Jacqueline S. Edwards is Counsel in Simpson Thacher’s Registered Funds Practice. Based in the Firm’s New York office, Jacqueline is well-versed in both the Investment Company Act and Investment Advisers Act. She counsels investment companies and their directors on a wide array of investment management and securities law matters, including governance structures and practices, regulatory compliance issues, material service contracts, mergers, acquisitions and other control transactions and disclosure. She represents both open and closed-end funds, as well as interval funds, exchange-traded funds, variable annuity funds and business development companies. Her experience also includes advising clients regarding the regulation and registration of investment advisers, broker-dealers and other financial institutions.
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Work Highlights
Prior to joining Simpson Thacher Jacqueline:
- Assisted in the representation of several leading global investment firms, including related to registration statement and contract approval disclosure review, compliance, the drafting of complex strategy and risk disclosure and the launch of novel investment products
- Established a variety of funds for clients, including funds that (1) invest in specific complex instruments, such as commodities and derivatives; (2) utilize special structures, such as manager of mangers or fund of funds structures; and (3) employ alternative strategies, such as long-short, diversified/asset allocation and managed volatility strategies
- Represented clients in connection with proxy statements for various proposals, including changes of control, fundamental investment restriction changes, fund structure and/or organizational changes and the election of directors
- Successfully prepared numerous no-action letters and exemptive applications on a variety of investment company issues
- Successfully launched the first actively managed exchange-traded fund
Education
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American University Washington College of Law, 2000 J.D.
Articles Editor, International Law Review; Copy Editor, American Jurist
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Boston University, 1995 B.A.
cum laude
Associations
- New York State Bar Association
- New York City Bar Association
- Investment Management Regulation Committee, New York City Bar Association (Member 2018-2021; Affiliate Member 2021-present)
- Women in Investment Management Forum
- New York City '40 Acts Committee
Jacqueline S. Edwards is Counsel in Simpson Thacher’s Registered Funds Practice. Based in the Firm’s New York office, Jacqueline is well-versed in both the Investment Company Act and Investment Advisers Act. She counsels investment companies and their directors on a wide array of investment management and securities law matters, including governance structures and practices, regulatory compliance issues, material service contracts, mergers, acquisitions and other control transactions and disclosure. She represents both open and closed-end funds, as well as interval funds, exchange-traded funds, variable annuity funds and business development companies. Her experience also includes advising clients regarding the regulation and registration of investment advisers, broker-dealers and other financial institutions.
Prior to joining Simpson Thacher Jacqueline:
- Assisted in the representation of several leading global investment firms, including related to registration statement and contract approval disclosure review, compliance, the drafting of complex strategy and risk disclosure and the launch of novel investment products
- Established a variety of funds for clients, including funds that (1) invest in specific complex instruments, such as commodities and derivatives; (2) utilize special structures, such as manager of mangers or fund of funds structures; and (3) employ alternative strategies, such as long-short, diversified/asset allocation and managed volatility strategies
- Represented clients in connection with proxy statements for various proposals, including changes of control, fundamental investment restriction changes, fund structure and/or organizational changes and the election of directors
- Successfully prepared numerous no-action letters and exemptive applications on a variety of investment company issues
- Successfully launched the first actively managed exchange-traded fund
Jacqueline received her J.D. from American University-Washington College of Law, where she was articles editor of the International Law Review and copy editor of American Jurist.