Author: The Securities Compliance Team

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced charges against 26 broker-dealers, investment advisers, and dually-registered firms for widespread and longstanding failures to maintain and preserve electronic communications. The firms admitted to the violations, agreed to pay combined civil penalties of $392.75 million, and have begun implementing improved compliance policies and… Continue reading →

On May 16, 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission adopted amendments to Regulation S-P, the regulation that governs the treatment of nonpublic personal information about consumers by certain financial institutions. The amendments apply to broker-dealers, investment companies, and registered investment advisers (collectively, “covered institutions”) and are designed to modernize and… Continue reading →

New Rule 14Ad-1 takes effect on July 1, 2024, with filing of Form N-PX due on August 31, 2024, for votes during the July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024 reporting period. The Rule requires all institutional investment managers that are 13F filers to report say-on-pay votes on the new… Continue reading →

The Department of Labor (“DOL”) continues to require the completion of a Retrospective Review. The Retrospective Review (the “Review”) requirement of Prohibited Transaction Exemption 2020-02 (the “PTE”) is designed to assist in detecting and preventing violations of, and achieving compliance with, the Impartial Conduct Standards and the policies and procedures… Continue reading →

On April 23, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (the “DOL”) promulgated a final rule, titled the “Retirement Security Rule” (the “Final Rule”), updating the definition of an “investment advice fiduciary” under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”). In addition, the DOL issued final amendments… Continue reading →

On April 3, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published a final amendment to Prohibited Transaction Class Exemption 84-14. The amendment will become effective June 17, 2024. Registered investment advisers that manage accounts that are considered “plan assets” under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and… Continue reading →

Background On March 27, 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission adopted amendments to modernize the rule for internet investment advisers relying on the exemption that qualifies them for SEC registration as smaller investment advisers. Investment advisers generally need to meet the assets under management threshold, advise a registered investment company,… Continue reading →

On April 12, 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced settled charges against five registered investment advisers for violations of the Marketing Rule. The firms have agreed to settle and pay a combined $200,000 in penalties, as well as cease and desist from violating the charged provisions, and to implement… Continue reading →

On April 3, 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced charges against a registered investment adviser for recordkeeping failures regarding personal device communications and pre-clearance of securities transactions in employees’ personal accounts. The firm was charged and agreed to pay a $6.5 million dollar penalty and to implement improvements to… Continue reading →

Background On March 18, 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced settled charges against two SEC registered investment advisers for making false and misleading statements about their purported use of artificial intelligence (“AI”). The firms agreed to settle the SEC’s charges and pay $400,000 in total civil penalties. Cause of… Continue reading →