Joshua M. Newville
Partner
Joshua M. Newville is a partner in the Litigation Department in New York and a member of Proskauer's White Collar Defense & Investigations Group and the Private Equity and Hedge Fund Litigation team.
Josh handles securities litigation, enforcement and regulatory matters, representing corporations and senior executives in civil and criminal investigations. In addition, Josh advises registered investment advisers and private fund managers on regulatory compliance, SEC exams and related risks.
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On April 12, 2018, the SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations issued a risk alert listing the most common compliance issues concerning fees and expenses charged by SEC-registered investment advisers. Advisers should review their practices, policies and procedures to ensure compliance with their advisory agreements and representations to clients in light of the fee … Continue Reading
With the public equity markets at an all-time high and private equity fund raising setting new records, it might seem counterintuitive to forecast litigation and regulatory risks. The opposite is true. Disputes typically follow capital, and the steeper the growth curve, the greater the risk of litigation and regulatory scrutiny. With that backdrop, we are … Continue Reading
In his recent remarks at the Securities Regulation Institute, SEC Chairman Jay Clayton had some stern words for market professionals, especially lawyers, involved in initial coin offerings (ICOs). He expressed concern that lawyers in the space “can do better” in their role as gatekeepers to the securities markets, particularly in advising clients whether the “coin” … Continue Reading
If a team from the SEC arrives at your office and says, “We are conducting an on-site examination and would like to talk to the CCO right now,” are you prepared? A handful of registered investment advisers have faced surprise SEC exams in recent months. These exams come in two flavors: either a “for cause” … Continue Reading
Last night, the SEC announced its enforcement results for the Fiscal Year 2017, accompanied by a report from the Co-Directors of its Division of Enforcement. While the total number of actions was down slightly from 2016, the percentage of those cases involving investment advisers or investment companies – 18% – remained consistent, and amounted to … Continue Reading
On October 4, 2017, U.S. Representative Sean P. Duffy [R-WI-7] introduced U.S. House of Representatives Bill H.R.3948 entitled the “Protection of Source Code Act.” If enacted, the Bill would amend the Securities Act, the Securities Exchange Act, the Investment Company Act and the Investment Advisers Act to prohibit the SEC staff from obtaining algorithmic trading … Continue Reading
The SEC’s pay-to-play rule has given advisers reason to worry about potential foot faults since its adoption. As we have noted in prior posts, the rule is filled with landmines and is therefore difficult to navigate. As was evident from the SEC’s announcement of a series of settlements of alleged pay-to-play violations in early 2017, even … Continue Reading
We recently posted about the risks associated with veil-piercing claims and the ways in which fund managers can protect themselves from exposure to these claims. Our first post on veil-piercing focused on Delaware standards, while this post discusses California law. California law differs in several important respects from Delaware law on this topic. If a … Continue Reading
The SEC staff recently published an alert highlighting the most common deficiencies seen in investment advisers’ marketing materials. Based on its recent examinations and initiatives, the Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) issued its risk alert to highlight compliance issues relating to Rule 206(4)-1 (the “Advertising Rule”). Here are the top six: Misleading Performance … Continue Reading
A veil piercing claim can be a worst-case scenario for a private fund manager dealing with a struggling portfolio company investment – the company fails, and ensuing legal claims are brought not only against the portfolio company, but also against the fund and its GPs. How can fund managers manage that risk? Limited liability is … Continue Reading
The recent IPOs of Snap, Inc. and Blue Apron indicate that while the IPO pipeline continues to flow, there may be a cautionary tale for “unicorns” – venture-backed companies with estimated valuations in excess of $1 billion. After Snap went public in March, it posted a $2.2 billion loss in its first quarter, yielding a … Continue Reading
Initial Coin Offerings (“ICOs”) are generating attention from both investors and the SEC. Investors’ interest is indicated by the more than $1.2 billion that ICOs reportedly have raised so far this year. Meanwhile, the SEC has recently asserted its authority in the space, releasing a report stating that digital tokens issued by ICO platform “The … Continue Reading
On July 12, 2017, newly appointed SEC Chairman Jay Clayton delivered a speech at the non-partisan Economic Club of New York wherein he set forth several high-level guiding principles for the agency. In general, these remarks focused on (i) ensuring protections for retail investors, (ii) positioning the SEC as a regulator which is able to … Continue Reading
Proskauer partners Jeff Neuburger, Robert Leonard, Josh Newville and Jonathan Richman recently invited hedge fund executives to discuss the complex regulatory and compliance issues raised by the use of alternative data. Jeff, Robert and Josh also contributed an article to the Hedge Fund Law Report on Best Practices for Private Fund Advisers to Manage the Risks of … Continue Reading
For private fund managers, the valuation of privately-held securities has been subject to heightened regulatory scrutiny. As the IPO on-ramp for private “unicorn” investments has lengthened, fund managers may hold illiquid investments for longer-than-expected time periods—and valuation-related risks increase as the time lengthens between purchase and exit. This is the second of two blog posts … Continue Reading
The SEC has been active in pursuing several insider trading cases this year on both the large and the small-scale, some of which involved trades that yielded profits as small as $40,000-$60,000. Why does the enforcement division spend resources on these smaller cases? And how will the SEC continue to investigate new leads through data … Continue Reading
According to recent news reports, the DOJ and the SEC are investigating the possible improper use of third-party broker quotes by hedge fund managers to value illiquid debt securities in their portfolios. Prosecutors are reportedly focused on possible instances where fund managers allegedly solicited predetermined or improper quotes from brokers, and used those estimates to … Continue Reading
We are pleased to announce that Proskauer has released Regulation of Investment Advisers by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, by Robert E. Plaze, who recently joined Proskauer as a partner. Bob previously served as Deputy Director of the Division of Investment Management of the SEC. This publication, which draws on Bob’s nearly 30 years … Continue Reading
At the recent SEC Speaks program, sponsored by PLI, senior SEC staff members provided valuable insight into the SEC’s 2017 priorities for private funds. While the tenor of this year’s discussion seemed to focus more on retail investors, the staff discussed several topics that private fund advisers should keep in mind from both an enforcement … Continue Reading
Private investment funds and advisers are likely to face new regulatory challenges and increased litigation risks in 2017, not only because of a change in the administration, but also because many advisers have not corrected and aligned past practices with current regulatory guidance. In this post, we have highlighted ten areas that should be on … Continue Reading
On November 18, 2016, outgoing SEC Chair Mary Jo White delivered a speech at New York University School of Law entitled “A New Model for SEC Enforcement: Producing Bold and Unrelenting Results.” Chair White’s remarks covered a broad range of enforcement initiatives and outcomes from her tenure as SEC Chair. This post summarizes the aspects … Continue Reading
In the wake of the election of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States, Mary Jo White has announced her intent to step down from her role as Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Chair White, the 31st and one of the longest-serving Chairs of the SEC, will be leaving her … Continue Reading
The SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) recently published a risk alert noting that the SEC exam staff intends to examine registrants’ compliance with the Dodd-Frank Act’s whistleblower provisions. OCIE intends to examine registered advisers for compliance, in light of recent enforcement cases the SEC has filed based on violations of the Dodd-Frank … Continue Reading
On October 17, 2016, Marc Wyatt, the Director of the SEC’s Office of Compliance, Inspection and Examinations, gave a keynote address to the National Society of Compliance Professionals titled: Inside the National Exam Program in 2016. In addition to discussing his general perspective concerning the program, he provided some key statistics that help put OCIE’s … Continue Reading
SEC Staff Issues Risk Alert on the Six Most Frequent Fee and Expense Compliance Issues
The Top Ten Regulatory and Litigation Risks for Private Funds in 2018
By Timothy W. Mungovan, Joshua M. Newville, Michael R. Hackett, Anthony Drenzek, William Dalsen, Alexandra V. Bargoot, Brian Hooven and Lucy Wolf on Posted in Business Development Companies, Compliance, Disputes, Examinations, Hedge Funds, Mergers & Acquisitions, Private Credit, Private Equity, Private Equity Litigation, Regulation, SEC, Securities Law, Venture Capital
Chairman Clayton Asks Lawyers to Knock it Off with the Unregistered Coin Offerings
By Joshua M. Newville and Jeffrey Neuburger on Posted in Hedge Funds, Private Equity Litigation, Regulation, SEC, Securities Law
Five Things to Think About Before a Surprise SEC Exam
SEC Releases FY 2017 Enforcement Results: Maintaining Focus on Individual Accountability and Investment Advisers
U.S. House Bill Aims to Curtail SEC Staff’s Ability to Obtain Algorithmic Trading Source Code
Pay-to-Play – SEC Expands Scope of Rule to CABs
Veil-Piercing Under California Law – Heightened Risks for Fund Managers
SEC Flags the Top Six Advertising Rule Deficiencies for Investment Advisers
Veil Piercing/Alter Ego Determinations – How Fund Managers Can Protect Themselves
By Manuel F Cachán, Joshua M. Newville and Lee Popkin on Posted in Disputes, Private Equity, Private Equity Litigation, Venture Capital
Snap Judgment: Unicorns Under Pressure and Addressing Risks of Private Lawsuits
SEC Speaks on Initial Coin Offerings: Tokens May Be Securities
SEC Chairman Identifies Guiding Principles
Best Practices for Fund Managers to Mitigate Big Data and Web Scraping Risks
By Joshua M. Newville, Jeffrey Neuburger, Robert Leonard and Jonathan Richman on Posted in Hedge Funds, Regulation, SEC, Securities Law
Valuation of Illiquid Portfolio Investments – Avoiding Regulatory Risks with Form and Substance
SEC Continues to Use Advanced Data Analytics to Investigate Insider Trading
By Joshua M. Newville and Julia M. Ansanelli on Posted in Regulation, SEC, Securities Law
Reported Criminal Probes Regarding Bond Valuations Highlight the Importance of Valuation Procedures
Proskauer Releases Regulation of Investment Advisers, the Definitive Guide by Regulatory Expert Robert Plaze
By Robert E. Plaze, Timothy W. Mungovan and Joshua M. Newville on Posted in OCIE, Regulation, SEC, Securities Law, Uncategorized
SEC Speaks: 2017 Enforcement and Exam Trends for Private Funds
The Top Ten Regulatory and Litigation Risks for Private Funds in 2017
By Timothy W. Mungovan, Joshua M. Newville, Michael R. Hackett, Anthony Drenzek and William Dalsen on Posted in Business Development Companies, Compliance, Disputes, Examinations, Fund Restructurings, Hedge Funds, Mergers & Acquisitions, OCIE, Private Equity, Private Equity Litigation, Regulation, SEC, Securities Law, Venture Capital, Whistleblower
