U.S. Investment advisers, other financial services providers, and pooled investment vehicles – private and public funds – involved in certain cross-border transactions must file. Background The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (“BEA”) is conducting its next five-year “Benchmark Survey of U.S. Financial Services Providers and Foreign Persons”…
Chair Mary Jo White’s remarks on August 5, 2015 highlighted the SEC’s continuing implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act. Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Act requires the SEC and CFTC to establish a regulatory framework for the over-the-counter swap market. The SEC is specifically tasked with regulating security-based swap (“SBS”) dealers…
Chair Mary Jo White’s opening remarks on July 15 kicking off the annual broker-dealer compliance outreach program drew a parallel between the goals and work of the SEC and those of compliance professionals. Ms. White acknowledged the challenges and hardship that compliance professionals face, the critical importance of their role…
A U.S. person with a financial interest in or signature authority over a foreign bank, securities (including brokerage account, margin account, mutual fund, trust) or other financial account in another country that has an aggregate value exceeding $10,000 at any time during the 2014 calendar year must file FinCEN Report…
The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (“OCIE”) recently released its annual examination priorities. In 2015, OCIE will focus on three primary “themes” involving broker-dealers, investment advisers and transfer agents: Retail Investors – OCIE will look at important matters for retail investors and investors preparing for…
Certain Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) exemptions require annual affirmation, including CPO exemptions under Regulation 4.5, 4.13(a)(1), 4.13(a)(2), 4.13(a)(3), and 4.13(a)(5) and CTA exemptions under Regulation 4.14(a)(8). If you rely on one of these exemptions, you must affirm the annual claim of exemption by March 2, 2015 using the NFA…
On February 3, 2015, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) released two publications addressing cybersecurity at advisory and brokerage firms. The first publication, a Risk Alert, relays the findings from the examinations of more than 100 investment advisers and broker-dealers and focuses on how they: (i) establish cybersecurity policies, procedures…
The SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (“OCIE”) recently released its Examination Priorities for 2015. The priorities represent certain practices and products that OCIE believes present a potentially higher risk to investors and/or the integrity of the US capital markets. In 2015, OCIE’s priorities focus on issues involving investment…
By William M. Sullivan, Jr. and Jay B. Gould Under the Second Circuit’s new ruling, prosecutors have two large hurdles they must clear to convict under securities laws. First, they must prove that a defendant knew that the source of inside information disclosed tips in exchange for a personal benefit.…
On November 25, 2014, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) brought charges against a Swiss-based bank that should serve as notice to all non-U.S. banks that maintain relationships with clients who have moved to the U.S., as well as U.S.-based banks that provide services to clients who have relocated…