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To describe and analyze a proposed rule recently issued by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) that would overhaul the use of derivatives and financial commitment transactions by registered investment companies and business development companies.

This article summarizes the various aspects of the proposed rule, discusses the elements of the proposed rule in greater detail, explains the effect of the proposed rule on existing guidance from the SEC and its staff, and notes the potential transition period for any final rule.

While the proposed rule is subject to public comment and subsequent consideration by the SEC and its staff, if the proposed rule is adopted in its current form it would result in sweeping changes for registered investments companies and business development companies.

This article contains a detailed overview of a recent SEC rule proposal regarding the use of derivatives by registered investment companies and business development companies and practical guidance from experienced asset management lawyers.

To explain two new Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) rule provisions, effective February 5, 2018, that were designed to provide firms with more effective tools to address suspected financial exploitation of seniors and other vulnerable adults, a new Rule 2165, Financial Exploitation of Specified Adults, and an amended Rule 4512, the “Trusted Contact Person” amendment.

Mentions FINRA’s and US Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC’s) longstanding concern about schemes targeting the financial assets of seniors. Provides an overview of the rule changes, including the safe harbor under Rule 2165, which specifies the conditions under which it is permissible for a firm to place a temporary hold on a disbursement, the obligations generated by the decision to place such a temporary hold, and the requirement under amended Rule 4512 for a firm to make reasonable efforts to obtain the name and contact information of a Trusted Contact Person (TCP) for each non-institutional customer’s account.

The new FINRA rule provisions create obligations for firms and also provide firms with optional additional tools to address potential financial exploitation of certain customers.

Firms should be mindful that they must develop appropriate procedures, controls, and training around the authority to place a temporary hold on a customer disbursement.

This article contains valuable information about recent FINRA rule changes and practical guidance from experienced securities lawyers.

This paper aims to investigate sustainability research collaborations between the City of Vancouver and the University of British Columbia (UBC), as a case study to better understand how to use city–university partnerships to advance effective urban sustainability policy and practices. The study compiles a basic inventory of partnerships since 2010, describes their benefits, areas for improvement, barriers to collaboration and proposes ways to increase and improve future collaborations.

The study draws on an electronic survey completed by 58 individuals and interviews with 13 such participants who were faculty members and staff at UBC and Vancouver.

Most collaborations responded to climate change in some way, were initiated through informal professional relationships and involved single departments in each organization. Projects ranged in size, duration and level of municipal funding. Although project participants were generally happy with past experiences, future collaborations could be improved by increasing leadership commitment and resources and producing more mutually beneficial outcomes. Barriers included lacking awareness of potential partners, difficulty aligning municipal needs with academic research interests and divergent expectations about project resources. The study recommends introducing formal processes to help identify overlapping interests and opportunities, enhance co-creation of projects and increase leadership and resources.

The findings may inform the development and implementation of future city–university partnerships to advance sustainable policies and practices in urban areas.

This paper contributes by reviewing experiences with city–university collaborations and offering evidence-based recommendations to improve them, thereby increasing opportunities for more effective urban sustainability solutions.