Joseph concentrates his practice in securities, with emphasis on matters arising under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the related Investment Advisers Act of 1940. He also has significant experience building international business, particularly between the U.S. and Italy.
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Joe is experienced in assisting businesses with a variety of international and domestic transactions, and advises on government relations issues on the federal, state and international level.
Long active in political and governmental affairs, Joe has strong relationships with leaders in Congress, the Executive Branch and many federal agencies, as well as the state government of Pennsylvania and other states. He also has experience in international matters and excellent relationships with several foreign governmental and business leaders, particularly in Italy and other European countries. He has been invited to brief the U.S. Department of State on economic matters relating to businesses in the Mediterranean, particularly Italy, where Joe has several clients.
In 2005, Joe accompanied a Pennsylvania delegation to Italy that reported to the state government on opportunities to expand economic ties between the state and Italy. In 2007, he was appointed a member of the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships. Members of the Commission are appointed by the President of the United States.
As former chairman of the board of trustees of the National Italian American Foundation, Joe continues to be active in promoting international relations, cross-cultural exchanges and educational opportunities.
Joe secured the firm’s representation of the Republican National Committee and its Committee on Arrangements for the 2000 Republican National Convention in Philadelphia. The firm served as local counsel, advising on all aspects of contract drafting and negotiation, as well as issues involving state law and the City Charter of Philadelphia. He also has represented large financial institutions, including banks, trust companies and mutual fund companies, on regulatory and legislative matters on the state and federal level.
Joe also has assisted real estate development, health care, technology and insurance companies with state and federal governmental matters.
In March 2002, Joe was the only lawyer in private practice invited to testify before the U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Committee about H.R. 3763, the Corporate and Auditing Accountability, Responsibility and Transparency Act of 2002. In July 2004, he was invited to testify before the U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Committee on the two-year anniversary of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
Joe also maintains an active securities practice, with a special emphasis on matters arising under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the related Investment Advisers’ Act of 1940. His work encompasses the representation of investment advisers, mutual funds, closed-end investment companies, unit investment trusts, hedge funds, offshore funds and publicly owned venture capital funds, usually organized as business development companies.
In addition to serving on a number of nonprofit boards, Joe has served on the boards of both public and private corporations. He currently serves as a board member and chair of the governance committee of the Brinker Destinations Trust, a registered mutual fund, and is on the board of advisors for the Dar Group USA, one of the largest engineering and architectural firms in the world.
Joe started his legal career as an attorney/adviser in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Investment Management. He lectures frequently about investment company regulation and has appeared several times in Europe as a lecturer or moderator of legal programs regarding the offshore development and marketing of investment company products. He is the founding co-editor-in-chief of the Villanova Journal of Law and Investment Management.
Articles + Publications
04.09.24
Securities Investigations and Enforcement Newsletter — April 2024
Sponsored Events
03.13.24
Men's BIG EAST Tournament Networking Luncheon: Who Calls the Shots? NIL and the Future of College Athletics, hosted by Villanova Law
Articles + Publications
02.01.24
Investment Management Update - Q4 2023
Articles + Publications
01.23.24
SEC Releases New Guidance on Tailored Shareholder Reports
Articles + Publications
December 2022
Investment Management Update - December 2022
Articles + Publications
10.27.22
SEC Adopts Modernized Framework for Open-End Fund Shareholder Reports and Disclosures