You've Decided to Register Your IA - Now What?

Our experts and special guest Susan Light,  Partner and Co-chair of Broker Dealer Regulation at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, explore the new SEC rules expanding the number of firms required to register with a self-regulatory organization.  They share their experience and insights into the rule changes, including what it means for the firms who must comply, the FINRA registration application process, challenges non-broker dealer entities may experience adapting to FINRA membership, and how FINRA has historically handled rule changes involving new membership. 

Oyster Consulting has the expertise, experience and licensed professionals you need, all under one roof. Follow us on LinkedIn to take advantage of our industry insights or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

Does your firm need help now? Contact us today!

 Oyster's seasoned professionals will share their experience, providing invaluable insights into FINRA's AML priorities. From customer due diligence to transaction monitoring, they'll guide you through the key considerations identified by FINRA, empowering you to elevate your AML framework. 

They also explore the findings unearthed in FINRA's examinations. Our experts will discuss prevalent issues discovered, offering tangible solutions to address them head-on. Whether it's enhancing customer risk assessments or optimizing Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) processes, you'll gain actionable strategies to bolster your AML program. Our industry practitioners will draw from their own experiences, providing real-world examples of how these practices can transform compliance efforts. 

Oyster Consulting has the expertise, experience and licensed professionals you need, all under one roof. Follow us on LinkedIn to take advantage of our industry insights or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

Does your firm need help now? Contact us today!

 In this week's Oyster Stew Podcast, our Strategic Planning and Execution experts, Pete Bowman, Pete McAteer, Jay Donlin, Jeff Wilk, and Jeff Gearhart share their perspectives on the four critical areas that are transforming the clearing and custodian industry: 

• Technology advances and accessibility are reshaping how firms look at clearing and custodian services. 
• Economics, from interest rates to market fluctuations, emerge as a significant player. 
• Client Engagement: Firms must determine how best to foster meaningful, compliant and efficient connections in a digital world.
• Managing risk and compliance always requires industry firms to assess their practices and review their platforms, and vendor management practices. 

Oyster Consulting has the expertise, experience and licensed professionals you need, all under one roof. Follow us on LinkedIn to take advantage of our industry insights or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

Does your firm need help now? Contact us today!

A lot has happened in the last year when it comes to compliance in the financial services industry.  Today our consultants share their perspectives and what we heard from our clients about the following areas of regulatory focus, including DOL Retrospective Reviews, outside business activity monitoring, private fund rules, direct business, off channel communications, cybersecurity, and FINRA's branch inspection pilot program. 

Oyster Consulting has the expertise, experience and licensed professionals you need, all under one roof. Follow us on LinkedIn to take advantage of our industry insights or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

Does your firm need help now? Contact us today!

When regulatory remediation is required and your firm is working under consent orders, it is important for financial services firms to have a plan to efficiently execute the process to avoid excess disruption, manage risk and reputational damage, and to navigate the firm's continuing relationship with the regulators. In today’s podcast Oyster’s Tim Buckler and Paul Saroj, SVP of Regulatory Enforcement remediation at Simpluris, talk about the remediation process, from data crunching to mailing the checks. 

Oyster Consulting has the expertise, experience and licensed professionals you need, all under one roof. Follow us on LinkedIn to take advantage of our industry insights or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

Does your firm need help now? Contact us today!

A necessary part of any financial services firm’s business is handling disputes that arise.  Whether it's a complaint from a customer, litigation, regulatory inquiries and investigations, firms need to have a well-thought-out process for handling these disputes.  In today’s podcast, Oyster Consulting experts Ed Wegener, Evan Rosser and John Ivan discuss 

·         how to approach the dispute review

·         how to work with and manage interactions with key stakeholders

·         managing the information gathering process 

·         factors to consider when determining whether a complaint has merit

·         keys to an effective investigation

Oyster Consulting has the expertise, experience and licensed professionals you need, all under one roof. Follow us on LinkedIn to take advantage of our industry insights or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

Does your firm need help now? Contact us today!

Each year the SEC publishes its exam priorities for the coming year. Join us for today’s podcast as Oyster Consulting’s Capital Markets experts Jeff Gearhart, Frank Childress and Jose Fernandez share their thoughts on the priorities related to broker-dealer trading practices including:

·       Rule 15c2-11 

·       Reg SHO

·       Reg ATS and filing requirements

Oyster Consulting has the expertise, experience and licensed professionals you need, all under one roof. Follow us on LinkedIn to take advantage of our industry insights or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

Does your firm need help now? Contact us today!

Join us for Part 2 of our discussion with Mark Hendrickson from D.A. Davidson Companies about where CAT and CAIS reporting stands today, the pain points firms are facing and what they should be doing to manage the current and upcoming reporting requirements. 

Oyster Consulting has the expertise, experience and licensed professionals you need, all under one roof. Follow us on LinkedIn to take advantage of our industry insights or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

Does your firm need help now? Contact us today!

FINRA’s Consolidated Audit Trail, or CAT, continues to evolve from account-centric trade reporting requirements to now including customer-centric CAIS reporting. 

Today's podcast guest is Mark Hendrickson, Head of Trading and Streetside Operations at DA Davidson Companies. Mark is also an Industry Advisory Committee Member representing clearing firms on the US Advisory Operating Committee of the Consolidated Audit Trail.  Join us as Oyster CEO Buddy Doyle and Consultants Jeffrey Gearhart and Ralph Magee chat with Mark about 

·       the current state of CAT/CAIS reporting,

·       industry concerns, 

·       what we see coming in 2024 and beyond, and

·       how DA Davidson has been proactive and successful in preparing for and executing its CAT requirements. 

Oyster Consulting has the expertise, experience and licensed professionals you need, all under one roof. Follow us on LinkedIn to take advantage of our industry insights or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

Does your firm need help now? Contact us today!

 Many introducing broker-dealers are moving to affiliate with another broker-dealer.  Join Oyster Managing Directors Pete Bowman and Dave Williams as they discuss what affiliation means for broker-dealers, what is driving firms to the strategy, and what part the advisory side of the business plays when firms consider affiliation. 

Oyster Consulting has the expertise, experience and licensed professionals you need, all under one roof. Follow us on LinkedIn to take advantage of our industry insights or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

Does your firm need help now? Contact us today!