On May 21, 2024, the SEC announced the settlement of administrative proceedings brought against a dually-registered broker-dealer and investment adviser for its alleged failure to address conflicts of interest in compliance with Rule 15l-1(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Regulation Best Interest) and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.Continue Reading SEC Settles Charges Against Dually-Registered Broker-Dealer and Adviser for Alleged Failure to Address Conflicts of Interest
The annual ALI-CLE Accountants’ Liability Conference occurred in Washington, D.C. on May 16 and 17, 2024 and was co-hosted by Junaid A. Zubairi, Chair of Vedder Price’s Government Investigations and White Collar Defense group, and Veronica Callahan of Arnold & Porter LLP. The conference featured a wide variety of speakers, including regulators from the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”), in-house counsel, outside counsel, and consultants.Continue Reading Highlights from 2024 ALI-CLE Accountants’ Liability Conference
On November 14, 2023, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC” or the “Commission”) announced its enforcement results for fiscal year (“FY”) 2023, which ended on September 30, 2023. The SEC’s FY 2023 results continued to reflect an aggressive approach to enforcement, reaching record highs in multiple enforcement metrics. Specifically, the SEC announced that it brought 784 total enforcement actions, obtained orders totaling nearly $5 billion in financial remedies, and distributed nearly $1 billion to harmed investors.
SEC Chair Gary Gensler referred to the SEC’s Division of Enforcement as a “cop on the beat” that provided benefits to the investing public, while applauding the Division of Enforcement’s “effectiveness” during FY 2023. Director of the Division of Enforcement Gurbir Grewal noted that the Division achieved results by “leveraging risk-based initiatives, seeking robust remedies, rewarding cooperation, protecting whistleblowers, or returning nearly a billion dollars to harmed investors.” Continue Reading SEC Releases Enforcement Highlights for Fiscal Year 2023