Peter Hutcheon Appointed to the Four-Member Ad Hoc Subcommittee of ABA State Regulation of Securities Committee

Peter D. Hutcheon, a Member of law firm Norris McLaughlin, P.A., has been appointed to a four-member ad hoc subcommittee of the State Regulation of Securities Committee of the American Bar Association’s Business Law Section to comment on the recently proposed Fiduciary Duty Rule of the New Jersey Bureau of Securities.  That proposed rule would hold broker/dealers and their representatives registered in New Jersey to a fiduciary duty standard differing from both federal law and the law of other states.  Hutcheon serves as the Liaison from the State Regulation of Securities Committee to the New Jersey Bureau of Securities.

The State Regulation of Securities Committee aims to keep track of best practices and developments involving state and provincial securities laws, rules, and their administration, including the regulation of securities offerings, broker-dealers, investment advisers, issuers, and their representatives. The committee reports on rules, policy statements, and interpretations proposed by states and the North American Securities Administrators Association.

Hutcheon practices primarily in the areas of business governance, commercial transactions, securities, banking, and finance.  He counsels managements of public and private companies including companies involved with the biotech and pharmaceutical industries, as well as banking institutions on governance matters and is an expert on indemnification and insurance issues affecting directors and officers.  Hutcheon represents clients seeking investment capital from private placements, venture capital and private equity deals, and firm commitment underwritten offerings of securities.  Many of these financings involve high-tech businesses. Hutcheon is experienced with securities matters ranging from stock options to dividend reinvestment plans, is familiar with bank regulatory matters, and has worked on mergers and acquisitions in the banking industry.  He is experienced in corporate and financing transactions and has represented both buyers and sellers in public and private corporate acquisition transactions, including public/private partnership financings, in deals involving over $2 billion.

Hutcheon was a director for 22 years (including 2 years as chair) of the New Jersey State Bar, Corporate and Business Law Section, and has chaired the State Bar’s Banking Law Section.  He was chairman of the New Jersey Corporate and Business Law Study Commission from its inception in 1989 to 2002, providing reports and suggestions on business law developments to the New Jersey Legislature and the Governor.  He chaired the New Jersey Securities Advisory Committee appointed by the Attorney General from 1995 to 2001 and has served as the ABA’s Liaison to the New Jersey Bureau of Securities for over 38 years. Hutcheon has been appointed to the ABA Science & Technology Law Section’s Jurimetrics Journal Editorial Board for the past.

HutcheonPeter is listed in the Corporate Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law, and Securities Law sections of the current edition of The Best Lawyers in America and has been included on the list of New Jersey Super Lawyers in the Business/Corporate section every year since its inception in 2005.  Additionally, he has authored numerous articles on business-related law topics including limited liability companies, securities, and directors and officer’s liability.

Hutcheon received his J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School and his undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, from Williams College.