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Mitigation of Investment Adviser Business Interruption and Regulatory Non-Compliance Risks Related to COVID-19

We urge our clients to consult Pillsbury’s comprehensive COVID-19 Resource Center for information regarding Responding to a Global Crisis, Business Interruption, Cybersecurity, Employer Concerns and other general matters related to the COVID-19 pandemic. We also recommend the following specific measures to mitigate risks of business interruption and regulatory noncompliance resulting…

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SEC and FINRA Joint Staff Statement on Broker-Dealer Custody of Digital Asset Securities

While acknowledging the challenges in applying the securities laws to digital assets, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), in a joint statement on July 8, 2019, reaffirm that those rules equally apply to digital assets, and promise they will continue to engage the industry…

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OCIE 2019 Examination Priorities

In a press release issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 20, 2018, the SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) announced its 2019 Examination Priorities. This year’s examination priorities, although not exhaustive, are divided into 6 categories: Compliance and risk at registrants responsible for critical market…

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The Joke’s on Us! – SEC Demonstrates Sense of Humor and Serious Lessons about Fraudulent Coin Offerings

The rapid growth of cryptocurrency markets, digital asset products and initial coin offerings (ICOs), and the alarmingly high number of fraudulent ICO attempts among them, has prompted the SEC to engage the public in some creative investor education. In its May 16 press release, the SEC announced a mock ICO…

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The Future of the ERISA Fiduciary Rule

The future of the Department of Labor’s Fiduciary rule is in limbo following the Fifth Circuit’s decision striking it down “in toto.” Takeaways The future of the Fiduciary rule is uncertain, particularly in light of the Fifth Circuit’s decision vacating the rule. Retirement plan fiduciaries should continue to stay apprised…

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REGISTERED FIRMS: ANNUAL COMPLIANCE OBLIGATIONS—WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

This alert contains a summary of the primary annual and periodic compliance-related obligations that may apply to investment advisers registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) or with a particular state (“Investment Advisers”), and commodity pool operators (“CPOs”) and commodity trading advisors (“CTAs”) registered with the Commodity Futures…

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Higher Qualified Client Net Worth Threshold Effective August 15, 2016

3(c)(1) funds should update their offering documents to reflect $2.1 million net worth requirement. Assets under management threshold remains unchanged at $1 million. Only new client relationships entered and new investors admitted in private funds after August 15, 2016 are affected; new contributions by pre-August 15 investors are grandfathered. The…

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Investment Adviser Sanctioned for Inadequate Trading Away Disclosure

On July 14, 2016, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced an enforcement action against RiverFront Investment Group, LLC, a registered investment adviser serving as sub-adviser to clients in wrap fee programs established by various sponsors. The enforcement action resulted from RiverFront’s materially inadequate disclosure about changes in its trading practices…

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SEC wants Registered Advisers to Adopt Written Business Continuity and Transition Plans

In line with the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) goal to enhance regulatory safeguards in the asset management industry, the SEC yesterday released a proposed new rule and rule amendments under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The proposed new rule 206(4)-4 would require SEC-registered investment advisers to adopt and…

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Hedge Funds Under Microscope by SEC’s New Office of Risk and Strategy — Never-Before-Examined Hedge Funds Should be on Alert

Earlier this month, the SEC announced the creation of its Office of Risk and Strategy  to operate within its Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE).  The new office will consolidate and streamline OCIE’s risk assessment, market surveillance, and quantitative analysis teams and provide operational risk management and organizational strategy…