Should you stay or go? Private fund adviser registration after Goldstein

Abstract

PurposeTo discuss factors that a private fund advisor should consider in its decision to remain registered with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or to deregister in light of the D.C. Court of Appeals June 2006 decision in Goldstein v. Securities and Exchange Commission.Design/methodology/approachAnalyzes and compares the advantages and disadvantages of staying registered and deregistering; discusses the requirements of state registration for advisers that are note registered with the SEC; and analyzes the consequences to private fund advisors if the SEC does not repropose certain rule amendments adopted along with Rule 203(b)(3)‐2 concerning bookkeeping, performance fees, and custody.FindingsAdvisers should carefully consider their facts and circumstances and their business plans when analyzing the consequences of deregistration with the SEC – most importantly, the possibility of multiple state registration – before filing to deregister. Especially if the SEC restores the rule amendments the Goldstein decision struck down, staying with the SEC – the regulator you know – may be better than registering with a state.Originality/valueProvides an up‐to‐date analysis of factors that private funds should consider concerning SEC registration in light of the recent Goldstein decision.