Mark D. Perlow

Mark D. Perlow represents mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, hedge fund managers, fund independent directors, investment advisers, and broker-dealers on a broad range of regulatory and transactional matters. Mr. Perlow has extensive experience structuring, forming and reorganizing mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and hedge funds; preparing and negotiating fund documents and agreements; and assisting clients on adviser and fund mergers, acquisitions, and adoptions. Mr. Perlow has counseled both fund sponsors and fund investors on regulatory aspects of and issues posed by alternative funds, derivatives, short selling, market structure, and exchange-traded funds. He also advises investment adviser and fund sponsors on fintech matters, including artificial intelligence and digital investment advice.

Having served as senior counsel in both the SEC’s Office of the General Counsel and the Division of Enforcement, Mr. Perlow has considerable experience with SEC rule-making, submissions, enforcement, examinations and compliance activity. Mr. Perlow regularly assists funds, broker-dealers, and investment managers on agreements relating to regulation and distribution, and represents them before the SEC and FINRA in connection with registration, exemptive applications, no-action and interpretive requests, enforcement actions, examinations, and transactional and disclosure filings. He has also counseled clients on compliance issues regarding the Dodd-Frank and Sarbanes-Oxley Acts.

Mr. Perlow has been recognized as a leading lawyer for registered funds and for investment funds: regulatory and compliance by Chambers USA. The most recent edition notes that “He is very strong, so thoughtful and deep in his analysis - he's a tremendous lawyer.” Past editions stated that he is “He is incredibly knowledgeable, commercial and thoughtful about regulations;” known for his astute advice concerning open-end and closed-end funds,” “has vast experience and knows the ins and outs of the regulatory landscape” and that he is “a wise and sophisticated counselor who has deep expertise in regulatory matters.” Clients also noted that “He's a strong and knowledgeable lawyer. I take a tremendous amount of comfort in his knowledge, he's been invaluable.” “He has an extensive depth of knowledge across the regulatory spectrum” and he is “technically very capable, very practical, he communicates very well and is very responsive – a high-quality partner.” He has also been recognized by The Legal 500 (US) in the areas of mutual/registered funds and alternative/hedge funds, and fintech as a “name to note for online investment advisors and marketplace lenders.” Mr. Perlow is also listed in The Best Lawyers in America for mutual funds law and in Who’s Who Legal in their Private Funds Regulatory category.

Mr. Perlow, former managing partner of the firm’s San Francisco office, is a frequent author and speaker on securities law and investment management topics. Currently, he is an adjunct lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley Law School. Prior to joining Dechert, he served as a partner in the San Francisco office of another international law firm.