Eliott Frank
General Counsel / Chief Compliance Officer at a Digital Asset Venture Capital Fund Manager
New York, New York
Overview
Work Experience
General Counsel / Chief Compliance Officer
2021 - Current
General Counsel and CCO to digital asset/blockchain/crypto venture capital and hedge fund manager.
Partner
2018 - 2021
Practice focused on U.S. and global legal, regulatory and compliance matters relevant to hedge funds, private equity funds and venture capital funds, as well as asset managers and other financial services firms in the private fund sector.
General Counsel/Chief Compliance Officer
2014 - 2018
General Counsel and CCO to long/short equity hedge fund manager. Responsible for all aspects of day-to-day and strategic legal and compliance matters, including current and planned fund/product offerings, investment matters and marketing activities. Managed all US and global securities and regulatory matters, including periodic filings, audits/exams, compliance manual updates and internal compliance reviews/training. Implemented, managed and enforced the compliance program, including monitoring electronic communications, personal trading, use of expert networks, soft dollar use, valuation, trading allocation and cybersecurity. Closely monitored global legal/compliance developments and coordinated and implemented internal best practices. Drafted and negotiated all contracts and agreements including investor side letters, co-invest agreements, prime brokerage & ancillary agreements, technology agreements and licenses. Additional duties included working closely with principals, investor relations, CFO and other firm teams—drafting and reviewing investor documents, fund formation documents, marketing materials, due diligence documentation and other legal/compliance needs.
General Counsel/Chief Compliance Officer
2012 - 2014
General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer to $6bn Registered Investment Adviser. Responsible for all legal and compliance matters. Managed all US and global securities and regulatory matters, including periodic filings, audits/exams, compliance manual updates, internal compliance reviews and training.
Chief Legal Officer (US) and Chief Compliance Officer
2008 - 2011
US General Counsel and CCO to multi-office $2bn+ AUM hedge fund manager owned by Swiss private bank Lombard Odier Darier Hentsch & Cie. Responsible for all aspects of day-to-day and strategic legal and compliance matters for multi-fund organization, including US/global compliance, trading and fund structuring matters. Conceived and implemented compliance policies, procedures and training. Lead role with respect to US and global securities and regulatory matters for US, UK and Swiss investment advisers, Cayman investment manager and on-shore/off-shore client funds, including UCITS and SICAV funds. Member of boards of directors for private investment funds and investment manager. Additional duties include negotiating prime brokerage, ISDA, custody and other key counterparty agreements, reviewing investor relations documents as well as providing full front-to-back legal support to firm.
Fund, Regulatory & Compliance Counsel
2005 - 2007
Fund, regulatory, and compliance counsel to $18bn event-driven hedge fund manager. Responsible for a broad range of compliance and securities law matters, including directly advising portfolio managers, trading desks and firm management in New York and London offices. Lead role with respect to world-wide securities and compliance regulatory oversight, including direct responsibility for negotiations with regulators. Additional duties included providing legal support to IT, investor relations, master/feeder funds and management company back office.
Counsel
2004 - 2005
Responsible for a broad range of trading, compliance and securities issues related to global emerging markets hedge fund. Negotiated special situations investment opportunities. Responsible for securities/regulatory and compliance matters. Additional duties included legal support to research, quant, sales/marketing and IT teams.
Associate
2000 - 2002
Counseled investment banks, private funds and other clients regarding securities, fund formation, mergers & acquisitions and structured finance/capital markets matters. Extensive responsibility for negotiating deal terms and drafting transactional agreements and documentation.
Associate
1995 - 1999
Advised clients on corporate and tax matters. Duties included reviewing corporate transactional matters and evaluating federal, state and local tax issues.