Robert Helm Named to Inaugural Legal 500 Hall of Fame

Robert W. Helm, a leader of Dechert’s financial services practice group, has been named to the inaugural list for the Legal 500 Hall of Fame. Announced on Friday, March 23, the Legal 500 Hall of Fame highlights individuals who have received consistent praise by their clients for continued excellence.

“Rob is a lawyer’s lawyer,” said Jonathan Chiel, Executive Vice President and General Counsel at Fidelity Investments. “In his low key and modest way, he brings keen insight, deep analysis and a wealth of experience that add up to indispensable guidance and good counsel. He is a fine person, a pleasure to work with, and certainly belongs in the Legal 500 Hall of Fame.”

The Hall of Fame consists of lawyers from law firms who are at the pinnacle of the profession. Starting with the United States, the criteria for entry is to have been recognized by The Legal 500 as one of the elite leading lawyers for six consecutive years. Fewer than 500 lawyers across the entire United States have made it onto the inaugural list. More information about the Hall of Fame is available at www.legal500.com/hall-of-fame

"This recognition of Rob is well deserved. It is not surprising as he is widely recognized as a preeminent lawyer in the investment management area. We greatly value his perspective, advice and counsel," said Paul Roye, Senior Vice President, Capital Research and Management Company.

Helm represents some of the world’s leading investment management firms, investment funds and their boards of directors. Throughout his career, he has consistently been recognized as one of the leading practitioners in his field by publications in addition to the Legal 500 such as Chambers USA, The Best Lawyers in America and Practical Law Company’s Investment Funds Handbook.

Named the Best Lawyers’ 2011 Mutual Funds Lawyer of the Year for Washington, D.C., Helm has been described as “one of the very best” and “among a small handful of elite lawyers who can be called ‘go-to’ in this industry sector.” He also has been cited for being “an industry leader who contributes to judicial and industry regulatory initiatives” and for his “superb combination of knowledge and practicality.” He also counsels clients on regulatory compliance, litigation, and enforcement matters.

Helm represented the Mutual Fund Directors Forum filing as amicus curiae in the seminal Jones v. Harris Assocs. L.P., No. 08-586 (U.S. 2010) case and in Investment Company Institute, et al., v. United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Civil Action No. 12-0061. In 2013, he filed a brief as amicus curiae on behalf of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association in Ronald C. Tussey, et al. v. ABB, INC., et al., No. 12-2056 (8th Cir.). He has also filed briefs as amicus curiae in Janus Capital Group Inc. v. First Derivative Traders, No. 09-525 (U.S. 2011) before the U.S. Supreme Court and on behalf of the Investment Company Institute in Business Roundtable and Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America v. Securities and Exchange Commission, No. 10-1305 (D.C. Cir.).

Dechert's financial services practice is comprised of some 200 lawyers practicing in 16 offices across the United States, Europe, Middle East and Asia.

About Dechert

Dechert is a global specialist law firm with a deep bench of experts focused on sectors with the greatest complexities and highest regulatory demands. We deliver practical commercial insight and judgment to our clients’ most important matters. Nothing stands in the way of giving clients the best of the firm’s entrepreneurial energy and seamless collaboration in a way that is distinctively Dechert.