Joshua B. Deringer
Partner
Overview
Joshua Deringer is a nationally recognized leader in the registered alternative investment fund space, known for his innovative approach to expanding retail access to alternative investments and structuring complex fund products. He has developed a strong and loyal client following for his ability to design and implement cutting-edge structures for private and registered alternative funds. Josh regularly advises US and international financial services firms across all aspects of the investment management industry, and he is widely regarded as one of the leading attorneys and innovators in the rapidly growing nontraded closed-end fund and retail alternatives market.
Josh serves as the team leader of the firm’s retail alternatives fund team and is a member of the firm’s management board, reflecting his leadership both within the firm and across the industry.
Fund Operations & Structuring
Josh advises registered investment companies, private funds, investment advisers, and other alternative investment vehicles. He establishes the legal and regulatory framework for a broad range of products, including interval funds, tender offer funds, business development companies (BDCs), funds of funds, multiclass funds, and master-feeder structures. He counsels clients on product development, launches, reorganizations, and ongoing operational and regulatory matters. Josh’s deep knowledge of the federal securities rulemaking process positions him to provide strategic guidance on proposed regulations, industry initiatives, and federal policymaking affecting registered and private funds.
Regulatory Counsel & Governance
Boards of directors, officers, and senior management rely on Josh for guidance on fund governance, fiduciary duties, compliance programs, and regulatory best practices. He helps investment advisers manage risk and regulatory exposure by drafting and enhancing compliance policies and procedures; reviewing advisory, distribution, and service provider agreements; and advising on advertising and marketing, soft dollars, trade allocation, and valuation matters. Josh also represents and coaches clients through SEC examinations, investigations, and enforcement proceedings.
Credentials
Bar Admissions
New York
Pennsylvania
Education
Fordham University School of Law
J.D. Fordham Law Review (2000)
University of Pennsylvania
B.A. (1996)
Insights & Events
Latest
Insights
News
Other Perspectives
- Presidential Order Instructs Regulators to Help Facilitate 401(k) Access to Alternative Asset Investments, Including Private Equity and Private Credit
Republished in Employee Benefit Plan Review, Vol. 79, No. 9, November 2025
Leadership & Community
Professional Associations
- Hedge Fund Association
- Managed Funds Association
- Mid-Atlantic Hedge Fund Association
Civic Activities
- Philadelphia Fund Alliance — Steering Committee Member, 2016-present
- Philadelphia Financial Scholars — Board of Directors, 2021-present
Firm Leadership
- Board Member, 2024-present
- Leader, Investment Management Practice Group, 2020-23
- Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP — Chair, Investment Management Group; Managing Partner, 2017-20
Honors
- Chambers Global — Registered Funds, Band 2, 2023-26
- The Legal 500 — Investment Fund Formation and Management (US) – Mutual/Registered/Exchange-Traded Funds: Leading Lawyer, 2019-22
- Chambers USA — Nationwide, Investment Funds: Registered Funds, 2019-23, 2025
- Chambers USA — Nationwide, Investment Funds: Registered Funds, "Recognised Practitioner," 2012-13, 2017-18
- The Legal Intelligencer — "Pennsylvania Lawyer on the Fast Track," 2013