Category Archives: Enforcement

Compliance, Enforcement, Regulatory, Standard of Care

SEC issues guidance regarding proxy voting responsibilities of IAs

September 4, 2019 Clifford E. Kirsch, Editor Leave a comment

On August 21, 2019, in a 3-2 vote, the SEC voted in favor of publishing guidance regarding the proxy voting responsibilities of investment advisers. The guidance, structured in a question-and-answer format, provides examples to help facilitate IAs’ compliance with their proxy voting responsibilities under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (Advisers Act), and Rule 206(4)-6 thereunder. Importantly, the SEC encourages IAs and proxy advisory firms (PAFs) to review their policies and practices before next year’s proxy season to ensure they are consistent with the guidance.

Here’s looking at you, FINRA — Extraordinary Cooperation and Self-Reporting

August 2, 2019 Clifford E. Kirsch, Editor Leave a comment

On July 11, 2019, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority released Regulatory Notice 19-23, providing new guidance on what constitutes “extraordinary cooperation” in FINRA investigations, and what credit FINRA may give to broker-dealers or individuals. How will this guidance affect firms that self-report violations under FINRA Rule 4530(b)?

Preemption of state securities laws

June 4, 2019 Clifford E. Kirsch, Editor Leave a comment

With the recent announcement by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that it will hold an open meeting on June 5, 2019, to consider adopting Regulation Best Interest, one of the major issues that the SEC may clarify is its view of whether Regulation Best Interest preempts state securities regulations that impose a fiduciary duty on broker-dealers.

DC Circuit finds negligent, but not willful fraud for inadequate disclosures

May 15, 2019 Clifford E. Kirsch, Editor Leave a comment

In a much-anticipated decision, on April 30, 2019, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued its decision in Robare, a case that concerned an investment adviser’s (IA) disclosure of conflicts of interest regarding its receipt of payments from a custodian. The court held that the Commission’s findings of “negligent” violations under Section 206(2) were supported, but the Commission’s findings of “willful” violations under Section 207, based on the same negligent conduct, “are erroneous as a matter of law.”