New Title IX Regulations: A Seismic Shift During a Pandemic (Webinar Recording)
FINRA's new enforcement head, Bill St. Louis, recently appeared on FINRA Unscripted, a FINRA podcast where he discussed his vision for FINRA's Enforcement Department as well as certain key regulatory issues that are under...more
On July 5, 2023, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals enjoined FINRA from expelling Alpine Securities Corp. through an expedited disciplinary proceeding following an emergency motion for an injunction pending appeal. The...more
As the song goes, time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping into the future. While Steve Miller may not have had FINRA and the SEC in mind when he wrote that lyric, the shoe certainly fits. Because here’s the thing about...more
Two Years Later, Regulation BI Remains a “Tremendous Priority” for FINRA - June 30th marked two years since the implementation of Regulation Best Interest (“Reg BI”) and the client relationship summary or Form CRS. Firm...more
There is no question in my mind that the quality of FINRA examiners is a bit uneven. Some are smart and insightful and helpful; others are, well, not. Most of the time, they do know what they’re talking about. That means...more
FINRA recently amended its rules in order to strengthen its tools to respond to brokers with a significant history of misconduct and the firms that employ them. The amended rules include FINRA’s Disciplinary Proceedings...more
FINRA, of course, has lots, and lots, of rules. Heck, it has rules about making rules. The things that RRs can and cannot do per those rules are strictly proscribed, mostly in great detail. Things that ordinary people can...more
Carlos Legaspy is a respondent in a FINRA arbitration that was scheduled to go to hearing in August. As with all other FINRA cases, it was subject to a sweeping administrative decision by FINRA to postpone all in-person...more
On May 8, FINRA filed an expedited request for an immediate rule change that would allow service by email, extensions of time, and video-conference hearings in member-application, disciplinary proceedings and appeals. FINRA...more
If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know that one of my pet peeves with FINRA is its unrelenting zeal to bar people, permanently, from the securities industry. Seemingly without much regard for the actual conduct at...more
I read with interest earlier this week that a judge in Texas conducted a one-day bench trial via Zoom, apparently representing the first time this has happened. I understand that hearings, i.e., matters that involve arguments...more
From time to time, I have lamented that FINRA does not hold itself to the same lofty standards to which it holds its members. I realize I am painting with a broad brush, as there are lots of folks at FINRA who do a great job,...more
I have written a few times about FINRA’s ceaseless interest in bringing cases against registered reps who fail to update their Form U-4 in a timely manner to disclose the fact that a tax lien has been filed against them. Or...more
It often is said that “it’s not the crime, but the cover-up” that is the most damaging to someone alleged to have committed misconduct. In a recent FINRA enforcement action, however, the cover-up was the crime. On July 3,...more
While I feel I have enjoyed as much success defending respondents in FINRA Enforcement matters as anyone, I am still careful to caution clients who are unwilling to consider any settlement that going toe-to-toe with FINRA at...more
Many a school child has received the awful warning to be careful lest some offense be entered on his or her “permanent record”. As required by statute (15 U.S.C. § 78o-3(i)), the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc....more
FINRA has taken another step to protect against what it calls "financial exploitation of vulnerable individuals or individuals with diminished capacity." These include seniors (at least age 65) and persons (at least age 18)...more
CFTC Inspector General Strongly Criticizes Cost-Benefit Analysis Underlying Commission’s Rule Establishing Margin for Uncleared Swaps: The Office of Inspector General of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission said that the...more
Earlier this month, FINRA announced changes to its Sanction Guidelines through Notice to Members 17-13. FINRA’s Sanction Guidelines are used by FINRA disciplinary hearing panels to decide what, if any, sanctions to impose in...more
FINRA’s newly revised Sanction Guidelines, effective immediately, signal that the upward trend in sanctions against broker-dealers is likely to continue. The Sanction Guidelines, which establish the range of sanctions...more
CME Group Reminds Members of Regulatory Requirements for EFRPs and Block Trades Through Disciplinary Actions: The CME Group brought and resolved multiple disciplinary actions against various members and non-members related to...more
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority amended FINRA Rules 9231 and 9232 to add a category of persons eligible to serve as panelists in a disciplinary proceeding, which includes persons who currently serve or previously...more
The Corporate and Financial Weekly Digest edition of March 29, 2013 summarized the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s proposed rule change to amend Rule 8313, which governs the release of disciplinary and other...more
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority filed a proposed rule change to amend Rule 8313, which governs the release of disciplinary and other information by FINRA to the public. Among other things, amended Rule 8313 would...more
In October 2011, Charles Schwab ("Schwab") began inserting into its customer Account Agreements a class action waiver clause....more