John M. Ford

John assists clients with the formation and registration of investment companies and investment advisers, and provides advice about regulatory compliance and securities law issues. He serves as fund counsel to a broad array of mutual fund complexes and is experienced in the issues impacting both large-scale fund operations and smaller complexes operating as niche players. He has particular experience in representing series trust sponsors and sponsors of mutual funds relying on external sub-advisers for day to day asset management.

John often works closely with mutual fund sponsors on assisting their product development efforts, particularly in the area of registered investment funds that pursue alternative investment strategies. As part of these efforts, he routinely counsels clients on complex and, at times, “first to market” products. During his career, he has represented and assisted in the structuring of funds pursuing both passive and active “managed futures” strategies, and funds utilizing derivatives to achieve synthetic exposure to traditional and/or alternative asset classes. John is a recognized expert on the highly complex investment, regulatory and tax issues that are unique to such funds.

In addition, John has significant experience in counseling clients in connection with reorganizations, mergers, acquisitions and other business combinations of investment companies and other pooled investment funds. He also is experienced in private funds and status issues related to the Investment Company Act of 1940. John is a frequent commenter in the media on the regulation of money market funds.

He has been listed in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, in recognition of the strength of his practice in registered investment funds.

John is a contributor to The U.S. Private Equity Fund Compliance Guide, an in-depth guide which aims to inform and prepare private equity investment advisers with all the tools and intelligence necessary to register and maintain an active compliance program with the SEC as required by the Dodd-Frank Act.

Before joining the firm, John was a partner with another national law firm, where he was a member of the investment management and securities industry practice group. Before that, he was an attorney at Rodney Square Management Corporation, a mutual fund service company.