The Practising Law Institute recently hosted its “Hedge Funds 2012: Strategies and Structures for an Evolving Marketplace” program, which included a panel entitled “Trading Issues Relating to Swaps Under Dodd-Frank: The CFTC’s Expanded Registration Requirements for Commodity Pool Operators.”  This panel provided a comprehensive overview of the business consequences for buy-side swaps market participants (such as hedge fund managers that trade swaps) of the regulatory changes caused by the Dodd-Frank Act.  This article summarizes the notable insights from the panel discussion, including coverage of which entities must register as commodity pool operators (CPOs) or commodity trading advisors (CTAs) based on their swaps trading activity; the registration exemptions available to such CPOs and CTAs; certain regulations governing CPOs and CTAs that are required to register; and the regulations governing trading and clearing of swaps.  See also “Do You Need to Be a Registered Commodity Pool Operator Now and What Does It Mean If You Do?  (Part Two of Two),” Hedge Fund Law Report, Vol. 5, No. 19 (May 10, 2012).