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Richard F. Kerr
Richard F. Kerr

Richard F. Kerr

Partner
Boston
+1.617.261.3166
Email Richard F. Kerr @ Richard.F.Kerr@klgates.com
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Richard Kerr is a partner in the firm's Boston office, where he is a member of the asset management and investment funds practice group. Richard focuses his practice on counseling registered investment companies (including mutual funds and exchange traded funds), investment advisers, broker-dealers, and other financial institutions in connection with corporate and regulatory matters affecting their operations, particularly relating to SEC and FINRA regulation. Additionally, Richard frequently works with financial institutions on anti-money laundering and OFAC sanctions program matters, including the development of tailored anti-money laundering and sanctions monitoring compliance solutions (including policies, procedures, and other items) for mutual funds, exchange traded funds, investment advisers, broker-dealers, and other financial institution clients.

Richard's practice includes providing counsel to financial institutions on a broad array of corporate, regulatory, transactional, and operational matters, including: formation, registration, and ongoing operations of registered investment companies (including mutual funds and exchange traded funds), investment advisers and broker-dealers; reorganization transactions; mergers and acquisitions; negotiation of service provider agreements; public and private offerings of securities; holding company formations; and new product offerings. Richard has extensive experience representing financial institutions before federal and state securities and banking regulators, and self-regulatory organizations (including FINRA and NSCC) in connection with such matters. Richard has extensive experience advising financial institutions with respect to the development of their internal compliance and risk management policies and procedures, including the development of procedures required by SEC regulation and FINRA rules. Richard frequently advises mutual funds and exchange traded funds with respect to their marketing and distribution activities, and also provides advice to financial institutions with respect to marketing and advertising related matters.

Richard also has significant boardroom experience, including providing counsel to the independent directors of mutual funds and exchange traded funds clients, and the Boards of Directors of banking clients.

Prior to joining the firm, Richard was counsel in the Boston office of an international law firm for over 10 years, and prior to that was a senior compliance and risk management professional for a major Boston-based financial institution.

  • “Next Generation Lawyer,” The Legal 500, 2017
  • Boston Bar Association
  • American Bar Association
  • Financial Markets Association

Mr. Kerr speaks regularly at industry events focused on investment adviser, broker-dealer and fund regulatory and compliance issues, including as a panelist at the following:

  • K&L Gates’ ETF Think Tank (2017 – 2021), Planning Committee, panelist and moderator.
  • Spring Regulatory Update, 1 June 2021, Panelist.
  • K&L Gates’ Boston Investment Management Conference (2015 – 2020), Panelist.
  • “The ETF Changing Legal & Compliance Landscape,” Fall 2019 ETP Forum (November 21, 2019), Panelist.
  • “Financial Professional Standards of Conduct,” Quarterly NEBDIAA Meeting (October 28, 2019), Panelist.
  • “Drafting Reg BI Policies and Procedures for Broker-Dealers,” NRS Fall Compliance Conference (October 16, 2019), Panelist. 
  • “Unpacking and Implementing Reg BI and Form CRS,” NRS Fall Compliance Conference (October 17, 2019), Panelist.
  • “SEC Rules and Interpretations Related to Fiduciary Duty and Standards of Conduct” K&L Gates Webinar (September 26, 2019), Panelist.
  • “Introduction to the Advisers Act,” NRS Boston Compliance Composium (August 6, 2019), Panelist.
  • “Marketing and Social Media for Broker-Dealers,” NRS Spring Compliance Seminar (April 30, 2019), Panelist.
  • “Cryptocurrencies and Blockchain from a Compliance Perspective,” NRS Spring Compliance Seminar (April 29, 2019), Panelist.
  • “K&L Gates/ACA Mutual Fund Distribution Roundtable” (April 9, 2019), Panelist.
  • “SEC Examination and Enforcement Update for Investment Advisers,” NRS Boston Investment Adviser Compliance Symposium (August 16, 2018), Panelist.
  • “K&L Gates/ACA Mutual Fund Distribution Roundtable” (May 17, 2018), Panelist.
  • “AML Best Practices for Investment Advisers and Broker-Dealers,” NRS Webinar (May 8, 2018), Panelist.
  • “Best Practices for Your Firm's Vendor Management,” NRS Spring Compliance Seminar (April 26, 2018), Panelist.
  • “Cryptocurrencies: How will cryptocurrencies impact your firm? Are you ready?,” NRS Spring Compliance Seminar (April 26, 2018), Panelist.
  • “Investment Adviser Performance and Advertising,” NRS Webinar (January 30, 2018), Panelist.
  • “How Advisers Can Avoid Common Deficiencies Under the Advertising Rule,” Hedge Fund Law Report Webinar, (November 13, 2017), Panelist. • “Advertising and Social Media,” NRS Fall Compliance Conference 2017 (October 24, 2017), Panelist.
  • “What’s Hot on the IA Rulemaking Front,” IA Watch Commitment to Compliance Conference (September 18, 2017), Panelist.
  • “Third-Party Vendor Management for Compliance Professionals,” Investment Adviser Association Webinar (July 13, 2017), Panelist.
  • “Evolving Governance Roles,” Fund Directors Boston Summit 2017 (June 8, 2017), Panelist.
  • “K&L Gates/ACA Mutual Fund Distribution Roundtable” (May 9, 2017), Panelist.
  • “Managing Today’s Advertising and Social Media Regulatory Environment,” NRS Spring Compliance Conference (May 3, 2017), Panelist.
  • “Advertising and Marketing: Insights to Avoid Red Flags,” 16th Annual IA Compliance Fall Conference 2016 (September 26, 2016), Panelist.
  • “Mastering Compliant Performance Advertising & Marketing,” IA Watch Marketing and Advertising Forum for Investment Advisers (August 22, 2016), Panelist.
  • “Leveraging a Robust Social Media Program that Passes Regulatory Muster,” IA Watch Marketing and Advertising Forum for Investment Advisers (August 22, 2016), Panelist.
  • “Third-Party Vendor Management for Compliance Professionals,” Investment Adviser Association Webinar (August 11, 2016), Panelist.
  • “AML Best Practices for Investment Advisers and Broker-Dealers,” Webinar (June 20, 2016), Panelist.
  • “Understanding Fiduciary Duties and A Sweep of Anti-Fraud Provisions of the Advisers Act,” NRS Boston Investment Adviser Compliance Symposium (June 2016), Panelist.
  • “Blindspots in Operational Risk,” National Society of Compliance Professionals, Web seminar, (February 11, 2016), Panelist.
  • “Advertising & Marketing: Best Practices to Tackle this Perennial Challenge and Avoid Compliance Missteps,” IA Watch, Webinar (January 26, 2016), Panelist.
  • The DCIO Best Practices Summit, THE SEC MONEY MARKET REFORMS – TO WHAT EXTENT WILL THEY IMPACT THE DC MARKET?, January 29, 2016.  
  • IA Watch Webinar, Advertising & Marketing: Best Practices to Tackle this Perennial Challenge And Avoid Compliance Missteps, January, 26, 2016.
  • K&L Gates 2015 Investment Management Conference, “Broker-Dealer Regulatory Update,” Boston, MA, October 8, 2015.  
  • K&L Gates 2015 Investment Management Conference, “Proposed SEC Liquidity Management Rules,” Boston, MA, October 8, 2015.  
  • How to Facilitate Communications with the Public, National Society of Compliance Professionals, 2015 South Regional Conference, Panelist.
  • KYC and Suitability, Financial Markets Association, 2013 Securities Compliance Seminar, Moderator.
  • Risk 2013 & Beyond – What You Must Know, Financial Markets Association, 2013 Securities Compliance Seminar, Moderator.
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