Investment Funds and Asset Management
Our Group
Miller Thomson’s Capital Markets and Securities Group includes experienced mutual and investment fund lawyers, a number of whom have worked closely with industry participants as the investment funds sector has evolved and grown in Canada. These lawyers are supported in this area by our firm’s tax practitioners.
Our Clients
With our experience, we are able to assist fund sponsors, money managers and distributors across the economic spectrum, from large and complex financial institutions to founder-operated independents. Our lawyers have acted for mutual fund companies, foreign and domestic portfolio managers, the asset management arms of banks, insurance companies and investment banks, and investment dealers, exempt market dealers and mutual fund dealers. We also have a specialized practice advising Independent Review Committees (IRCs), particularly in instances where the IRC seeks its own counsel.
Our Services
Mutual Funds
Management of mutual funds is increasingly complex and heavily regulated. Our team has seasoned counsel and other resources to assist you in the establishment and maintenance of a retail mutual fund of any type, from initial set-up through fundamental changes, fund mergers, restructurings and wind-ups. We have experience with fund of fund structures and alternative distribution.
Other Investment Vehicles
Investment funds outside the retail mutual fund regime have had far more latitude in their operations and investment practices. Increasingly however, these alternatives to open end retail funds are becoming subject to regulatory scrutiny. We advise pooled funds, hedge funds, other closed end funds, segregated funds and their sponsors and managers.
Money Managers
Money managers, whether they manage a handful of institutional accounts or offer a full array of product, have needs that are unique to their business. We can assist with legal and compliance support that caters to the buy side. Our lawyers have direct experience with prime brokerage arrangements, DMA, broker selection and brokerage allocation policies, proxy voting policies, best execution, the uses and abuses of transaction cost analysis and similar matters.
Advisor, Manager and Mutual Fund Dealer Registration
We have the capability to assist our clients with the registration requirements across Canada for investment advisors, investment fund managers, and mutual fund dealers. Our lawyers are able to assess your qualifications for registration and guide you through the process quickly and cost-effectively.