American University, Washington College of Law, JD
American University, Kogod School of Business, MBA, Finance
University of Pittsburgh, BA, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa
Cheri Carper Bennett
Cheri Carper Bennett has over ten years of experience as legal counsel working with nearly all areas and aspects of business law, with particularly deep and broad experience in the corporate, securities, investment management and general business areas. Her experience, along with her Master of Business Administration in Finance, have given Ms. Bennett a unique perspective on business matters and the abilities to understand, relate to and communicate with business people of all types and roles, while addressing and supporting the respective concerns and needs of each. Her practice has included working with business owners and management, regulatory authorities, accounting and auditing professionals, vendors, investors, board members and many others in the business industry, as well as individuals and their families.
In her practice, Ms. Bennett counsels clients on securities matters, including public offerings, private placements, merger and acquisition transactions, stock and asset purchase transactions, joint ventures and corporate governance practices (including Sarbanes-Oxley). In addition, Ms. Bennett counsels both registered and private investment funds, investment advisory firms and investment company independent directors. She also counsels regarding corporate matters, including choice of entity type and formation, incorporation/organization process, articles of incorporation/organization and bylaws, minutes and resolutions, contracts, vendor agreements and assignment agreements.
Ms. Bennett has advised clients in diverse range of industries including, for example, biotechnology, banking, insurance, retail apparel, manufacturing, internet, registered and private investment funds and business development companies on corporate, securities and investment management matters.
Prior Experience:
Ms. Bennett’s career began at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Division of Corporation Finance in the Health Care and Insurance operations group which handles insurance, biotechnology, pharmaceutical and similar public companies’ regulatory filings. Her tenure at the SEC coincided with the historic mapping of the human genome which led to a surge in biotechnology and pharmaceutical development, a flood of start-up companies, and huge expansion in the field. Her personal experience at the SEC included work on over three dozen initial public offerings, a demutualization of a major insurance company, and countless other cutting edge financings, transactions, mergers and divestitures resulting from technology changes and the overall growth and development of the industry. As a capstone to her SEC career, Ms. Bennett was a 2002 Recipient of the SEC’s Capital Markets Award for her work on the Sarbanes-Oxley Act Section 302 Certification Project.
Ms. Bennett worked a number of years at top law firms, including Patton Boggs LLP, K&L Gates LLP and Sutherland Asbill and Brennan LLP, servicing clients of all sizes, types and stages of development in various industries and capacities. While in private practice, she has supported a diverse range of types of entities including large corporations, small businesses, unincorporated organizations, non-profits, high net worth individuals and trusts, foreign country sovereign entities, business development companies, and one of the largest asset management companies in the world. She has counseled clients in stages of development ranging from start-up companies to very developed and mature companies, including one company whose incorporation predated the U.S. securities laws.
In addition to her experience at the SEC and at top law firms, Ms. Bennett worked in-house as Associate General Counsel at E*TRADE Financial Corporation supporting the top level of executive management and the board of directors during a time of great change in the company at the beginning of the sub-prime mortgage crisis.