Chris focused his practice on the representation of major institutional investors, including endowments, investment managers, sovereign wealth vehicles, personal wealth vehicles, hedge funds and private equity funds. He also represented broker-dealers, insurance companies and other financial intermediaries. His work for universities included advice on governance, endowment utilization and a broad range of financial issues. Chris was co-head of the firm's Universities and Colleges Practice Group and headed the firm’s securities and public companies practice group for many years.
Chris organized comprehensive outside legal services for many of his clients. Several of these client relationships were active for more than thirty years. They frequently involved a sensitive coordination of work among general counsels and their staffs, senior management, governing boards and the resources within the firm.
Experience
- Over twenty-five years of service as chief outside legal advisor and coordinator for Harvard Management Company, the endowment manager for Harvard University, including work with the university in coordinating and overseeing endowment matters. Similar relationships with other universities and their affiliated investment managers.
- Work on the corporate structure for Natixis Global Asset Management from the time of its launch in 1993 and representation of the client in over a dozen acquisition transactions as part of its “multi-boutique” business strategy.
- Extensive client advice regarding possible impacts of the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010 and related regulatory rulemakings. Representation of institutional “buy-side” clients in commenting on proposed rules from several agencies on derivatives, financial regulation, market conduct and other topics.
- Daily, time-sensitive advice on securities trading, ownership reporting and other investment regulation to a broad range of “buy-side” clients.