Chapman and Cutler Nabs ETF Pros in NY, DC

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Chapman and Cutler grew its investment management group this month, adding two laterals well-known for their experience with exchange-traded products.

In the first week of October, Kathleen Moriarty—once dubbed the “Spider Woman” of exchange-traded funds by The Wall Street Journal—moved from Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer and started as a partner in Chapman’s New York office. In addition to her work in the exchange-traded space, Moriarty also has earned a reputation for representing big bitcoin players, including the Winklevoss twins.

On Oct. 23, Barry Pershkow joined Chapman as a Washington, D.C.-based partner. Pershkow previously served as special senior counsel at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, where he managed exchange-traded fund-related (ETF) initiatives as chair of the agency’s interdivisional ETF task force.

Kathleen Moriarty.

Moriarty had spent less than three years at Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer. She joined the firm from Katten Muchin Rosenman in 2015 , a year before Kaye Scholer’s merger with Arnold & Porter.

“A whole of bunch of things” prompted her most recent move, Moriarty said, including her prior firm’s retirement policies and the attraction of Chicago-based Chapman’s strong mutual fund practice.

In addition to being known for her work with traditional exchange-traded funds, Moriarty previously helped Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss seek SEC approval for a proposal to market a bitcoin ETF, though federal regulators rejected that proposal this spring.  As other authorities—including overseas—give direct and indirect blessings to crypto currencies, however, Moriarty has predicted that cryptocurrency ETFs will be a reality. At least two trading facilities registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission have offered bitcoin derivatives for trading in the United States.

Meanwhile, Chapman and Cutler is clearly still betting on the larger ETF market with its latest hires.

Pershkow, who worked at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius before joining the SEC, nodded to that commitment in a statement on his move. “While at the SEC, I noted Chapman’s growing presence representing sponsors of cutting-edge exchange-traded products. Chapman attorneys working in the exchange-traded product space are knowledgeable and practical in their approach to issues, which appealed to me,” he wrote.