Further supporting the notion purported by PIABA and NASAA that FINRA’s expungement process is far too forgiving to advisors, FINRA released a discussion paper on May sixth to address the...

Any advisor who has gone through a sale knows that it all comes down to selecting the right team to complete the transaction. You’re not only selling your company —...

We frequently see RIAs make mistakes on their Forms ADV, oftentimes because they simply misunderstood a question. With the SEC’s recent changes to Reg BI, and the new Form ADV...

You just received a letter from FINRA. You may have anticipated the letter, or you may be surprised to get the letter in the first place. If you carefully read...

Every member of FINRA has completed and filed a Form U4. But what may seem like an easy and uncomplicated task does carry with it some serious weight. It’s critical...

The language a firm uses on a terminated advisor’s FINRA Form U5 can cause irreparable damage to their public record and ability to move to another firm. This week, we...

It seems that more and more high-profile and multi-billion-dollar advisors are being terminated today than in the past. If you’re an advisor, these firings should act as a stark warning....

Advisors must present their case to an arbitrator through FINRA's dispute resolution forum in order to have an investor dispute or libelous U5 termination successfully removed from BrokerCheck or the...

In the report, the SEC outlines its areas of specific focus, which include private funds, standards of conduct, information security and operational resiliency, emerging technologies and crypto assets, and environmental,...

Values of registered investment advisors, or RIA, businesses have skyrocketed over the last decade. Today, RIA valuations are at historic highs. With the Russia-Ukraine conflict barreling on and inflation continuing...

Many advisors default to using their firm’s attorney to spare themselves the expense of hiring private counsel. But in many instances, advisors feel like they are being forced into a...

So you’ve decided to trade in your FINRA licensure to go RIA only— but you’re feeling overwhelmed with all of the new roles you’ll have to take on, now that...

When a registered representative leaves a FINRA-affiliated broker-dealer, the firm must complete a Form U5 and submit it to FINRA. If you're leaving voluntarily and peacefully, this can be a...

In this week’s Ask An AdLaw Expert, we’re talking with our Director of Lien Expungement, Samantha DePrima, J.D., LL.M., about how individuals can get IRS penalties and interest refunded by...

A fight is brewing over proposed changes to FINRA’s Central Registration Depository (CRD) expungement procedure. The SEC, FINRA, and the Public Investors Advocate Bar Association (PIABA) are at odds over...

Written By: Matt Durr, E.A., Director of Mergers & AcquisitionsWe have been in a bull market for the better part of the last decade, but there are cracks in the...

More and more registered representatives are seeking to expand or transition into the registered investment adviser, or RIA, sphere than ever before. While some financial advisors are looking to relieve...

The regulatory landscape that RIAs must navigate is daunting, to say the least. Every year the SEC and DOL roll out new rules and regulations, as well as harsher punishments...

This past January, the CFP® Board hired Thomas Sporkin as its new head of enforcement, allowing the organization to split its enforcement section into two separate functions. For the first...

Registered investment advisors and firms should begin preparing for the Securities and Exchange Commission’s new marketing rule. The deadline is quickly approaching, and many RIAs are worried that they’re entering...