Blog
FINRA Exam Priorities for 2017
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) issued a letter setting forth its exam priorities for 2017. These include a focus on implementation of Regulatory Notice 15-46 on Best Execution, and exhorting firms to consider the continuing automation of the markets for equity securities and standardized options, and recent advances in trading technology and communications in the fixed... Read more »
Trademark Name and Logo Re-Registration in the United Kingdom
Commentators are suggesting that it is not clear whether a “Brexit”, meaning a U.K. exit from the European Union as approved in the recent U.K. referendum, will have an effect on recognition of the E.U. patent and trademark regimes. E.U. countries have a dual registration regime, so that it is possible to register at the E.U. and national... Read more »
OCC Proposes to Issue Special Purpose National Bank Licenses for FinTechs
On December 2, 2016, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (the “OCC”), which licenses and regulates in part National Banks, issued a white paper, and Comptroller of the Currency Thomas Curry spoke, on voluntary licensing as “Special Purpose National Banks” certain FinTech companies that meet OCC requirements. “FinTech” is usually defined as financial technology firms that use... Read more »
DOL Issues FAQ’s on New Fiduciary Rule Explaining, Inter Alia, Acceptable Compensation
The U.S. Department of Labor (the “DOL”) issued the first FAQ’s on its new rule requiring advisers giving advice on ERISA and similar plans to act as fiduciaries for the investors and in the best interest of investors rather than the firms for which they work. See FAQs, here. The new fiduciary rules are not scheduled to go... Read more »