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Retirement Plan Investments: Plan Asset Hedge Fund; PE Fund Investing, 401k and IRA; ESG and Plan Voting Regulations

Recording of a 90-minute premium CLE video webinar with Q&A

This program is included with the Strafford CLE Pass. Click for more information.
This program is included with the Strafford All-Access Pass. Click for more information.

Conducted on Wednesday, January 12, 2022

Recorded event now available

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This CLE webinar will guide employee benefits and asset management counsel on critical issues and recent developments impacting retirement plan investments. The panel will discuss new proposed regulations for consideration of environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) and plan voting, private equity offerings to 401ks and IRAs, challenges of plan asset hedge fund and private equity fund investing, and other key issues.

Description

The DOL has recently issued proposed regulations and guidance that significantly impact retirement plan investments. This latest installment focuses on selecting plan investments with private equity components, the ESG factors, and the exercise of proxy voting and other shareholder rights.

In addition, fiduciaries and their counsel must recognize the challenges of investing in plan asset hedge funds and private equity funds and offerings made to 401ks and IRAs. An in-depth understanding of these issues and regulations is essential to avoid unintended liability and potential claims.

A fiduciary of an individual account plan may, consistent with ERISA requirements, offer as an investment option under the plan a professionally managed asset allocation fund with a private equity component. However, due to the complexity, limited transparency, and liquidity of private equity investments, including a private equity component in an investment option can increase the potential liability for fiduciaries, who have a legal duty to select prudent investment options. ERISA also requires fiduciaries to monitor designated investment alternatives under the plan. Fiduciaries are liable for any losses resulting from the failure to monitor these investments prudently.

On Oct. 14, 2021, DOL published a proposed regulation to clarify the DOL's views regarding the extent to which fiduciaries of ERISA-governed retirement and benefit plans can or should consider ESG factors when selecting plan investments. Employee benefits and asset management counsel must become familiar with these regulations and plan accordingly.

Listen as our panel discusses new proposed regulations for consideration of ESG and plan voting, private equity offerings to 401ks and IRAs, challenges of plan asset hedge fund and private equity fund investing, and other key issues.

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Outline

  1. ERISA fiduciary duties for institutional investors
    1. Disclosure
    2. Compliance
    3. Valuation
  2. Hedge funds and private equity fund investing
  3. New proposed ESG and plan voting regulations
  4. Trends in litigation involving plan fiduciaries and fund managers
  5. Best practices for developing due diligence plans

Benefits

The panel will discuss these and other key issues:

  • Regulatory considerations for ERISA plans that allocate assets to hedge funds and private equity funds
  • Fiduciary governance and evaluating plan investment options
  • Proposed ESG and plan voting regulations
  • ERISA plans and asset manager fiduciary standards and compliance
  • Recent litigation involving plan fiduciaries and fund managers

Faculty

Levin, Ian
Ian L. Levin

Partner
Schulte Roth & Zabel

Mr. Levin practices in the firm’s M&A and Securities Group and Employment and Employee Benefits Group....  |  Read More

Neilsson, Jennifer
Jennifer A. Neilsson

Partner
King & Spalding

Ms. Neilsson is a partner in King & Spalding’s Global Human Capital & Compliance practice. She focuses...  |  Read More

Olstein, David
David C. Olstein

Partner
Hogan Lovells

Mr. Olstein’s practice focuses on the fiduciary responsibility provisions of ERISA and the prohibited transaction...  |  Read More

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