Hope Adams focuses her practice on the asset management and financial services industry, advising banking institutions and investment managers on a wide range of regulatory, transactional, asset servicing, product structuring and private fund matters.
With over three decades of experience, including 13 years as senior legal counsel supporting the asset management operations and private fund investment activities of a large U.S. national bank, Hope has developed a wide-ranging understanding of the intersection of regulatory and operational risks and the business objectives of the institution. Based on her in-house experience, Hope strongly believes that an effective lawyer will first understand the client’s objectives and limitations and then provide practical and risk appropriate alternatives, whether related to the implementation of new regulations, managing regulatory audits, drafting contracts or internal policies and procedures or advising on the development and launch of new products, services or private funds.
Concentrations
- OCC, FRB, and SEC regulatory and risk matters impacting banking institutions, with a focus on OCC Regulation 9, Regulation R, and 1934 Act custody and fiduciary exemptions.
- Volcker Rule compliance for bank asset management and covered funds activities, including bank sponsored covered funds and covered funds in which banks invest balance sheet capital.
- Structuring, regulatory compliance, and drafting related investor documentation for new and existing investment management products and services, including alternative and complex investment products, OCIO, donor advised funds, and charitable giving platforms.
- Operational, regulatory, and compliance matters related to mutual fund servicing agreements and omnibus account structures.
- Custody operations, securities trading, and settlement activities of banks, including maintenance of internal DDA accounts, resolution of trade errors, operation of trade error accounts, state and federal pledging requirements, and FDIC Rule 370 compliance.
- Exemptions under the Investment Company Act of 1940, with a focus on Section 3(c)(1) and 3(c)(7) funds, common and collective trust funds, and investment advisory programs under Rule 3a-4.
- Formation of private investment and hedge funds.
