Michael E. Schapiro focuses his practice on counseling investment companies – including mutual funds, closed-end funds and exchange-traded funds –independent directors, private funds, and investment advisers in connection with various regulatory, compliance and transactional matters. His experience includes the representation of:
- Registered Investment Companies: Michael advises clients on the federal securities laws pertaining to the formation, registration and ongoing compliance of open-end mutual funds, including multi-manager funds and sub-advised funds. He drafts and reviews critical documents, such as registration statements, proxy statements, exemptive applications, information statements, shareholder reports and state law filings, and responds to related SEC inquiries. Michael also prepares plans of reorganization and registration statements on Form N-14 in connection with fund mergers and acquisitions involving both affiliated and nonaffiliated funds.
- Independent Directors: Michael advises boards of directors on issues arising under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as well as various corporate governance issues.
- Investment Advisers: Michael participates in counseling investment advisers with respect to their obligations under federal and state securities laws.
Prior to joining Stradley Ronon, Michael was an associate at another Washington, D.C. law firm where he concentrated his practice on counseling broker-dealers and investment advisers regarding regulatory and compliance issues before the SEC and FINRA. Michael also briefly served as a staff attorney for the Hon. John M. Conroy of the U.S. District Court for the District of Vermont. Before law school, Michael served as staff assistant and press assistant for U.S. Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt.