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McDermott Will & Schulte’s Broker-Dealer Regulatory and Enforcement Group advises some of the securities market’s leading broker-dealers, helping them navigate SEC, FINRA, exchange and state securities law compliance requirements and enforcement actions. Few firms can offer a practice with the size and depth of experience as our Broker-Dealer Regulatory and Enforcement Group.
We have particularly significant experience representing many of the leading market makers, HFTs, alternative trading systems, institutional agency brokers, electronic retail brokers, prime brokers, correspondent clearing firms and specialty securities-finance firms. Our ongoing interaction with regulators positions us to advise clients on issues at the forefront of the regulatory agenda, including best execution, audit trail reporting, algorithmic trading, net capital, segregation and securities finance/margin.
In addition, we represent buy-side firms regarding market regulation matters and their dealings with broker-dealers and banks in connection with their securities finance arrangements. We also act as regulatory counsel in connection with acquisitions of, or investments in, broker-dealers.
Our integrated, comprehensive approach draws on the capabilities of Schulte’s SEC Enforcement, Bank Regulatory and Investment Management groups. This enables us to respond to a wide range of client issues.
Article, Client alert
Regulation of cryptoassets in the UK reaches the final stage
Article, Client alert
REMINDER: Regulation S-P Amendments – Upcoming Dec. 3, 2025 Compliance Date
Awards & Rankings
Transactions can strengthen your business by helping you access capital, pursue growth opportunities, and enter new markets – but they also carry risks that can have lasting consequences. Our corporate and transactional lawyers structure transactions that drive growth while managing legal, regulatory, and commercial exposure.
Our lawyers collaborate across offices worldwide to provide coordinated counsel on domestic and cross-border transactions. Our corporate law practice guides you through commercial agreements, mergers and acquisitions, financings, restructurings, and governance matters designed to support your business strategy.
We also advise on sophisticated capital formation and investment structures, including capital raises, PIPE transactions, SPAC-related matters, and other strategic financing arrangements that provide flexible access to capital in evolving markets.
Beyond execution, our corporate and transactional lawyers address the challenges that shape long-term deal success, including:
Managing a large volume of transactions can quickly become resource intensive. Our technology-enabled transactional legal services team combines sophisticated AI review tools with experienced transactional lawyers to streamline due diligence, contract negotiation, and contract management – helping you scale quality and consistency across a high volume of matters.
From capital formation to post-closing integration, we help you navigate transactions strategically while managing the legal and operational issues that impact business performance. Our lawyers structure and execute deals that mitigate risk and support long-term growth.
Your investment platform needs more than execution – it needs structures that hold up under pressure and perform across market cycles. Our investment management lawyers help you design, launch, and manage investment vehicles that align with your goals and stand up to regulatory and investor scrutiny. We shape structures that work in practice, so you are better positioned to move capital with fewer disruptions and greater control over risk.
With more than 150 lawyers around the world, we provide integrated fund, tax, and regulatory advice across the fund life cycle. Our fund formation capabilities span private equity and credit, hedge, venture, infrastructure, and other specialized strategies. Our experience across credit and hybrid strategies positions us to address investor constraints, product design, and cross-border structuring considerations.
We combine fund formation capabilities with sophisticated tax, ERISA, and regulatory advice to structure vehicles for complex investor bases and cross-border operations. When sponsors face regulatory scrutiny, enforcement actions, or disputes, we provide strategic counsel aimed at protecting both the fund structure and the broader management platform.
We also help you navigate US and global regulatory requirements, from Advisers Act compliance to cross-border frameworks, and advise on management company formation, compensation structures, and strategic transactions involving investment managers.
Our investment management lawyers provide integrated legal and business advice at every stage, including:
Your ability to raise, deploy, and return capital depends on how your platform is structured. Our investment management lawyers help you integrate strategy, structuring, and compliance across the fund life cycle – so your fund can operate effectively under changing market conditions.
Disputes can disrupt your operations, drain resources, and create uncertainty that affects business performance. Our litigation and dispute resolution lawyers help you navigate high-stakes disputes while reducing uncertainty, managing risk, and protecting your long-term business interests.
Our litigation and dispute resolution practice is comprised of experienced litigators and trial lawyers throughout the US and Europe. Working across practices, we provide integrated counsel tailored to complex disputes. By combining industry- and practice-specific knowledge with trial and appellate experience, we assess how disputes are likely to evolve and adapt your strategy accordingly.
Our lawyers guide you through every stage of a dispute – from early case assessment through litigation, trial, and appeal. With a dedicated appellate practice that has handled hundreds of appeals, including matters before the US Supreme Court, we approach cases with trial and appellate strategies aligned from the outset.
When litigation is not the most effective path forward, we partner with you to resolve disputes through arbitration and mediation. Our lawyers represent you in proceedings before the American Arbitration Association (AAA), the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), and other arbitral bodies – helping you control risk, maintain confidentiality, and preserve business relationships.
In addition to commercial disputes, we advise you on sensitive investigations and government enforcement actions. We conduct internal investigations involving allegations of misconduct, compliance issues, and potential regulatory violations. We also represent you in proceedings involving the US Department of Justice (DOJ), the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), self-regulatory organizations, stock exchanges, and other state and federal agencies.
Our litigation and dispute resolution lawyers understand how disputes can affect your business and reputation. By combining litigation experience with practical business insight, we help you assess risk, reduce uncertainty, and determine the most effective path forward – whether through litigation or strategic resolution outside the courtroom.
Market-leading team assisting high-profile hedge and private equity fund clients in compliance with regulations. Experienced in matters involving the SEC, CFTC, and National Futures Association.
– Chambers USA
Schulte is a full-service law firm with industry-leading practices in financial services, including the area of regulation & compliance. With a client base of more than 300 financial services firms, including investment banks, commercial banks, hedge funds, private equity funds, mutual funds, closed-end funds, business development companies and employee benefit plans, we have an in-depth knowledge of industry terms and practices and a breadth of experience that few other firms can equal.
Our regulatory & compliance practice consists of more than 50 lawyers, including over 30 partners, all with extensive regulatory and compliance experience and many of whom have prior experience working at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or in U.S. Attorneys’ offices.
“They technically understand the law but also understand what we’re trying to achieve.” – Chambers USA
Government investigations and enforcement actions are among the most consequential matters a company or individual can face – they can be detrimental to your business, leadership, and reputation. From prevention through defense, our lawyers help you navigate government scrutiny, partnering with you to manage risk in high-stakes investigations, enforcement actions, and parallel proceedings.
Our white-collar defense and government investigations team includes dozens of former senior officials from key US enforcement agencies, including the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). We instinctively understand how these agencies operate, allowing us to anticipate government strategies and shape yours accordingly.
Our global team of more than 60 lawyers defends companies, boards of directors, executives, and senior leaders in complex white-collar defense and investigations – including parallel proceedings across multiple venues:
We coordinate across agencies and jurisdictions to ensure a consistent, strategic defense, helping to reduce risk, avoid conflicting positions, and strengthen outcomes.
Our team also brings deep experience in emerging and highly regulated areas, including healthcare and digital assets like cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). We help you navigate the nuanced regulatory frameworks that govern these sectors.
To stay ahead of potential investigations and enforcement actions, our lawyers work with you to strengthen compliance programs and identify risks early. Through internal investigations, responses to government inquiries and disclosures, and ongoing advisory support, we help you build processes designed to reduce enforcement exposure.
Our white-collar defense and government investigations team combines insider perspective with practical, business-focused guidance. We guide you through consequential government scrutiny, helping you mitigate risk, manage uncertainty, preserve business continuity, and protect your reputation.
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