Benjamin B. Allensworth

Benjamin Allensworth is a partner in the Asset Management Department. Ben has more than 23 years of experience representing investment advisers, private funds, registered investment companies and business development companies, independent directors of registered investment companies, and broker-dealers.  Ben advises clients on a range of transactional, regulatory and compliance matters. 

His experience includes advising registered investment companies and business development companies with respect to regulatory matters under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and representing independent directors of registered investment companies. Ben also regularly advises clients on investment company status issues, helping clients structure their businesses so as not to be investment companies.

Ben represents broker-dealers and wealth management platforms in connection with the distribution of various products to retail and non-retail customers, including traditional hedge and private equity funds, evergreen 1934 Act registered private funds and non-investment company vehicles (“opcos”), business development companies and registered closed-end investment companies, and real estate investment trusts.  His work includes providing regulatory and compliance advice to clients, conducting legal due diligence on sponsors and their vehicles, and negotiating distribution agreements.

Ben’s practice also includes providing regulatory and compliance counseling to investment advisers with respect to various matters under federal and state securities laws; advising asset management firms in connection with M&A transactions; and forming private funds and investment advisers.

Previously, Ben was Managing Director and Counsel at Managed Funds Association, the global trade association for the alternative investment fund industry. At MFA, he worked with alternative investment managers to provide regulatory advocacy in front of U.S. and EU legislative and regulatory bodies and counseling managers in connection with a wide range of legislative and regulatory developments, including matters under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the Jumpstart our Business Startups Act, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive and related rulemakings under those statutes, as well as Department of Labor rulemakings under ERISA.

Ben has been recognized nationally as a leading practitioner in the area of Investment Funds: Regulatory & Compliance by Chambers USA. Clients commend him as “a practical practitioner” who is “knowledgeable and responsive.”