Deborah Bielicke Eades > Vedder Price > Chicago, United States > Lawyer Profile

Vedder Price
222 NORTH LASALLE STREET, SUITE 2600
CHICAGO, IL 60601-1003
ILLINOIS
United States

Work Department

Investment Services

Position

Shareholder

Career

Ms. Eades has extensive experience in all aspects of mutual fund, closed-end fund and investment adviser regulation and compliance, including product design, U.S. federal and state registration, representation of fund boards, portfolio compliance, derivative instruments, affiliated transactions and general regulatory matters.

Ms. Eades has represented clients on a broad range of matters, including:

  • Led series of open-end fund reorganizations to integrate acquired fund complex
  • Lead partner on series of complex, multiple-fund reorganizations of closed-end funds with multiple forms of leverage
  • Handling all aspects of the formation of new registered investment companies, private funds (including hedge funds) and investment advisers
  • Advising investment companies and investment advisers on all aspects of ongoing compliance matters including drafting and reviewing compliance policies and procedures, developing compliance programs for investment companies and investment advisers and assisting clients in annual compliance reviews
  • Representing mutual fund clients in structuring complex target date and protected NAV products, including negotiations of guarantees, warranties and put structures
  • Representing closed-end funds in initial public offerings, debt offerings, preferred stock offerings, commercial paper conduits and other leveraged financings, including leading an innovative initial public offering and subsequent offerings for a closed-end fund investing in master limited partnerships in the energy infrastructure industry
  • Counseling fund clients on all aspects of board administration and meeting preparation and advising fund boards of directors on fiduciary duties and conflicts of interest, oversight responsibilities and other fund governance matters
  • Performing “mock” SEC examinations and independent consultant reviews, including mock examinations of investment advisers to hedge funds and other alternative investment products
  • Counseling clients in connection with preparing for, and responding to, SEC examination requests

Prior to joining Vedder Price, Ms. Eades served as Associate Counsel and Assistant Vice President with Janus Capital Corporation in Denver. She has served on various industry committees, including the Investment Company Institute’s Rules Committee and Electronic Commerce Working Group. Ms. Eades regularly speaks at industry conferences on mutual fund, investment adviser and hedge fund regulation.

Ms. Eades is a member of the American Bar Association and the Chicago Bar Association, for which she formerly served as the Chair of the Investment Company Subcommittee. Ms. Eades is a member of the CFA Institute.

Memberships

  • Certified Financial Analyst
  • Member, American Bar Association
  • Member, Chicago Bar Association (Former Chair, Investment Company Subcommittee)

Education

  • Washington University School of Law, J.D., 1990
  • University of Missouri, B.S.B.A., 1986, magna cum laude

Lawyer Rankings

United States > Investment fund formation and management > Mutual/registered/exchange-traded funds

Admired for its ‘extensive knowledge and experience in the mutual fund industry‘, Vedder Price is a reliable choice for the range of matters in the registered fund sphere, from the plethora of regulatory matters, securities regulations and ERISA and tax matters, to derivatives and structured products, transactions and contentious issues. The practice acts for hundreds of separate open and closed-end Investment Company Act of 1940 registered funds, ranging from those with $5bn to over $100bn in assets. The firm’s Chicago office is a key location for the practice; practice co-heads Cathy Gonzales O’Kelly and Joseph Mannon are based there, as well as Renee Hardt and Deborah Bielicke Eades. Bruce Rosenblum is the third of the trio coordinating the department and is based in Washington DC, alongside Marguerite Bateman and Amy Ward Pershkow.