Washington

Jessica Giroux has been promoted to general counsel of the Bond Dealers of America, assuming the number two position in the middle-market dealer group.

Robert Fippinger, senior counsel at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe and a Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board director since 2010, plans to join the MSRB as its chief legal officer on March 3, the board announced. Michael Post has been promoted to general counsel for regulatory affairs.

Municipal advisors remain concerned about one of the key provisions of the Securities and Exchange Commission's municipal advisor registration rule, although communications between issuers and underwriters remain robust nearly eight months after the final effectiveness of the rule.

Former Pennsylvania Treasurer Rob McCord pleaded guilty in a Harrisburg courtroom to two federal counts of attempted extortion.

Leslie Carey Kirk has joined Siebert Brandford Shank & Co. Washington, D.C.'s office as general counsel for the firm.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority has fined two firms $370,000 for violating securities rules in their management of Puerto Rico funds, and dinged another firm $50,000 for violating trade reporting requirements.

Harvey J. Goldschmid, a former Securities and Exchange Commission member who played a key role in getting the American Bar Association to adopt an ethics rule to prevent municipal bond and other pay-to-play practices, died Feb. 12 at the age 74 from complications of pneumonia.

As 2015 begins, capital markets participants would do well to reflect on the lessons of recent Chapter 9 proceedings.

As regulators push for more disclosure of bank loans, there is confusion about the implications for and obligations of dealers, issuers, and municipal advisors.

The ruling that the former mayor was liable for violations of securities laws as a "control person" is one of which every official of a state or local government issuing debt should be aware.