UPDATE: As of December 30, 2020, Arizona, Arkansas, Michigan, and Rhode Island have joined Iowa in adopting the NAIC model rule for best interest standard in annuity sales. Alabama, Delaware, Kentucky, Maine, Nevada and Ohio...more
On August 26, 2020, the SEC adopted amendments to its definition of “accredited investor” that adds new categories of qualifying persons and entities (the “Amendment”). The accredited investor definition is one of the main...more
On August 12, 2020, the Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations issued a risk alert related to COVID-19 compliance risks (“Risk Alert”). The Risk Alert applies to both investment advisers and broker-dealers and...more
On April 15, 2020, the Investor Protection Bureau of the New York Department of Law (a division of the attorney general’s office) (the “Bureau”) published proposed amendments to regulations governing state-registered...more
In April and May 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) entered a series of settled Orders assessing fines, instituting a bar, and ordering remedial action against registered investment advisers...more
Many registered investment advisers (“RIAs”) have obtained loans guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). Applicants for PPP loans were required to make certain...more
On April 7, 2020, the SEC's Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations ("OCIE") issued two risk alerts regarding the expected scope and content of initial examinations for compliance with Form CRS and Regulation Best...more
UPDATED: MAY 12, 2020: Yesterday, Iowa adopted its proposed regulation requiring annuity agents to act in the best interest of consumers, but delayed adoption (or revision, withdrawal) of the companion securities rules. The...more
On February 21, 2020, the Massachusetts Securities Division (the “Securities Division”) announced the finalization of its Fiduciary Rule.
This Part I summarizes the evolution of the Massachusetts Fiduciary Rule and the...more
Last Friday, the staff of the SEC Division of Investment Management (the “Staff”) released an FAQ on disclosures of conflicts related to investment adviser compensation (the “FAQ”). The FAQ specifically focused on...more
On Monday, April 15, the New Jersey Bureau of Securities (“NJBS”) released its long-awaited proposed fiduciary rule (the “Proposed Rule”) for broker-dealers (“BDs”) and investment advisers (“IAs”).1 Key points from the Rule...more
As just about everyone who operates in the mutual fund, closed-end fund or exchange-traded fund (ETF) industries knows, the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), requires certain key registered...more
New Jersey released its long-awaited proposed fiduciary rule (the “Fiduciary Rule”) for broker-dealers and investment advisers. The 60-day comment period for the Fiduciary Rule began today, and will end on June 14, 2019....more
Last week FINRA issued guidance (Regulatory Notice 19-10) with respect to communications with customers about registered representatives (“RRs”) who have left a broker-dealer (the “Notice”).
With increased frequency, RRs...more
On September 20th, the SEC released a proposed rule amending Rule 17a-5 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”).[1] Under Rule 17a-5(d)(1)(i)(C) of the Exchange Act, broker-dealers registered with...more
Investment advisers, as fiduciaries, have an obligation to seek “best execution” of client transactions when selecting broker-dealers and executing client trades. This duty to seek “best execution” does not simply mean...more
FINRA recently proposed a rule (the “Proposed Rule”) addressing FINRA-registered broker-dealer’s (“Broker-Dealers”) responsibilities to supervise the outside business activities of their registered representatives...more
On April 18, 2018, the Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (the “OCIE”) released a Risk Alert on the most frequent compliance issues relating to advisory fees and expenses. As a general matter, the OCIE...more