Ropes & Gray to Sponsor and Present at SIFMA Compliance & Legal Virtual Forum

Event
July 20, 2021

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Ropes & Gray is proud to once again serve as a sponsor of the annual SIFMA Compliance & Legal Virtual Forum, to be held July 20 – 22, 2021. In addition to sponsoring the event, four Ropes & Gray attorneys will present on two panels addressing critical compliance and legal issues for financial services firms:

The SPACs Attack 
Thursday, July 22 | 12:35 – 1:35 pm

Moderator

Adam Meshel 
Managing Director & Global General Counsel
Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.

Panelists

David Hennes 
Corporate and Securities Litigation Practice Co-Chair
Ropes & Gray

Gabriela Aguero
Director, Corporate Financing
FINRA

Darian Futrell
Managing Director
Goldman Sachs

Patricia Sindel
Managing Director
Credit Suisse

Topics will include:

  • Initial Public Offering of SPAC
    • Sponsor Promote: Existence of sponsor promote creates structural misalignment between sponsors and investors, structural reforms to eliminate misalignment (e.g., Ackman SPAC)
    • Due Diligence and Disclosure: Conflicts/sponsor compensation, warrant accounting
  • SPAC Business Combination with Operating Company
    • Pitching/business selection
    • Managing internal conflicts associated with various roles available to firms
    • Managing conflicts between firm and SPACs raised by firm
    • Due diligence and disclosures in PIPE offering documents and proxy statement
    • Potential legal and/or regulatory liability

The Proliferation of Text and App-Based Messaging: A Discussion of the Legal Landscape & Practical Guidance for Financial Firms
Wednesday, July 21 | 1:10 – 2:10 pm

Panelists

Lisa Bebchick
Litigation & Enforcement Partner
Ropes & Gray

Shannon Kirk
E-Discovery Counsel
Ropes & Gray

The past decade has seen the proliferation of text and app-based messaging. The COVID-19 pandemic has only accelerated the trend as employees increasingly turn to digital means of communication for business-related matters in a global remote work environment. Financial firms should take note of the legal risks associated with employees using text and app-based messaging, including the risk of ignoring red flags that employees are using such means of communication. This presentation will feature a discussion of the legal landscape and practical guidance for minimizing regulatory risks. The webinar will include updates from U.S. regulators, such as the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), and U.K. regulators, such as the Financial Conduct Authority.

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