Lake’s practice focuses on securities law, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, and general corporate law.
Lake has significant experience representing clients on a variety of securities law matters, with a focus on advising public company clients on ongoing reporting and disclosure requirements under the U.S. securities laws. In addition, he advises clients on public and private securities offerings of both equity and debt, tender offers and exchange offers. Lake’s practice also includes representing clients in connection with corporate governance matters, NYSE and NASDAQ matters, and mergers and acquisitions.
Lake previously served as Chair of the Virginia Bar Association’s Section of Business Law, Committee on Business Organizations.
Experience
- Advised a wide variety of public company clients on disclosure obligations under and compliance with the U.S. securities laws.
- Advised clients on corporate governance matters and compliance under the Dodd-Frank Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, NYSE rules and NASDAQ rules.
- Advised Fortune 150 consumer products company in public debt offerings totaling over $45.0 billion and debt tender offers totaling over $10.0 billion.
- Advised a Fortune 50 home improvement retailer in public debt offerings totaling $3.3 billion.
- Advised a Fortune 50 automobile company in public debt offerings totaling $2.0 billion.
- Advised a publicly traded purchaser and collector of nonperforming loans in a Rule 144A/Reg. S offering of $345.0 million of convertible notes and Rule 144A/Reg. S high-yield debt offerings totaling $650.0 million.
- Advised a publicly traded diversified, global manufacturer of highly engineered products in a public debt offerings totaling $850.0 million.
- Advised a publicly traded energy company in series of 144A/Reg. S debt offerings.
- Advised a publicly traded energy company in debt restructuring, including tender offers and exchange offers for outstanding debt.
- Advised a publicly traded bank holding company in its initial capital raise and follow-on offering.
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University of Richmond School of LawJD
cum laude
1998 - University of VirginiaBA1992
Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America, Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Woodward/White, Inc., 2024
Listed for Capital Markets: Equity Offerings, Legal 500 United States, 2018
- Speaker, Virginia Corporate Law Developments CLE, 2019
- Panelist, Implementing XBRL for SEC Reporting Webinar, 2009
Member, Virginia State Bar
Member, American Bar Association
Member, Virginia Bar Association
Former Chairman, Virginia Bar Association, Section of Business Law, Committee on Business Organizations
- French
- Author, SEC Adopts Final Rules on Climate-Related Disclosures, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, March 21, 2024
- Author, SEC Adopts Amendments to Modernize Share Repurchase Disclosure, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, May 10, 2023
- Author, SEC Releases Updated Interpretations Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Measures, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, December 20, 2022
- Author, SEC Adopts Significant Changes to Securities Exchange Act Rule 10b5-1 and Imposes Related Disclosures, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, December 19, 2022
- Author, SEC Sets Deadline for Compliance with Electronic Filing Requirements for Form 144, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, October 26, 2022
- Author, SEC Releases Proposed New Rules on Climate-Related Disclosures, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, April 5, 2022
- Co-author, "SEC Issues Sample Climate Change Comment Letter," September 28, 2021
- Co-author, "Dealing with Bondholders in Troubled Times," Pratt’s Journal of Bankruptcy Law, January 2021
- Co-author, "SEC Issues New Rules on Private Placements," November 5, 2020
- Co-author, "SEC Modernizes Rule 14a-8 Governing Shareholder Proposals," October 1, 2020
- Co-author, "SEC Amendments to the Accredited Investor and QIB Definitions," September 29, 2020
- Co-author, "Regulation S-K Modernization," September 14, 2020
- Co-author, "Dealing with Bondholders in Troubled Times," August 26, 2020
- Co-author, "Reminder: iXBRL Requirements To Go Into Effect For ‘Accelerated Filers’," June 16, 2020
- Co-author, "SEC Amends Financial Disclosure Requirements for Acquisitions and Dispositions," June 3, 2020
- Co-author, "Federal Reserve Releases FAQ Page and Announces Updated Terms of the Primary Market Corporate Credit Facility," April 22, 2020
- Co-author, "COVID-19: Considerations for Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting," April 14, 2020
- Co-author, "Coronavirus/COVID-19: Director and Management Attendance at Shareholder Meetings," March 17, 2020
- Co-author, "Coronavirus/COVID-19: SEC Staff Issues Guidance for Virtual Meetings," March 16, 2020
- Co-author, "SEC Adopts Rules to Simplify and Streamline Disclosures in Certain Registered Debt Offerings," March 12, 2020
- Co-author, "Coronavirus/COVID-19: Considerations for Shareholder Meetings," March 10, 2020
- Co-author, "SEC Proposes Amendments to Regulation S-K Financial Disclosures," February 18, 2020
- Co-author, "New SEC Disclosure Guidance on Intellectual Property and Technology Risks Associated with International Business Operations," January 13, 2020
- Co-author, "Upcoming Changes to 2020 Proxy Statements and Annual Reports," January 7, 2020
- Co-author, "Shareholder Proposals: New SEC Staff Guidance on the ‘Ordinary Business’ Exclusion and Other Rule 14a-8 Matters," October 23, 2019
- Co-author, "SEC Warns of Risks Related to LIBOR Transition," July 25, 2019
- Co-author, "SEC Adopts Rules to Implement FAST Act Mandate to Modernize and Simplify Disclosure," April 4, 2019
- Co-author, "Proxy Advisory Firm Guidance Withdrawn by the SEC," September 18, 2018
- Co-author, "SEC Votes to Approve New Rules and Proposed Rules on a Variety of topics Applicable to Public Companies," July 5, 2018
- Co-author, "SEC Publishes New Guidance on Public Company Cybersecurity Disclosure," February 26, 2018
- Co-author, "US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit Issues Highly Anticipate Decision Regarding Corporate Debt Restructurings," January 23, 2017
- Co-author, "SEC Staff Release New Guidance on Use of Non-GAAP Measures," May 23, 2016
- Co-author, "2016 Conflict Minerals Update," May 5, 2016
- Co-author, "SEC Proposes Executive Officer Compensation ‘Clawback’ Rules," July 22, 2015
- Co-author, "Conflict Minerals Update: Next Form SD Due June 1," May 11, 2015
- Co-author, "SEC Proposes Enhanced Hedging Disclosure Rules," February 19, 2015
- Co-author, "Federal Court Overrules SEC Staff No-Action Letter Excluding Shareholder Proposal," December 15, 2014
- Co-author, "SEC Concludes a Busy Week of Beneficial Ownership Enforcement," September 15, 2014
- Co-author, "SEC Staff Releases Guidance on Investment Advisors and Proxy Advisory Firms," July 9, 2014
- Co-author, "SEC Staff Issues Statement on Conflict Minerals Ruling; Report Not Stayed," May 1, 2014
- Co-author, "SEC Issues New Guidance on the Use of Social Media," April 30, 2014
- Co-author, "NASDAQ Adopts Amendments to Compensation Committee Independence Listing Standards," December 19, 2013
- Co-author, "SEC Proposes CEO Pay Ratio Rules," September 24, 2013
- Co-author, "SEC Brings Enforcement Action Under Regulation FD Against Investor Relations Professional," September 10, 2013
- Co-author, "SEC Proposes Additional Limitations on Private Placement Marketing," August 1, 2013
- Co-author, "SEC Adopts Significant Changes to Private Placement Rules," August 1, 2013
- Co-author, "NYSE and NASDAQ Adopt Listing Standard Amendments Related to Compensation Committees and Compensation Advisers," January 29, 2013
- Co-author, "SEC Adopts Final Rules Related to Compensation Committees and Compensation Advisers; National Securities Exchanges Must Now Promulgate New Listing Standards," July 2, 2012
- Co-author, "President Obama Signs JOBS Act Into Law," April 5, 2012
- Co-author, "House Passes JOBS Act," March 20, 2012
- Co-author, "SEC Issues No-Action Responses for Proxy Access Proposals," March 13, 2012
- Co-author, "Corporate and Securities Law Update: SEC Approves Expanded Compensation and Corporate Governance and Disclosures," December 15, 2009