Professional Ethics for Compliance Professionals Live from the NRS Fall Conference
Friday, November 6, 2009 10:20 AM – 12:30 PM PST
Ann Oglanian, Kurt Wachholz

Course Description:

This two-hour Ethics course is designed for designated Investment Adviser Certified Compliance Professionals^SM (IACCP^SM) seeking continuing education Ethics credits and attorneys seeking Continuing Legal Education credits for states that approve online continuing education. This session complies with the CE requirements of the Center for Compliance Professionals and offers 2 ethics credit hours.

The workshop will address various ethical precepts that are embedded in the securities laws, with particular emphasis on the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as well as the Rules of Professional Conduct. The seminar will focus on the legal and regulatory framework that governs ethical conduct in the securities industry, a survey of seminal and instructive enforcement actions and a discussion of internal controls and best practices for fostering and enforcing a company-wide ethical culture. Also included in this program will be the attorney reporting rules under Sarbanes-Oxley, maintaining clients’ confidential information and financial relationships with clients with respect to gifts. Guidance for the aforementioned topics is contained in the Rules of Professional Conduct and the various securities laws/regulations and Self Regulatory Organization rules of practice. The instructors will provide a PowerPoint and attendees will be required to participate in a group exercise for the purpose of identifying and managing the ethical dilemmas and conflicts presented in a scenario-based case study.
 

Learning objectives

1. Acquire knowledge and skills to effectively address ethical “black holes” that may create legal, regulatory and reputational risk for you and your organization.

2. Gain insight into strategies for instilling and supporting a company-wide ethical culture of compliance and obtain practical guidance for identifying and managing ethical challenges in the workplace.

3. Understand basic ethical principles under the securities laws/regulations, with particular emphasis on the fiduciary duties incumbent upon advisers under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

4. Use hypothetical scenarios, often drawn from actual SEC enforcement cases, to identify, analyze and resolve ethical dilemmas and challenges, e.g., situations involving gifts from clients and personal trading.

5. Reinforce awareness of the treatment of confidential information of clients to prevent inadvertent violations.

6. Gain concrete experience transforming rules and regulations into meaningful daily action.
    

For whom:

Legal and compliance professionals including attorneys and Investment Adviser Certified Compliance Professionals (IACCP).
 

Scope/purpose

This intermediate level course of study examines requirements and regulatory developments for attorneys and investment advisory compliance professionals with the goal of enhancing their professional competence.

Prerequisites for attendance:

None. However, attendees would benefit from a basic understanding of definitions and concepts arising under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.