Ferrell, Laura N.

Laura Ferrell

Partner

laura.ferrell@lw.com
    Ferrell, Laura N.

    Laura Ferrell

    Partner

    laura.ferrell@lw.com
    Up and Coming – Investment Funds: Regulatory & Compliance

    Chambers USA 2025

    Notable Women in Law

    Crain's Chicago Business 2024

    Profile

    Laura N. Ferrell is a partner in the Corporate Department and a member of the Investment Funds Practice and Financial Institutions Industry Group.

    Laura advises a broad cross-section of the asset management industry on a variety of complex legal, regulatory, and compliance matters. In addition to advising leading global financial services institutions, Laura represents a variety of public and private investment vehicles including:

    • Private equity funds
    • Private credit funds
    • Hedge funds
    • Business development companies (BDCs)
    • Robo-advisors
    • Alternative investment funds
    • Open- and closed-end mutual funds
    • Structured products

    Laura advises clients on cutting-edge legal, regulatory, and compliance matters in connection with:

    • SEC examinations, investigations, and enforcement proceedings
    • The formation of investment funds and the structuring and development of new investment products
    • The acquisition and sale of registered investment advisers
    • The registration of private equity sponsors and other investment advisers under the Advisers Act and related regulatory and reporting matters
    • Investment adviser status analysis under the Advisers Act and related regulatory and compliance considerations
    • Capital markets, financing, and restructuring transactions involving asset managers and investment funds
    • Investment company status issues arising under the 1940 Act and related regulatory and compliance matters
    • Seeking and obtaining exemptive and no-action relief from the SEC

    Experience

    Laura's representative clients include:

    • Ares Management and Ares Capital Corporation
    • BlackRock
    • Blue Owl
    • Carousel
    • The Carlyle Group
    • Credit Suisse
    • Energy Capital Partners
    • GCM Grosvenor
    • Global Infrastructure Partners
    • GTCR
    • Ivy Hill Asset Management
    • J.P. Morgan
    • Lindsay Goldberg
    • LionTree
    • Orion Infrastructure Capital
    • Onex Corporation
    • PIMCO
    • Searchlight Capital
    • Sprott
    • Stepstone

    Recent Thought Leadership

    • “SEC Staff Issues FAQs That Relax Marketing Rule Restrictions,” Latham & Watkins Client Alert (March 2025)
    • “Latham Letter Begins New Era for Private Capital Fundraising,” Latham & Watkins Client Alert (March 2025)
    • “SEC Targets Investment Advisers for Misstatements and Compliance Failures,” Latham & Watkins Article (December 2024)
    • “SEC Outlines 2025 Examination Priorities,” Latham & Watkins Article (November 2024)
    • “SEC Imposes New Cybersecurity Requirements on Broker-Dealers, Investment Companies, Registered Investment Advisers, and Transfer Agents,” Latham & Watkins Client Alert (August 2024)
    • “SEC and FinCEN’s Proposed AML Rule Could Increase Compliance Burden on Investment Advisers,” Latham & Watkins Client Alert (June 2024)
    • “ESMA Finalises Guidelines on Fund Names,” Latham & Watkins Article (May 2024)
    • “Latham’s Texas Private Funds Breakfast Series — SEC’s Updated Rules,” Latham & Watkins Article (May 2024)
    • “Key Takeaways From SEC’s First “Off-Channel Communications” Settlement With Stand-Alone Registered Investment Adviser,” Latham & Watkins Client Alert (April 2024)
    • “SEC Announces First-Ever Enforcement Actions for “AI Washing”,” Latham & Watkins Client Alert (March 2024)
    • “FCA Publishes Final Rules on Sustainability Disclosures and Investment Labelling,” Latham & Watkins Client Alert (December 2023)
    • “10 Key Focus Areas for UK-Regulated Financial Services Firms in 2024,” Latham & Watkins Article (December 2023)
    • “SEC Outlines 2024 Examination Priorities,” Latham & Watkins Article (November 2023)
    • “SEC Adopts Changes to Names Rule for Registered Funds,” Latham & Watkins Client Alert (October 2023)

    Qualifications

    Bar Qualification

    • Illinois

    Education

    • JD, University of Michigan Law School, 2009
    • BA, Dartmouth College, 2004

    Practices

    Industries

    Recognition

    Badges and Logos_Law360_Fintech Group of the Year_2024
    February 20, 2025 Recognition

    Fintech Group of the Year: Latham

    Firm honored by Law360 for advising startups, financial institutions, VCs, digital asset and Web3 participants, and corporations on their most innovative and complex transactions, investigations, litigation, and regulatory matters.

    Read More

    News & Insights

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