Speaker: Junaid A. Zubairi of Vedder Price will be speaking on SEC Examinations for Investment Advisers for National Regulatory Services.

Description: This course will speak to how the enforcement and examination culture has changed at the SEC, the new types of SEC exams, and how firms can prepare for them. Our expert presenters will address:

• More surprise examinations
• Visits to new advisory firms
• More rigorous pre-exam due-diligence and aggressive examinations
• Questions about compliance budgets and cost cutting
• Coordination of exams of dually registered firms between both investment advisers and broker-dealers
• Hiring more experienced examiners with special expertise and providing more training
• Focus on verification of client assets
• Steps firms can take before, during and after an exam to improve exam outcomes

Examiners are more skeptically probing in new areas, interviewing additional people, asking different questions, and have expanded the scope of requested documents and reports. Legal and industry experts will detail the examination process from the unexpected first notice to the final follow-up, and explain how strong internal controls that are put in place now can help your firm be prepared on short notice for these tougher examinations. Understand what the SEC is looking for and how to manage the examination once the SEC is onsite. Additional topics to be covered include the firm's rights during the examination process, common problems the SEC encounters during examinations, and effective strategies for dealing with deficiencies found during an examination.

Learning Objectives:

After attending this course, attendees should be able to:

• List the ways that the current market and regulatory environments will affect SEC examinations of investment advisers
• Address how to handle the new SEC examination focus on confirming client account balances in managed accounts
• Demonstrate an understanding of the federal and state examination processes from first notice to final follow-up to avoid unnecessary interruption of the firm's business
• Use the SEC Document Request List to increase the firm's preparedness, minimize retrieval time during an examination, and maximize a favorable examination outcome
• Identify SEC current priorities to help the firm focus on areas likely to be examined in depth
• Address the link between internal controls and SEC examinations
• Further limit regulatory risk on both a personal and firm level

For Whom: Chief Compliance Officers, Auditors, Compliance Staff at all levels, IT personnel, Legal counsel, Management

Suggested Skill Level: Basic to Intermediate

Instructional Method: Group-Internet-Based

Pre-requisites for participation: No advance preparation or prerequisites are required. However, attendees can benefit by reviewing the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 to become familiar with the structure and terms.

Continuing Education Credits:
See NRS Continuing Education Guide
Recommended CPE Credit: 2

To register please follow this link.

Date and Time:
August 16, 2011, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. (ET)

Location:
Webinar