Melanie Waddell

Melanie is senior editor and Washington bureau chief of ThinkAdvisor. Her ThinkAdvisor coverage zeros in on how politics, policy, legislation and regulations affect the investment advisory space. Melanie’s coverage has been cited in various lawmakers’ reports, letters and bills, and in the Labor Department’s fiduciary rule in 2024. In 2019, Melanie received an Honorable Mention, Range of Work by a Single Author award from @Folio. Melanie joined Investment Advisor magazine as New York bureau chief in 2000. She has been a columnist since 2002. She started her career in Washington in 1994, covering financial issues at American Banker. Since 1997, Melanie has been covering investment-related issues, holding senior editorial positions at American Banker publications in both Washington and New York. Briefly, she was content chief for Internet Capital Group’s EFinancialWorld in New York and wrote freelance articles for Institutional Investor. Melanie holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Towson University. She interned at The Baltimore Sun and its suburban edition.

Connect with this author

December 04, 2017 | National Law Journal

Tax Bill, Passed in Haste, Could Hurt Small-Biz Retirement Plans: ARA's Graff

Dems say bill ushers in Social Security, Medicare attack

By Melanie Waddell

5 minute read

November 28, 2017 | National Law Journal

DOL Officially Delays Start of Fiduciary Rule

The Labor Department on Monday announced the official 18-month extension for the start of key provisions of the fiduciary rule.Labor announced…

By Melanie Waddell

11 minute read

November 08, 2017 | National Law Journal

SEC Creating Searchable Database of Bad Brokers

The Securities and Exchange Commission is creating a website that will contain “a searchable database of individuals” who have been barred or…

By Melanie Waddell

3 minute read

November 07, 2017 | National Law Journal

DOL Rule Delay Will Likely Be Final in 3 Weeks: Acosta

Meanwhile, NAFA asks judge to delay Dec. 8 oral argument, while Thrivent wins some relief from anti-arbitration rules under BICEThe Labor Department…

By Melanie Waddell

7 minute read

September 05, 2017 | National Law Journal

Columbia Law Prof Robert Jackson Picked to Fill SEC Seat

The White House has nominated Columbia Law School Professor Robert Jackson as the new commissioner at the Securities and Exchange Commission with a term expiring on June 5, 2019.

By Melanie Waddell

3 minute read

August 30, 2017 | National Law Journal

Regulators Approve 18-Month Delay, Postponing Obama's 'Fiduciary Rule'

The Office of Management and Budget approved on Monday the 18-month delay for the more onerous provisions of the U.S. Labor Department's fiduciary rule. The OMB approval, which usually takes 90 days, took less than a month.

By Melanie Waddell

9 minute read

August 22, 2017 | National Law Journal

Fiduciary Rule's Anti-Arbitration Provision Faces New Threat

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, the Minnesota-based insurer suing the U.S. Labor Department over its fiduciary rule, said Monday it plans to file a preliminary injunction to halt the anti-arbitration clause that is set out in the regulation's best-interest contract exemption.

By Melanie Waddell

4 minute read

June 28, 2017 | National Law Journal

SEC Moving Forward on Fiduciary Rule, Clayton Says

Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Jay Clayton on Tuesday signaled that the agency is moving ahead on a coordinated fiduciary rule with the Department of Labor.

By Melanie Waddell, ThinkAdvisor

9 minute read

June 14, 2017 | New York Law Journal

NY Attorney General Charges Advisor With Defrauding Elderly Clients

Investment advisor Dean Mustaphalli invested their money in a risky hedge fund, said Attorney General Schneiderman

By Melanie Waddell

3 minute read

June 13, 2017 | National Law Journal

Ex-SEC Chair's Chief Legal Adviser Liftik Joins Quinn Emanuel

As partner, Michael Liftik will focus on government and internal investigations, regulatory enforcement defense, securities litigation and cybersecurity.

By Melanie Waddell, ThinkAdvisor

2 minute read

More from ALM

Legal Speak is a weekly podcast that makes sense of what’s happening in the legal industry.