Joshua H. Watson

Of Counsel

Joshua H. Watson

Of Counsel

Joshua Watson is of counsel with Foley & Lardner, based in the firm’s Boston office, where he is a member of the firm’s Fund Formation and Investment Management Practice.

Josh focuses his practice on advising investment managers when they form and operate private investment funds, and institutional investors when they participate in private investment fund transactions.

On the sponsor side of his practice, Josh advises investment managers on all aspects of forming and operating private investment funds. Josh’s sponsor-side experience includes representing managers to venture capital funds, funds of funds, secondary funds, hedge funds, credit funds, and other types of funds. Josh particularly enjoys working with emerging and first-time fund managers.

On the investor side of his practice, Josh advises institutional investors when they invest in private investment funds such as buyout funds, venture capital funds, real estate funds, credit funds, and hedge funds. His investor-side clients have included governmental pension plans, corporate pension plans, university endowments, funds of funds, secondary funds, sovereign wealth funds, insurance companies, and family investment offices. Josh also advises clients when they buy or sell private investment fund interests on the secondary market.

Prior to joining Foley, Josh was counsel in the private investment funds group at another law firm in Boston.

24 March 2025 Foley Viewpoints

FinCEN Removes Beneficial Ownership Reporting Requirements for U.S. Companies and U.S. Persons, Sets New Deadlines for Foreign Companies

On March 21, 2025 the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network issued an interim final rule that removes the requirement for U.S. companies and U.S. persons to report beneficial ownership information to FinCEN under the Corporate Transparency Act.
04 March 2025 Foley Viewpoints

Treasury Department Announces Suspension of Enforcement of Corporate Transparency Act Against U.S. Citizens and Domestic Reporting Companies

The Treasury Department announced plans to significantly narrow beneficial ownership information reporting obligations under the Corporate Transparency Act.
28 February 2025 Foley Viewpoints

FinCEN Not Issuing Fines or Penalties in Connection with Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting Deadlines for Now

FinCEN announced that it will not issue any fines or penalties or take any other enforcement actions against any companies based on any failure to file or update beneficial ownership information reports pursuant to the Corporate Transparency Act by the current deadlines.
19 February 2025 Foley Viewpoints

FinCEN Resumes Corporate Transparency Act Enforcement

The last remaining nationwide injunction prohibiting enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) has been stayed, clearing the way for the federal government to resume enforcing the CTA.
24 January 2025 Foley Viewpoints

Corporate Transparency Act Enforcement Remains Paused

On January 23, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a stay of the nationwide preliminary injunction issued by a federal district court in Texas in December 2024 in the Texas Top Cop Shop litigation.
27 December 2024

Nationwide Injunction Reinstated: Corporate Transparency Act Enforcement Paused