Compliance and Supervision

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According to a recent report of the Eversheds Sutherland firm, 2016 was a banner year for FINRA-assessed fines. FINRA collected a record $176 million in 2016. So what gives?

The increase in fines was attributable to two things. First, a significant number of fines in the $1 million plus range. Second, of those fines, a fair number were in excess of $5 million.

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Of particular note, the report shows that FINRA is seeking and obtaining very large fines even when there is limited or no measurable client harm. Historically, the lack of client harm was the siren call of a firm defending itself. In other words, no fine if there is no client harm.

So what does this all mean? For one, FINRA is pressing hard on enforcement even in the absence of client harm. It also reflects that FINRA is willing to go the distance so to speak to recoup the maximum fines possible.

I do not think that firms should anticipate FINRA taking 2017 off by any means. Now is as good a time as any to ensure that you have your compliance and supervision house in order. If not, break out the big checkbook. This one is going to hurt.

The SEC recently issued regulatory guidance for robo-advisors. This guidance focuses on what robo-advisors must do to meet their disclosure obligations.

Among other things, the SEC has recommended robust disclosures in the following areas:

  1. The use of algorithms, overrides, third parties, fees and client information.
  2. The limits on use of the robo-advisor model to ensure adequate disclosures.
  3. Adequate and clear investment questionnaires to ensure suitability of investments.

Robo-advisors are a growing trend. Thus, it is only logical that the SEC would provide such guidance. Now that the SEC has spoken, it is on you to ensure that you take the message to heart; or learn the hard way.

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The SEC recently released its findings relating to exams of investment advisers.  https://www.sec.gov/ocie/Article/risk-alert-5-most-frequent-ia-compliance-topics.pdf.

In particular, the SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (“OCIE”) found weak compliance programs; insufficient or late filings; custody rule violations; Code of Ethics problems; and the often used books and records issues. OCIE, in fact, criticized the use of non-particularized, “off-the-shelf” manuals, nearly non-existent annual reviews, and plain and simple failure to implement or follow procedures.  Form ADV and Form PF filings also included inaccurate information or were late.  Investment advisers were also found to not have the requisite knowledge to follow the custody rule, its requirements, persons responsible, or adequate and readily available books and records.

Finally, RIAs should consider this release a warning shot.  That is, the SEC staff will most likely continue to focus on these issues during its future exams.

 

The Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (or OCIE) recently issued a Risk Alert that identified the five most frequent compliance topics that arising from OCIE examinations. These compliance topics include the following:

  1. Deficient compliance programs,
  2. Late or insufficient filings,
  3. Violations of the custody rule,
  4. Code of Ethics compliance deficiencies, and
  5. Books and records.

Among other things, OCIE noted that it continues to see untailored “off-the-shelf” manuals, deficient or non-existent annual reviews, as well as the systemic failure to follow procedures. So what does this all mean?Core Values

It would certainly appear from OCIE’s analysis that firms continue to take the easy way out when it comes to compliance. There is nothing per se wrong with an “off-the-shelf” compliance manual. The impropriety comes when the firm does nothing to modify that manual to conform to its business model. Not conforming a compliance manual to your individual circumstances is no different from not having a manual.

Equally problematic are the lack of meaningful annual reviews. Any annual review must be meaningful to have any regulatory significance. A meaningful review can look differently from firm to firm, but there are a few components were noting.

First, everyone at the firm must participate in the review process. Compliance comes from the tone at the top. Second, the firm should employ a checklist of required elements, and those that may be firm specific. Third, correct any deficiencies found through this process.

Compliance is not easy. But don’t take the easy way out. Having a robust compliance program takes hard work. Do it now, or pay the SEC later.

Like it has in the past, FINRA is sharply focused on examining brokers with a disciplinary past, including the identification and examination of such brokers being placed at the top of its 2017 exam priorities. Does this mean that firms cannot hire brokers with a past?

The short answer is no, but the longer is a bit more involved. A FINRA examination team is going to be conducting a quantitative analysis to review the broker’s test scores, number of prior employers and disciplinary history.Core Values

When FINRA finds such brokers, it will contact the employing firm’s compliance department to ensure that they know of this history. FINRA will also inquire about the type of supervision being used for the individuals. So what does this mean?

For one, you can hire individuals with a past, but you must do so with caution. That caution would necessarily entail placing such a broker on some form of heightened supervision for at least a period of time. At the end of that time, you can then consider removing or downgrading that supervision, assuming that the broker does not have any additional issues.

The key to remember is that FINRA’s goal is to protect the markets and the consumers who hire brokers who may have a past. Hiring brokers with a history and protecting consumers are not mutually exclusive. However, make sure you take special care in the decision to hire and then supervise such individuals because FINRA is watching.

In its never-ending effort to thwart senior investor fraud, FINRA recently proposed a new rule to the SEC. This proposal would require member firms to obtain the name of a trusted contact person for the customer’s account. The new rule would also allow firms to place temporary holds on the disbursement of funds or securities when there is a reasonable belief of exploitation, and notify the trusted contact of such a hold.

This proposed rule is consistent with the advice I have been giving clients over the years as senior issues became more and more prevalent. So what does the potential formalized rule mean for the business?Conference Room

It should come as a relief to firms to have this type of safeguard. It is a difficult situation to say the least when a firm is uneasy with what a family member may be doing with a senior client of the firm. This rule change will give you somewhat of an out.

The key for having this proposal work is for the right selection of the trusted contact person. Assuming such a person can be identified, I think that it is a good idea for that person to be designated as a fiduciary to the client on the account applications and the account coded so that this trusted person receives regular account statements regarding the senior account.

By doing this, you as a firm have a separate set of eyes on the account activity by someone who may know the family/personal dynamics better that you. Having that person designated as a fiduciary on the account documents also should lend you some protection in the event that the trusted person is not so trustworthy.

Either way, this new rule should be embraced a positive step to protect both firm and clients.

Consistent with the ongoing guidance/requirements from the SEC and FINRA, all firms must have and enforce data security policies and procedures.  Even the best policies and procedures may, however, not protect the firm in every instance.  So what do you do if there is a breach?19196909_s

One of the most important things to determine is what law governs.  In other words, if you have clients in all 50 states, it is possible that there are 50 different data breach laws that may be implicated.  Fox Rothschild LLP has a free app, Data Breach 411, which provides an overview of state data breach laws.

Knowing what you need to know is imperative when assessing a data breach.

 

 

In the hectic world of financial services, registered representatives and investment adviser representatives are always looking to increase their assets under management. At what cost? Are there situations where you would be better off just saying no to accepting that one additional client?

In my many years of defending representatives and advisers from customer complaints, the unqualified answer is yes; there are situations when you are better off just saying no. Any good risk avoidance program will provide for the proper screening/selection of prospective clients. I have addressed this very issue in a risk avoidance handbook.whistle

The key to this screening process is being able to sniff out the types of clients that you do not want to accept. For example, are you the fourth adviser that this client has come to in the last four years? Does the client profile not fit your personal/company investment philosophy? Does the client have unrealistic expectations on what she is expecting you to deliver?

If the answer to any of these questions is in the affirmative, there should be a huge stoplight in front of you flashing red. Any client who fits any of these descriptions is also the client most likely to bring a claim against an adviser.

So before you take on any client with a little money, be cautious. Are there red flags coming into the relationship? If so, just say no.

On Monday, September 12, 2016, the SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (“OCIE”) announced that a “Supervision Initiative” will take place across the country.

OCIE staff will conduct focused RIA examinations of firms employing or contracting with supervised persons, who have a disciplinary history.  OCIE plans to evaluate the effectiveness of RIA compliance programs, supervisory oversight practices, and disclosures to clients and prospective clients, concentrating on the potential risk disclosures arising from financial arrangements initiated by supervised persons with a disciplinary history.  OCIE’s justification for this targeted examination is its belief that firms, who hire those with disciplinary histories, are more likely to have future disciplinary issues arising from these individuals’ conduct.

Frankly, this announcement should come as no surprise to anyone.  The SEC has made it abundantly clear over the years it does not like people who have disciplinary histories working for regulated entities.  However, the SEC always seems to fail to consider that, for a significant part of the securities industry, disciplinary histories have become the norm given the ease where people may make complaints against registered persons, and how expensive and difficult the regulators have made fighting unfounded allegations.  Numerous registered persons have had to make the difficult choice of agreeing to resolve disciplinary charges simply because the price of fighting them would be too great.

Conveniently, the SEC ignores this fact and instead will seek to further stigmatize many hard working and honest members of the securities community.

That is the question that the SEC has essentially posed for registered investment advisers in a National Exam Program Risk Alert. In doing so, the SEC has stated that it will be “examining compliance oversight and controls of registered investment advisers that have employed or employ individuals with a history of disciplinary events . . . .”

The SEC will essentially be examining the investment advisers business and compliance practices, particularly focused on higher risk individuals. Does this mean that you should not hire or retain someone who may have a disciplinary past?Core Values

Of course, not. Instead, this alert should be telling you that such people, if you do decide to hire (or retain) them, should come under some form of heightened supervision for a period of time, if not forever. But be forewarned that the SEC is going to check up on you by reviewing certain information, including the following:

  1. Your compliance program , including the practices surrounding the hiring and ongoing reporting obligations of investment adviser representatives.
  2. The firm’s disclosures (i.e., Form ADV) that it makes to its customers to ensure that they are accurate.
  3. The conflict of interest that the firm discloses.
  4. The firm’s marketing.

By reviewing these areas, the SEC believes that it can better understand how firms are handling and representing advisers with a past to their customers. If you decide to hire or retain such advisers, you should focus on what you are saying to the public about them through your words and actions before you are in the SEC doghouse following an examination.