Ropes & Gray LLP has a diverse workload which often includes matters which involve exchange traded funds, particularly those investing in alternative asset classes. The group also works on mutual fund structuring and the structure of other registered funds, as well as regulatory compliance, advising a high volume of registered funds. The group operates at the forefront of alternative fund formation and alternative investment products, including the formation of private equity and private credit funds and innovative exchange-traded fund products. Leading the team is the experienced trio of Michael Doherty, James Thomas, and Jeremy Smith who are based in New York, and consult leading asset and investment management firms, as well as leading multi-asset investment companies such as Blackstone, and its registered investment companies. Thomas, along with Thomas Hiller in Boston frequently assists exchange traded funds, registered investment companies and other private investment vehicles. Doherty is well-established within the regulatory space, providing regulatory and operational advice to some of the group’s leading funds clients. Bryan Chegwidden,  who splits his time between Boston and New York, is key for handling the organisation of a range of alternative investment products, such as hedge funds, private equity funds and funds of funds.
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Profile

Profile

Work Department

Asset Management

Position

Partner, Co-Head

Career

Tom is a partner in the asset management group and co-head of the firm's registered funds practice group. His practice focuses on the investment management industry. He represents investment advisers to a range of investment products, including mutual funds, ETFs, hedge funds, commodity pools and separate accounts. Tom also provides ongoing advice to mutual funds and their independent trustees/directors. He has extensive experience with the following types of matters, among others: the organization of mutual funds, hedge funds and investment advisers; director duties with regard to advisory agreements and Rule 12b-1 plans; investment adviser registration issues; general conflicts and fiduciary duty issues; closed-end fund activist issues; fund reorganizations; fund-of-fund and master/feeder issues; affiliated transactions; and regulatory and compliance issues of all kinds affecting investment management industry clients.

Education

  • JD, cum laude, University of Pennsylvania Law School, 1994; University of Pennsylvania Law Review
  • BA, magna cum laude, Colgate University, 1991; Phi Beta Kappa

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Key clients

  • Alpha Architect
  • Affiliated Managers Group (AMG)
  • Baseline Partners
  • Blackstone Multi-Asset Investing (BXMA) and its registered investment companies
  • BondBloxx Investment Management
  • Brighthouse Funds
  • Calamos Funds and their Independent Trustees
  • Cohen & Steers Funds ETFs
  • DoubleLine Funds & ETFs and their Independent Trustees
  • Empowered Funds (ETF Architect)
  • Forum Real Estate Income Fund and their Independent Trustees
  • Golden Tree Asset Management
  • Impax Funds
  • Ironwood (Independent Directors)
  • Masterworks.io
  • MFS Funds, ETFs and their Independent Trustees
  • Natixis and Loomis Sayles Fund Groups and Natixis Global Investment Managers, Loomis Sayles & Company, L.P., and Harris Associates, L.P.
  • Pacific Investment Management Company (PIMCO)
  • Pictet Asset Management
  • Popular Asset Management and the Popular Funds