Overview
Myles O’Kelly is a partner and member of Chapman’s Corporate and Securities Department and the Investment Management Group. He advises registered investment companies and investment advisers on a range of matters involving the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and other federal securities laws. He also counsels clients on strategic corporate matters.
Myles has extensive experience forming and providing ongoing advice to mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds, and unit investment trusts. He frequently advises on fund mergers, reorganizations, asset purchases, and other operational matters.
In addition to his investment management work, Myles counsels clients on strategic corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, entity formation and restructuring, financings, and corporate governance. He has represented buyers and sellers across industries in acquisitions and asset purchases involving banks, bank holding companies, and railway leasing companies. His experience includes negotiating definitive agreements and drafting and filing registration statements and proxy materials with the SEC.
Myles has practiced law at Chapman his entire career.
Representative Matters
- Represented open-end funds and unit investment trusts in matters regarding their organization, applications for exemptions from provisions of applicable federal securities laws, federal registration, preparation of offering materials, regulatory analysis and compliance obligations.
- Represented a closed-end fund with a principal investment strategy of investing in marketplace lending instruments.
- Represented closed-end funds in connection with self-tender offers.
- Represented a regional bank in connection with its acquisition of a registered investment advisor.
- Represented a regional bank in connection with its merger transaction.
Practice Focus
Admitted
Illinois
Education
Washington University School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 2016
College of William and Mary, B.A., History, 2012
Insights
Publications
- Co-Author, “Reconsidering the ‘Complex Product’ Designation,” Chapman Insights, June 14, 2024
- Co-Author, “DOJ, FTC Suspend Early Termination of Review under Hart-Scott-Rodino,” Client Alert, February 8, 2020
- Co-Author, “SEC Proposes Interpretive Guidance for Investment Adviser Standards of Conduct,” Client Alert, May 1, 2018
- Co-Author, “SEC Proposes Regulation Best Interest to Establish New Broker-Dealer Standard of Conduct,” Client Alert, May 1, 2018
- Co-Author, “SEC Proposes Form CRS and Title Restrictions,” Client Alert, May 1, 2018
- Co-Author, “SEC Staff Highlights Investment Adviser Fee Compliance Issues,” Client Alert, April 16, 2018
Presentations
- Presenter, “Exemptive Applications Filed for Fixed Income Index Tracking ETFs,” Chicago Bar Association, Investment Management Subcommittee Meeting, October 12, 2017
- Presenter, “SEC Amendments to Form N-1A Requiring Disclosure of Securities Lending Activities,” Chicago Bar Association, Investment Management Subcommittee Meeting, July 27, 2017
- Presenter, “SEC Issues No-Action Relief on Use of an Affiliated Broker for Foreign Exchange Transactions,” Chicago Bar Association, Investment Management Subcommittee Meeting, April 27, 2017
- Presenter, “2017 SEC Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations’ and FINRA’s Regulatory and Examination Priorities,” Chicago Bar Association, Investment Management Subcommittee Meeting, January 24, 2017
