Catherine Leef Martin

Primary Focus & Experience

Cathy is an experienced and versatile Investment Company Act (1940 Act) and Investment Advisers Act attorney. She has helped hundreds of US and offshore corporations and financial institutions address investment company status issues, including qualification for exemptions from the Investment Company Act, in a broad range of securities offerings, financings and M&A transactions. She frequently advises bank holding companies and their affiliates on “covered fund” issues under the new Volcker Rule, including issues raised by covered bond structures, securitizations and real estate and private equity investment structures.

She also advises on complex Investment Company Act issues faced by issuers of equity-linked and index-linked structured products; financial institutions engaging in derivative transactions with investment companies; and US and international REITs, infrastructure funds and oil & gas funds. Cathy has helped many non-US issuers seeking to offer securities in the US for the first time to overcome regulatory obstacles under the Investment Company Act, including in debt and equity offerings under Section 3(c)(7). She has also provided advice on employees' securities companies and has advised private fund managers on permanent capital vehicles.

Recognition & Accomplishments

Cathy earned her law degree from Columbia Law School and received an A.B. in Economics magna cum laude from Princeton University.