FINRA Will Maintain Focus on Firm Culture

Posted on June 9th, 2016 at 5:46 PM
 FINRA Will Maintain Focus on Firm Culture

From the Desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law LLC:

At FINRA’s annual conference in Washington, D.C. on May 23, 2016, FINRA’s CEO Richard Ketchum, told participants that “from an examination perspective, we count culture as a factor that influences a firm’s risk profile,” and there is a “direct line between culture and the probability or severity of an enforcement action.”

To study this issue further, the subject of behavioral science is being used in order to understand the practices and behaviors which influence how employees in broker-dealer firms make and execute decisions.  Furthermore, the psychological phenomenon of “group-think” is being studied to determine what happens at firms when the desire for harmony or conformity in the group results in a decision-making outcome.

In addition, Ketchum said FINRA is “also looking at the role that compensation practices play in reinforcing or possibly undermining cultural values” and is doing so by examining data and advanced analytics to “identify registered representatives with potentially problematic regulatory histories.”

FINRA’s goal is to organize the research conducted in order to better understand how it impacts compliance and risk management. More specifically, FINRA’s goal is to determine “whether control functions are valued within the organization; whether policy or control breaches are tolerated; whether the organization proactively seeks to identify risk and compliance events; whether immediate managers are effective role models of firm culture; and whether sub-cultures that may not conform to overall corporate culture are identified and addressed.” FINRA.org. 

The attorneys of Eccleston Law LLC represent investors and advisers nationwide in securities and employment matters. Our attorneys draw on a combined experience of nearly 65 years in delivering the highest quality legal services. If you are in need of legal services, contact us to schedule a one-on-one consultation today.

Related Attorneys: James J. Eccleston

Tags: Eccleston, Eccleston Law, Eccleston Law LLC, James Eccleston

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next

I am so blessed to have you and your dynamic team defending me. Your ethics, forward thinking and strategies are amazing.  You guys are the best group of attorneys in the country that I could hire to handle this complicated case.

Cindy C.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

July 26, 2024
Kentucky Advisor Sues LPL Financial for Alleged Corporate Raid

A Kentucky advisor, Mark Lamkin, has filed a lawsuit against LPL Financial, claiming the independent broker-dealer orchestrated a corporate raid that resulted in the loss of his firm’s entire book of managed assets.

July 25, 2024
FINRA Plans Fee Increases Amid Rising Costs and Losses

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has announced plans to raise fees for its approximately 3,300 broker-dealer member firms. According to AdvisorHub, the self-regulator faces soaring costs, as detailed in its annual report published at the end of June.

July 24, 2024
Raymond James Settles with Oregon Over Excessive Commissions

Raymond James recently settled a case with Oregon's Division of Financial Regulation (“DFR”), agreeing to pay nearly $200,000 over allegations of charging excessive commissions to retail investors.