Richard J. Coyle

Rick Coyle is a partner and member of Chapman’s Investment Management Group. He focuses his practice on advising registered investment companies, registered investment advisers, index providers and broker-dealers on a variety of matters pertaining to 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.

Rick has particular experience representing exchange-traded fund (ETF) sponsors and is a proud member of Chapman’s ETF team, which serves as fund counsel to over 525 ETFs with cumulative assets under management exceeding $225 billion. His clients include a wide range of asset managers, from large, established firms to start-up managers. He has advised and represented numerous ETF clients in launching novel products, including one of the first-day bitcoin ETFs, one of the first-day ether ETFs, the first “defined outcome” ETFs and some of the first ETFs to principally hold futures contracts referencing bitcoin and ether. He also has significant experience in representing issuers seeking to use derivatives to provide unique exposures in the ETF wrapper.

He has experience with forming and providing ongoing advice to closed-end funds, interval funds, mutual funds and unit investment trusts. He has advised registered fund and adviser clients regarding a wide variety of operational matters, including mergers, changes of control, reorganizations and other such matters.

Rick has advocated strongly on behalf of the digital asset and blockchain industry and advised numerous clients in matters relating to cryptocurrencies and blockchains. He has met with U.S. Senators, members of the U.S. House of Representatives, SEC Commissioners, and CFTC Commissioners regarding various initiatives and proposed legislation impacting the industry. He has also advised clients on the use of blockchains by asset managers and in securities offerings.