The Securities and Exchange Commission brought charges against three firms for failing to file Form D on time. Under Rule 503 of Regulation D, an issuer offering or selling securities in reliance on Rule 504 or 506 must file a notice of sales on Form D with the SEC no later than 15 calendar days…
Tag: general solicitation
Pre-existing, Substantive Relationship
Rule 506(b) of Regulation D provides a safe harbor for issuers to engage in private placements. Private placements undertaken pursuant to Rule 506(b) are limited by Rule 502(c) of Regulation D, which imposes as a condition on offers and sales under Rule 506(b)that “… neither the issuer nor any person acting on its behalf shall…
A Classic Example of a General Solicitation Failure
The SEC opinion in KCD Financial Inc. (SEC Opinion 34-80340, March 29, 2017) affirms a fine and disciplinary action against KCD for selling securities in a private placement when no exemption from registration was available under Rule 506. The KCD opinion makes clear that you can’t fix the general solicitation failure by then only selling only…
Filing Form D and General Solicitation
One of the current issues around a fund manager or company from using advertising as part of its private placement fundraising is the proposed changes to filing requirements for Form D. Few people I have spoken with actually want to use general solicitation like bulk emails, newspaper ads, or web ads. But they do want…
The New Era of Public Private-Placements
The Securities and Exchange Commission’s new Rule 506(c) goes into effect today, lifting the ban on general solicitation and advertising. Fund managers, start-ups, and established companies can make public, their private placements of securities. That is both a good thing and a bad thing. It’s good because start-ups can now pitch their products to potential…
What’s Next For Private Funds Now that the SEC has Lifted the Ban on General Solicitation
On Wednesday, the Securities and Exchange Commission adopted a new rule that will allow private funds to advertise. (Perhaps “private fund” is not the right label anymore.) Of course it’s not as simple as merely removing the word “not” and allowing public advertising of private placements. The new rule creates a new option. It creates…
What Happens If You Violate the Ban on General Advertising and Solicitation?
I’m not planning to run late night ads for a latest security offering. But what could the Securities and Exchange Commission do about it? Keith Bishop asks: Can the SEC really create illegal actions by its own failures to comply with the law? Last year’s JOBS Act contained an explicit mandate with an explicit time…
Crowdfunding and the Ban on General Solicitation
While entrepreneurs are looking to create crowdfunding portals under Title III of the JOBS Act, small business owners looking to raise capital should keep an eye on the regulatory changes under Title II of the JOBS Act. That may do a better job of opening the spigot for capital than the avalanche of crowdfunding portals…
What Will the SEC Do About Advertising and Solicitation?
UPDATE: The SEC will wait a week. A new meeting has been scheduled for August 29. At today’s meeting the Securities and Exchange Commission is set to consider a rule on lifting its longstanding ban on general solicitation and advertising for privately-issued securities. Item 3: The Commission will consider rules to eliminate the prohibition against…
Comments on Advertising Restrictions for Private Funds
Section 201 of the recently passed Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act will change the advertising limits on private funds and any other company that raises capital through the private placement safe harbor in Rule 506 of Regulation D. That rule has historically prevented the use of general solicitation and advertising in selling private fund interests….

