Paulita A. Pike

Partner

pike-paulita
  • JD, University of Notre Dame Law School
  • BA, University of Notre Dame

Qualifications

  • Illinois
  • Spanish
  • University of Notre Dame (Board of Trustees)
  • Editorial Advisory Board, Law360 Illinois (Member)
  • Fund Directions (Advisory Board) 
  • Fund Board Views (Editorial Think Tank)
  • Mutual Fund Directors Forum (Advisory Board)
  • BoardIQ (Advisory Board)
  • American Bar Association (Federal Regulation of Securities Subcommittee; Investment Companies and Investment Advisors Subcommittee)
  • Chicago Bar Association (Investment Management Practice Group)
  • Art Institute of Chicago (Committee on Architecture and Design)
  • Chicago Shakespeare Theatre (Board of Directors, Treasurer)
  • Commercial Club of Chicago (Member)
  • Crain’s Chicago Business “Notable Gen X Leaders in Law” (2021)
  • Women in Asset Management US Awards - Advocate of the Year Finalist (2021)
  • Crain’s Chicago Business “Chicago’s Notable Women Lawyers” (2018, 2020, 2022)
  • Negocios Now: “Who’s Who in Hispanic Chicago” (2018)
  • Mutual Fund Awards Hall Of Fame Inductee, Fund Directions’  Mutual Fund Industry Awards (2017)
  • Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business (2015-2022)
  • Chambers Global (2020-2023)
  • Independent Counsel of the Year, Fund Directions’ Mutual Fund Industry Awards (2013 and 2008)
  • Legal 500 US (2014-2016, 2018-2019)
  • The Best Lawyers in America (2006-2023)

Paulita A. Pike

Partner

Paulita Pike is managing partner of the Chicago office and a partner in the firm’s asset management group. A skilled communicator known for her extensive knowledge of the registered funds landscape, Paulita represents every type of registered product, including open- and closed-end funds, ETFs, funds of hedge funds, and funds investing in private equity. Her work with investment advisers often involves structuring innovative investment products and navigating the regulatory and compliance hurdles associated with bringing these products to market. Paulita’s advice spans the full range of registered investment vehicles on everything from M&A and registration questions to investigations and cybersecurity. She also counsels boards of directors on all aspects of governance, regulatory risks, industry trends and insurance matters.   

Paulita has been widely recognized for her work on behalf of clients, including twice being named a Chicago “Notable Woman Lawyer” by Crain’s Chicago Business and “Independent Counsel of the Year” by Fund Directions. Most recently, she has collaborated with clients to pioneer in the ETF space, advised on investments in cryptocurrencies and other emerging asset classes, and helped clients work through top-of-mind governance issues raised by asset management M&A. Clients value Paulita’s ability to provide timely, practical and business-focused advice.

Paulita’s experience extends to industry-related work, including speaking regularly at conferences and serving on industry group advisory boards, such as BoardIQ and the Mutual Fund Directors Forum. She also teaches courses in mutual fund regulation at Notre Dame Law School and Northwestern Pritzker School of Law.  

Paulita is passionate about giving back to her community, whether through civic engagement, pro bono work, or efforts to further diversity, equity and inclusion. In addition to serving on boards and committees of the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre and the Art Institute of Chicago, Paulita regularly provides pro bono representation to indigent immigrants. She is also a member of Ropes & Gray’s diversity committee; leads the Chicago diversity, equity and inclusion committee; and is active with the firm’s Women’s Forum, among other initiatives.

Experience

Paulita counsels funds (including open- and closed-end funds, ETFs, interval funds, funds of funds, and funds of hedge funds), their boards, investment advisers and fund service providers on a range of issues, including:

  • Governance structures and practices
  • Registration and disclosure
  • D&O/E&O matters
  • Communications with the press, self-evaluations and industry “best practices”
  • Fund service provider contracts and filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
  • Fund mergers, joint ventures and “manager-of-managers” arrangements
  • Compliance issues, regulatory investigations and inquiries
  • Matters arising from the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940
  • Cybersecurity issues and best practices for data protection

Publications

Presentations

Ms. Pike is a frequent speaker at industry conferences, including those sponsored by the Investment Company Institute, the Independent Directors' Council and the Mutual Fund Directors Forum.

  • Speaker, “Webinar: Current Board Priorities: Valuation Rule and COVID-19 Considerations,” Mutual Fund Directors Forum (May 5, 2020)  
  • Speaker, “Navigating the New ESG Landscape: How US and EU Policy Developments Affect Fund Managers,” Investment Company Institute (ICI) (October 23, 2019)
  • Speaker, “Insurance for Funds and Fund Directors: Part 1,” Independent Directors Council (January 22, 2019) 
  • Moderator, “Liquidity Risk Management,” Mutual Fund Directors Forum, 2018 Policy Conference (March 27, 2018)
  • Speaker, “The Regulatory Environment,” and “Client Experience Panel Discussion,” Northern Trust Distribution Summit (April 26, 2017)
  • Speaker, “Reporting Results,” Mutual Fund Directors Forum, 2017 Directors’ Institute (January 19, 2017)
  • Moderator, “Management Presentation to the First Lights Fund Board,” Mutual Fund Directors Forum, 2017 Directors’ Institute (January 18, 2017)
  • Panelist, “Regulation, Litigation, and Enforcement: The Current Landscape,” The Independent Director’s Council’s 2016 Fund Directors Conference (October 26, 2016)
  • Speaker, “Webinar on SEC Staff Guidance on Mutual Fund Distribution and Subaccounting Fees: A Summary and Discussion for Fund Directors,” Independent Directors Council (February 18, 2016)
  • Moderator, “Management Presentation to the First Lights Fund Board,” Mutual Fund Directors Forum (January 27, 2016)
  • Moderator, “Management Response to Consultant Report,” Mutual Fund Directors Forum (January 27, 2016)
  • Presenter, “Working with Management,” Mutual Fund Directors Forum (January 28, 2016)
  • Panelist, “Looking over the Shoulders of Distributors: Intermediary Oversight in Today’s Distribution Environment,” ICI’s 2015 Mutual Fund Compliance Programs Conference (May 7, 2015)
  • Panelist, “Panel II: Larger Lessons from Fund Governance” 2015 Virginia Law & Business Review and the ICI Symposium: The 1940 Acts at 75 (April 10, 2015)
  • Panelist, “SEC and Other Developments: What Directors Should Know,” ICI’s 2014 Fund Directors Conference (November 4, 2014)
  • Panelist, “Session 2-A: Current Topics for Fund Boards: Independent Counsel Roundtable,” ICI’s 2014 Mutual Funds and Investment Management Conference (March 17, 2014)
  • Panelist, “Right Funds, Wrong Time: Ratings, Flows, and Distribution,” Mutual Fund Directors Forum’s Board Oversight of Performance Conference (October 9, 2013)
  • JD, University of Notre Dame Law School
  • BA, University of Notre Dame

Qualifications

  • Illinois
  • Crain’s Chicago Business “Notable Gen X Leaders in Law” (2021)
  • Women in Asset Management US Awards - Advocate of the Year Finalist (2021)
  • Crain’s Chicago Business “Chicago’s Notable Women Lawyers” (2018, 2020, 2022)
  • Negocios Now: “Who’s Who in Hispanic Chicago” (2018)
  • Mutual Fund Awards Hall Of Fame Inductee, Fund Directions’  Mutual Fund Industry Awards (2017)
  • Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business (2015-2022)
  • Chambers Global (2020-2023)
  • Independent Counsel of the Year, Fund Directions’ Mutual Fund Industry Awards (2013 and 2008)
  • Legal 500 US (2014-2016, 2018-2019)
  • The Best Lawyers in America (2006-2023)
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