
Securities Regulation


LTF – The Work Ahead
Discussing the Legal Theory of Finance (LTF) on the Marketplace of Ideas has been a great experience. I want to thank my colleague Kathryn Judge for coming up with the idea and for writing an inspiring blog post that raises …

The Marketplace of Ideas: Bruno Salama, Osny da Silva Filho, and Richard Shamos on Pistor’s Legal Theory of Finance

Elasticity, Incompleteness, and Constitutive Rules
In A legal theory of finance, Katharina Pistor outlines a theory designed to deal with the law-finance paradox, that is, the observation that when “the full force of law is relaxed or suspended to take account of changes in …
Free Markets and the Legal Theory of Finance
Richard Shamos is an Associate in the Investment Management practice at Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP in New York.
The relationship between free markets and government is perhaps one of the most prominent economic issues of modern political economy. In …

The Marketplace of Ideas: Professor Anna Gelpern and James P. Sweeney Weigh in on Pistor’s Legal Theory of Finance

Rules, Institutions, and the Legal Theory of Finance
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently published its first major policy treatment of sovereign debt restructuring since 2003. It was prompted by the flawed restructuring in Greece, high profile litigation against Argentina, and recurring crises in smaller …

U.S. District Court Upholds the Conflict Minerals Rule, but Vacates the Resource Extraction Rule
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has released two important rulings this month that speak to the SEC’s ability to promulgate rules. On July 23rd, the court upheld the SEC’s conflict minerals rule (see here) and …

The Marketplace of Ideas: Cathy M. Kaplan and Jeremiah S. Pam Weigh in on Pistor’s Legal Theory of Finance

‘Neither Admit Nor Deny’: Practical Implications of SEC’s New Policy
In a move that appears at once to be shrewd, savvy and largely symbolic, the SEC has modified its longstanding policy that it will not require a defendant to admit or deny liability, or facts that might establish its liability,

SEC Adopts Bad Actor Disqualifications for Private Placements under Regulation D
The following post comes to us from Bradley Berman, Of Counsel at Morrison & Foerster LLP.
On July 10, 2013, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC” or “Commission”) adopted amendments to rules promulgated under Regulation D to implement Section …

The Marketplace of Ideas: Kathryn Judge takes on Katharina Pistor’s Legal Theory of Finance
The CLS Blue Sky Blog presents the second installment of our new series, entitled “The Marketplace of Ideas.” Earlier installments are available here. The intent is to present different perspectives on the same subject by two or more authors.…

Systemic Stability and Fairness: An Analysis of Pistor’s Legal Theory of Finance
In A Legal Theory of Finance, Katharina Pistor introduces a provocative new theory about the relationship between law and finance and the role of law in producing and addressing financial instability. Pistor shows that law plays a constitutive role …

Addressing the Regulatory Sine Curve
A common denominator of regulatory responses to crises is the use of stable and presumptively optimal rules. The term “stable and presumptively optimal rules” refers to rules that, once in place, do not change other than through other rules and …

The New Verification Safe Harbor in Rule 506 and Some Commentary
Earlier this year I participated in a Vanderbilt Law Review En Banc forum offering advice to the SEC regarding implementation of the JOBS Act. My piece focused on the SEC proposed rule lifting the ban on general solicitation; yesterday the …

Crowdfunding Securities: Recommendations for SEC Rulemaking

SEC Lifts Historic Ban on General Solicitation and Advertising in Rule 506 and 144A Offerings
On July 10, 2013, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) adopted a final rule, available here, to implement the requirement in JOBS Act Section 201(a) to lift the historic ban on general solicitation and advertising in Rule 506 and …
Torys on why Chinese Companies Need More Than the JOBS Act
Although the JOBS Act was passed just over a year ago to facilitate capital raising in the United States, allegations of accounting fraud, diminished investor confidence and a regulatory impasse over audit work papers have caused many Chinese companies to …

Downgrading Rating Agency Reform
The financial crisis starkly exposed the need for rating agency reform, yet the most important questions of how to enhance rating agency competition, accuracy, and accountability remain largely unanswered. My article, Downgrading Rating Agency Reform, assesses the shortcomings in …

Aguilar on Institutional Investors: Power and Responsibility
The following remarks were delivered by Commissioner Luis A. Aguilar of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at Georgia State University on April 19, 2013.
Good evening. Thank you for that kind introduction. I am glad to be here at …