BD Law Blog

This blawg provides news and commentary relating to legal and compliance aspects of the broker-dealer and investment adviser communities.

Author: Joel Beck is a solo practitioner in Snellville, Ga. He also authors The Investor's Lawyer.

Blawg Related Categories: Securities Law • Solo / Small Firm

Recent Posts from BD Law Blog

Financial Regulations in an Obama Administration
Even before the current economic crisis many folks have called for revamped regulations in the financial markets, including the securities markets. Now, as folks trot out the "R" word (recession) and some even mentioning the…
Changing Firms Or Going Out On Your Own? Consult A Lawyer.
With this recent turbulent market, and amid layoffs and consolidations in the industry, many brokers are contemplating changing firms, or going out on their own with an independent broker-dealer or forming their own registered investment…
AARP Recruiting "Free Lunch" Seminar Monitors to Assist Regulators
The AARP and the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA),have teamed up to recruit monitors to attend "free lunch" investment seminars and report their findings back to the regulators. According to the AARP release, folks…
SEC's Current Exam Focus Areas - Investment Advisers and Broker-Dealers
Speaking last week at the National Society of Compliance Professionals national meeting in Philadelphia, Lori Richards, the Director of the Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations for the US Securities and Exchange Commission updated compliance…
FINRA Unveils Template for New Account Applications
On October 21, 2008, FINRA issued an Information Notice announcing its distribution of a model new account application template for brokerage firms as a resource for firms designing or updating their form. The template is…
FINRA Announces Effective Date for First batch of Rules in "New" FINRA Rulebook
Through Regulatory Notice 08-57, FINRA announced last week that its first batch of new rules to be placed in the FINRA rulebook (consolidating and revising NASD and NYSE rules) will become effective on December 15,…
FINRA To Roll Out New Rules Soon
FINRA announced this week that it will soon start the process of announcing effective dates for the new FINRA rules as it seeks to consolidate the rulebooks from NASD and NYSE. As specified in an…
FINRA Arbitration Seeks to Change Numbers of Arbitrators in Certain Cases
FINRA recently filed a proposed rule change with the SEC. In SR-2008-047, FINRA seeks the SEC's approval to modify Rules 12401 and 13401 that relate to the number of arbitrators that hear each case. Under…
Dealing with a FINRA Investigation - Part III - FINRA's Rule 8210
In previous posts in this series, I've discussed the role of FINRA as a private, non-government self-regulatory organization, as well as the basic types of examinations that is conducts (routine and cause). Today, as promised,…
Time To Be Responsive
The markets are in flux. Longstanding stalwarts of the industry are going bankrupt, others are being purchased, more consolidation is likely in the works. Some money market funds have busted the buck. Some politicians are…