On January 31, 2014 (revised February 4, 2014), the SEC issued a no-action letter to a group of attorneys who requested assurance on an issue that has long been on the minds of securities lawyers: are people who facilitate the sale of a controlling interest in a business involving a transfer of stock — which the Supreme Court has held to be a sale of securities under federal securities laws — required to register as broker-dealers under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, with all of the attendant expenses and obligations?
Securities Archives
Thoughts on the Proposed Crowdfunding Regulations
On October 23, 2013, the Securities and Exchange Commission issued proposed regulations to implement Title III of the JOBS Act, which will allow for the public sale of securities using crowdfunding under an exemption from registration under securities laws. [Read more…]
First Enforcement Action Taken Against Crowdfunding Site
For the first time, regulators are taking action against one of the many crowdfunding sites that have sprung up since the passage of the JOBS Act. The Ohio Division of Securities issued a notice of intent to issue a cease-and-desist order against the Cincinnati-based crowdfunding platform SoMoLend and majority owner/CEO Candace Klein in June. If issued, the order will shut down SoMoLend. [Read more…]
AngelList Posts Thoughtful Comments to Proposed SEC Form D Regulations
On August 12, 2013, the crowdfunding platform AngelList submitted some really great and thoughtful comments to the SEC with respect to the SEC’s proposed Reg. D amendments related to new Form D filing requirements and enhanced penalties for failure to file (which you can read more about here). AngelList expressed its concern that the newly proposed Form D rules would result in “disastrous unintended consequences” for startups, observing that proposed rules reflect how sophisticated Wall Street issuers, investment banks, and law firms, rather than early stage businesses, engage in capital raising. [Read more…]
SEC’s Proposed Regulation D Rules Generates Wide Ranging Concern
In my last post, I discussed new proposed Regulation D rules which impose new obligations upon issuers of securities in private placements. In that post, I expressed some concern that these new rules could be quite burdensome, especially the rule disqualifying issuers from using Rule 506 on future securities offerings for failing to file Form D in a timely fashion. Others involved with startup capital formation have also expressed similar concerns. In this post, I’ll compile the comments I’ve seen thus far. [Read more…]