FINRA Fines First Trust $10 Million for Non-Cash Compensation Violations: A Warning on Supervisory Oversight and Cultural Drift FINRA’s latest $10 million sanction against First Trust Portfolios L.P. marks one of the largest penalties tied to non-cash compensation practices in recent years—and underscores how seemingly routine client-entertainment activity can evolve […]
Other News
SEC Issues Order to Reduce Operating Costs of Consolidated Audit Trail
Steps Toward Regulating the Cost of the CAT The SEC has issued a new order granting conditional exemptive relief toward certain requirements under the Consolidated Audit Trail NMS Plan (“CAT NMS Plan”), Regulation NMS Rule 613, and Rule 17a-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. This relief enables the self-regulatory […]
SEC Issues Exemptive Order Regarding Compliance with Certain Rules Under Regulation NMS
The Securities and Exchange Commission today issued an order granting temporary exemptive relief from certain compliance dates adopted under Regulation NMS: Minimum Pricing Increments, Access Fees and Transparency of Better Priced Orders as follows:… SEC Press Release For more information, contact the securities lawyers at Sallah Astarita & Cox, at […]
SEC Subpoenas – Tips for Responding – 2025
How you respond to an SEC subpoena makes a difference. Tips from an experienced securities attorney.
SEC Announces Departure of Director of Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation Stacey Bowers
The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that Stacey Bowers, who has served as the Director of the Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation, will depart the agency effective October 17, 2025. She has served as Director… SEC Press Release For more information, contact the securities lawyers […]
SEC Continues Efforts to Assist Market Participants During Implementation of Treasury Clearing Rules
The SEC has increased its support for broker-dealers and other market participants navigating the transition to mandatory central clearing of U.S. Treasury securities. The Commission launched a dedicated “one-stop” webpage providing up-to-date information, staff statements, regulatory materials and answers to frequently asked questions. (SEC) Background to the Treasury Clearing Rule […]
SEC Seeks Public Comment to Improve Rules on Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities and Asset-Backed Securities
The SEC recently issued a concept release inviting public input aimed at refining the regulatory framework for residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) and other asset-backed securities (ABS). The move comes amid a prolonged absence of public RMBS offerings and signals the Commission’s interest in reenergizing this market segment. (SEC) Why the […]
Jon Kroeper Named Deputy Director of the Division of Trading and Markets
The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that Jon Kroeper has been named deputy director of the agency’s Division of Trading and Markets, effective Sept. 29. Mr. Kroeper twice served at the SEC before joining the Financial Industry… SEC Press Release For more information, contact the securities lawyers at Sallah […]
SEC Announces Agenda, Panelists for SEC-CFTC Roundtable on Regulatory Harmonization Efforts
The Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission have announced the agenda and panelists for their joint September 29 roundtable on regulatory harmonization efforts. The roundtable, announced earlier this month,… SEC Press Release For more information, contact the securities lawyers at Sallah Astarita & Cox, at 212-509-6544 or […]
SEC Announces Departure of Chief Operating Officer Ken Johnson
The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that Ken Johnson, who has been serving as Chief Operating Officer (COO) since December 2017, will retire from the agency in December. “Ken has been an integral leader at the SEC for more than two… SEC Press Release For more information, contact the […]
