On July 7, 2022, FINRA’s Office of Hearing Officers issued its decision in Dep’t of Enforcement v. Burford, Discip. Proc. No. 2019064656601 (OHO July 7, 2022). Here, the Hearing Panel found that Burford caused no customer harm. There was no evidence that Burford gained monetarily from his actions. Burford was…
In April 2018, the SEC proposed a new regulation that would govern the standard of conduct that applies when broker-dealers make recommendations to retail customers. Specifically, the proposal sought to established an express best interest obligation that would require all broker-dealers and associated persons to act in the best interests…
Since 1972 the Securities & Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) has maintained a rule that imposes a gag order on settling defendants in civil enforcement actions. In 2003, Barry D. Romeril, CFO for Xerox, entered into a consent agreement with the SEC that included the following language: “Defendant understands and agrees…
On May 16, 2022, FINRA published an Acceptance, Waiver and Consent (“AWC”) in which FA, Robert Bennett Zamani, accepted a 14-month suspension and a $27,500 fine for violations of FINRA Rule 3270 (Outside Business Activities), Rule 2210 (Communications with the Public), Rule 4511 (Books and Records) and, as always, Rule…
On May 6, 2022, FINRA released a “Discussion Paper – Expungement of Customer Dispute Information” (the “Discussion Paper”) to address what FINRA clearly sees as problems with the current system for expunging customer complains. Let’s be clear from the outset, FINRA is openly hostile to the expungement of customer complaint…
At a FINRA arbitration in September 2021, Mr. Kent Kirby, a financial advisor at UBS Financial Services, Inc., sought the expungement from CRD of five customer complaints spanning a time frame from 2002 through 2011. Mr. Kirby was successful in obtaining an award expunging all five occurrences despite the fact…
When settling a FINRA investigation, the Staff drafts a letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent (AWC) setting forth the terms of the settlement. In the AWC, FINRA routinely demands the settling party consent to the following restraint on speech: “Respondent may not take any action or permit to be made…
Herskovits PLLC is investigating whether Morgan Stanley unlawfully “forfeited” deferred compensation otherwise due and payable to financial advisers formerly employed by the firm. A class action lawsuit involving similar claims has begun in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. That litigation is in its early…
On March 17, 2022, FINRA released Regulatory Notice 22-10. The regulatory guidance discusses the application of FINRA Rule 3110 – Supervision — as it relates to Chief Compliance Officers (“CCOs”). The notice begins by making it clear that, as a general matter, supervision is the responsibility of the senior business…
FINRA recently published its 2022 Report on FINRA’s Examination and Risk Monitoring Program to provide member firms with guidance and insights gathered by FINRA’s Examinations and Risk Monitoring programs over the course of the year. The report also serves to inform firms what FINRA sees as “emerging” compliance risks that…