This week, our corporate colleagues published a handy guide to the SEC’s new proposed rules on SPACs. Of particular note to securities watchers should be potential increases in litigation stemming from changes to the definition of “blank check company” for the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “PSLRA”).
SPAC regulations
Major SPAC News, Rules May Be Coming This Week
By Julia Alonzo & Corey I. Rogoff on
On Thursday, March 24th, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced an agenda for a March 30th open meeting for the Divisions on Corporate Finance and Investment Management. The meeting has only one agenda item: SPACs, shell companies, and projections.
In December 2021, SEC Chair Gary Gensler compared SPACs to traditional…
Gensler Speaks Out on SPACs, Notes Similarities with Traditional IPOs and Hints at Future SEC Action
By Corey I. Rogoff on
SEC Chair Gary Gensler made news again last week with a series of statements regarding SPACs, noting their similarities with traditional IPOs and hinting at future regulatory action aimed at these investment vehicles.
In a December 9, 2021 speech before the Healthy Markets Association Conference, Chair Gensler addressed SPACs and how the SEC staff believes they can interact with three key SEC objectives: eliminating information asymmetries, protecting against misleading information and fraud, and mitigating conflicts of interest.
House of Representatives Looks into SPACs, Focused on Protecting Investors
By Corey I. Rogoff on
On November 16, 2021, the House Financial Services Committee cleared two proposals geared towards protecting investors and holding accountable offerors in connection with SPAC transactions.