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Securities and Investments

JWL International‘s Securities and Investments practice advises private companies, investment funds, financial institutions, and private investment managers on the full range of capital markets, securities regulation, and investment management matters. From structuring and issuing securities to establishing and managing investment funds.

Core services include:

  • Securities Issuance
    Advising on the structuring, documentation, and regulatory compliance for equity and debt securities offerings, including Reg D, Reg A, Reg CF, and Reg S offerings, as well as public company reporting obligations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
  • Private Placements
    Counseling issuers and investors on exempt offerings under SEC rules, including Rule 506(b) and 506(c) private placements. Services cover offering memoranda, subscription agreements, investor accreditation, and ongoing compliance with applicable securities laws.
  • Investment Management
    Advising investment advisers and private fund managers on registration, regulatory compliance, and operational matters under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Services include adviser formation, ADV preparation, compliance program development, and ongoing regulatory support.
  • Investment Funds
    Formation and ongoing counsel for private equity funds, hedge funds, real estate investment trusts (REITs), Delaware Statutory Trusts, and other pooled investment vehicles. Includes fund structuring, limited partnership and LLC agreements, investor subscription processes, and governance frameworks.
  • Capital Markets Transactions
    Representation in high-yield debt offerings, syndicated bank loans, convertible notes, SAFEs, and cross-border transactions. Experience spans domestic and international capital markets involving the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, and India.
  • Securities Regulatory Compliance
    Ongoing compliance counsel for public and private companies, investment advisers, and fund managers. Services include SEC and NYSE regulatory compliance, blue sky law filings, internal compliance program design, and representation in regulatory matters.

The following individuals practice in this area:

Conn Flanigan Mike W. Skarda
Conn Flanigan

Conn Flanigan

Senior Attorney

Conn Flanigan is a seasoned corporate and securities attorney with more than 20 years of experience advising private equity groups, real estate investment companies, and entrepreneurs on complex transactions, capital markets, and corporate governance matters. With deep expertise spanning securities offerings, real estate acquisitions, fund formation, and financing, Mr. Flanigan brings a practical, business-minded approach to legal strategy that supports growth, compliance, and long-term value creation.

Throughout his career, Mr. Flanigan has served in senior in-house roles, including General Counsel to multiple real estate investment trusts (REITs). From 2013 to 2017, he served as Secretary and General Counsel for Global Medical REIT, Inc. (NYSE:GMRE) advising the REIT from its startup, through 18 acquisitions of healthcare facilities worth more than $250 million, and through its IPO on the NYSE in 2016.

More recently, Mr. Flanigan has been advising startups and middle market companies in a wide range of industries. Mr. Flanigan has extensive experience structuring and advising on Reg A, Reg D, Reg CF, and Reg S offerings, private equity investments, joint ventures, and debt facilities. His work routinely involves drafting and negotiating corporate, securities, and commercial agreements while coordinating due diligence.

Known for being a clear communicator and effective problem solver, Mr. Flanigan partners closely with management teams to align legal strategy with business objectives. He is committed to continuous service, operational efficiency, and delivering practical legal solutions that drive successful outcomes.

Areas of Expertise:

Mr. Flanigan’s practice covers Corporate Law and Entity Formation, including governance, structure, corporations, LLCs, joint ventures, funds, and limited partnerships. He advises on securities matters including debt and equity offerings, Reg D 506(b) and 506(c) private offerings, Venture Capital, Reg A, Reg CF, and Reg S offerings, 1934 Act Public Company Reporting, and SEC and NYSE Regulatory Compliance. His transactional work also encompasses Real Estate, Acquisitions, Financing including Lines of Credit, Leasing, and REITs and Delaware Statutory Trusts.

He can be reached via telephone at (866) 582-2586 or via email at crf@jwlinternational.com.

Mike W. Skarda

Mike W. Skarda

Senior Attorney

Michael W. Skarda, Esq. is a Senior Attorney at JWL International with extensive experience advising corporations, investment funds, financial institutions, and private investment managers on complex corporate transactions, securities matters, and regulatory compliance. Over the course of his career, Mr. Skarda has represented clients in a wide range of transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, private investments, capital markets transactions, and the purchase and sale of sophisticated financial instruments. Prior to joining JWL International, Mr. Skarda served as General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer for major investment management organizations overseeing billions of dollars in assets under management, including a multi-billion dollar family investment office and its successor investment advisory firm. In these roles, he directed legal and compliance operations across multiple offices in the United States and internationally, advising investment professionals on transaction structuring, regulatory matters, portfolio securities analysis, and complex financing arrangements. Mr. Skarda began his legal career in private practice with leading national law firms, where he represented Fortune 500 companies, private equity funds, and their portfolio companies in domestic and international mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, and capital markets transactions. His experience includes advising on high-yield debt offerings, syndicated bank loans, private investments, and cross-border transactions involving the United Kingdom, Canada, France, and India. In addition to his legal practice, Mr. Skarda has served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Texas Tech University School of Law, where he taught Securities Regulation. Mr. Skarda’s practice focuses on the following: Mr. Skarda earned his Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from Texas Tech University School of Law, where he was a member of the Order of the Coif and served as Comment Editor of the Texas Tech Law Review. He also earned a Master of Business Administration from Texas Tech University Graduate School of Business and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Washington and Lee University. Mr. Skarda is admitted to practice law in Texas and New York and is also admitted in New Mexico and California. He can be reached via telephone at (866) 582-2586 and via email at mws@jwlinternational.com.

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We negotiate, document, and provide follow-on legal services for equipment manufacturers, distributors, dealers, and lessors worldwide.

Over many years, our attorneys have successfully negotiated, documented, and closed a vast array of business transactions, including manufacturer-dealer relationships as well as business purchases, sales, leases, and financing transactions throughout North America and in over 20 countries.

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