Albany Law School

A panel of experts, including SEC and FINRA representatives, gathered at Albany Law School to discuss the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and its impact on municipalities and public authorities.

The panel focused on heightened restrictions on public authority board members; municipal and state officials involved in the issuance of securities; bond counsel; underwriters; and other industry professionals. They also discussed ways in which the act could change over time and current budget challenges on municipal securities issuers.

Organized by the law school’s Government Law Center (GLC), “Public Authorities and Municipalities: The Implications of the Dodd-Frank Act on their Fiscal Operations” took place on April 15.

Panelists included:

• Martha Mahan Haines, Chief, Office of Municipal Securities, and Assistant Director, Division of Trading and Markets, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
• Malcolm Northum, Director, Fixed Income Securities Group, Sales Practice Policy Division, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
• Karen De Brul, Associate General Counsel, Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board
• Kenneth Roberts, Partner, Hawkins Delafield & Wood LLP
• Lauren Trialonas, Public Finance Department, Squire, Sanders & Dempsey (US) LLP

Associate Dean Patricia Salkin and Professor Christine Chung gave remarks prior to the panel, which was moderated by Scott Fein, a partner at Whiteman Osterman & Hanna and chair of the GLC’s Public Authorities Project.