K&L Gates Boosts Asset Management and Investment Funds Practice with Washington, D.C., Of Counsel Addition

Washington, D.C. - Global law firm K&L Gates LLP has added Cheryl Isaac as of counsel in the asset management and investment funds practice. She joins K&L Gates’ Washington, D.C., office from Michael Best & Friedrich LLP.

As a derivatives lawyer, Isaac advises clients on compliance with Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Act and related rules and guidance issued by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and other federal regulators. She negotiates International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) documentation for interest rate, foreign exchange, and commodities derivatives, and has a deep understanding of the LIBOR phase-out and its impact on cash and derivative markets.

In addition, Isaac advises clients on the evolving laws and regulations that apply to cryptocurrencies and other digital assets. She works with both startup and established companies to ensure that they are in compliance with CFTC and FinCEN regulations, the Bank Secrecy Act, and various state licensing requirements. She also advises clients on the potential impact of blockchain technology and smart contracts in the areas of derivatives, banking, and commodities trading.

“Cheryl will further enhance our global asset management and investment funds practice with her extensive derivatives transactional and regulatory experience,” said Mark Amorosi, co-leader of the firm’s asset management and investment funds practice area. “Cheryl is an excellent practitioner who brings high level skills to solve complex problems for clients. She complements our already sizeable practice in the derivatives area, and we are excited to welcome her to the team.”

Isaac’s arrival closely follows the addition of former SEC senior counsel Keri Riemer in the asset management and investment funds practice in New York, as well as Washington, D.C., partners Victor Chang (benefits and executive compensation) and Yi Ying (antitrust, competition, and trade regulation). They are among nearly 115 new partners and of counsel who have joined the firm globally since the beginning of 2020.

J. Barclay Collins, managing partner of K&L Gates’ Washington, D.C., office, commented: “Cheryl’s experience advising financial institutions and commodity trading firms on derivatives law and regulations, and in developing areas such as cryptocurrency, adds great depth to our asset management and investment funds practice in the nation’s capital. We are excited to welcome Cheryl to our growing Washington office.”

K&L Gates’ asset management and investment funds practice has more than 50 years of experience in the financial services industry and comprises more than 150 lawyers in Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, North America, and South America. These lawyers provide advice to investment companies and advisers, broker-dealers, emerging managers, and institutional investors across a range of areas, including on investment, hedge, private equity, and real estate funds, regulated funds and exchange-traded products, capital markets and derivatives, ERISA, ESG, and global regulation and distribution, among others.