aim to limit an adviser’s liability for certain actions or outcomes. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) has expressed the position that such clauses can mislead clients into thinking they cannot exercise their legal rights and

SEC Charges Companies for Failing to Timely File Form D in Violation of Regulation D

On December 20, 2024, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) announced charges against two private companies and one registered investment adviser (the “Parties”).  These charges asserted that the Parties violated Rule 503 of Regulation