Financial Services


Henderson & LymanHenderson & Lyman's attorneys have represented leaders in the financial services industry since the firm's inception.  Our clients range from publicly-traded companies to individual traders.  We represent Broker-Dealers, Futures Commission Merchants, Forex Dealer Members, Introducing Brokers, Commodity Pool Operators, Commodity Trading Advisors, Investment Advisers, and proprietary trading groups.  The firm has a sophisticated managed funds practice, involved in the formation and representation of public funds, hedge funds, private equity funds, offshore funds, and their respective managers. 

We counsel our clients in connection with numerous formation, compliance, regulatory, trading-related, and litigation matters.  In assisting our clients, the Practice Group draws upon the significant industry experience of its lawyers, who include the former general counsel of a publicly-traded Futures Commission Merchant; the former general counsel of a broker-dealer; two former general counsels of nationally-recognized trading firms; and a senior-level director and associate general counsel of the world's largest derivatives exchange. 

Our representative engagements include:

  • Representing FCMs in connection with ongoing efforts to protect and secure the return of segregated funds in bankruptcy.
  • Structuring global master/feeder funds with domestic and offshore components.
  • Developing principal protected funds with varying liquidity features.
  • Creating multi-tier funds whose manager is exempt from registration as a  Commodity Pool Operator.
  • Representing a consortium of investors in the acquisition of a Forex Dealer Member.
  • Representing all categories of registrants in connection with regulatory investigations and enforcement actions by CFTC, SEC, and various self-regulatory organizations and exchanges.
  • Representing a securities broker-dealer in connection with an ongoing FINRA investigation regarding sales practices and financial issues.
  • Representing registrants in Business Conduct Committee proceedings and other disciplinary matters before exchanges and self-regulatory organizations.

Henderson & Lyman understands the complex regulatory structure within which registrants, fund operators, and proprietary trading groups operate.  We guide clients through the web of statutes, rules and regulations imposed by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the National Futures Association, and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., as well as the various commodities and securities exchanges.  Our extensive institutional knowledge regarding the securities, derivatives, commodities, and forex industries enables us to provide efficient, precise, and goal-oriented legal services to our clients.