Security Traders Association President and CEO Jim Toes joins Chris and Kurt to unpack key themes from the STA’s 89th Annual Market Structure Conference in Washington, D.C., including crypto regulation, best execution, “gamification,” payment for order flow and other market plumbing issues. Learn more about the STA here: https://securitytraders.org/ .
On this episode of the inSecurities podcast, Kurt sits down with Knut Rostad, co-founder and president of the Institute for the Fiduciary Standard, to talk about the fiduciary standard registered investment advisors owe their clients, how the SEC interprets that standard in 2022, the challenges and opportunities for advisors created by the SEC’s interpretation and Regulation Best Interest, and what the future of the fiduciary standard might look like. Knut also shares details about panel discuss...
On this episode of the inSecurities podcast, Chris and Kurt chat with Micah Hauptman, who recently returned to the Consumer Federation of America as Director of Investor Protection, having previously served as counsel to SEC Commissioner Caroline Crenshaw. Micah talks about noteworthy accomplishments during his time at the Commission and breaks down several investor protection rules and policies CFA supports, including initiatives relating to ESG investing and complex products.
Chris and Kurt recently attended PLI’s annual SEC Speaks conference in Washington, D.C. During the program, high-ranking SEC officials offered their views on the SEC’s top regulatory and enforcement priorities. On this episode of the inSecurities podcast, Chris and Kurt discuss their takeaways from The SEC Speaks in 2022. On the agenda: crypto regulation and enforcement, SEC rulemaking, auditing and accounting updates, and developments within the SEC’s Division of Enforcement.
Chris and Kurt discuss their initial thoughts live from PLI's The SEC Speaks in 2022 program. There’s still time to register, so click over to www.PLI.edu and sign up for the virtual attendance option, or stay tuned for a special episode next week when our co-hosts will discuss more of what they saw and heard at SEC Speaks!
On this episode of the inSecurities podcast, Chris & Kurt catch up with George Wilson, Director of PLI’s SEC Institute, to discuss recent developments at the SEC and possible changes on the horizon for FASB and PCAOB standards. Plus, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, George tests Chris & Kurt with some SOX trivia.
Accounting Summer School continues as Chris and Kurt chat with Howard Scheck, a Partner at StoneTurn Group LLP and a former Chief Accountant in the SEC’s Division of Enforcement. They discuss Howard’s career as a JD/CPA, his experience in the Division of Enforcement, and his take on today’s trends in accounting and audit enforcement.
While Chris and Kurt enjoy some time away during their summer, "Accounting Summer School" continues with a rebroadcast of our episode from November 2020: A GAAP in Your Financial Reporting. On this episode of InSecurities, Chris and Kurt take a deep dive into the complex issues regarding accounting fraud and issuer disclosures. Our co-hosts discuss the basic tenets of accounting, the securities laws applicable and often charged in accounting fraud matters, and recent cases that demonstrate the S...
For more than 100 years, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) has led the profession through triumphs and challenges in a dynamic financial reporting and auditing environment. In recent years the AICPA has collaborated with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) to continue to lead accountants globally with a focus on staying current for their members and the markets as a whole. Tom Hood, Executive Vice President for Business Growth and Engagement at t...
Marking 20 years since the passing of the landmark Sarbanes - Oxley Act of 2002, Chris and Kurt talk about SOX’s origin story; its perceived influence on accounting, auditing, and the law; and the lasting implications of SOX in today’s markets. They are joined by Professor James J. Park of the UCLA School of Law, who returns to the podcast after discussing SEC Enforcement trends in Episode 30, as he shares his take on SOX and talks about his upcoming book The Valuation Treadmill: How Securities ...
Ponzi schemes are a consistent and recurring issue in our securities markets, and investors continue to fall victim to these frauds. On this episode of the inSecurities podcast, Chris and Kurt talk with Jordan Maglich, practicing attorney and founder of the law blog Ponzitracker, about what he’s seen in more than a decade of tracking Ponzi schemes, what victims of these frauds can expect in terms of recovery, and his upcoming presentation alongside Chris at the ACFE Global Fraud Conference title...
Cryptocurrency, ESG, complex products, Reg BI — there’s a lot happening in the securities regulatory and enforcement world. On this episode of the inSecurities podcast, Chris, Kurt, and InvestmentNews Senior Reporter Mark Schoeff Jr. break down some of the hot topics and trends.
On this episode of inSecurities, Chris & Kurt chat with Mark Kim, Chief Executive Officer of the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB). They discuss the $4 trillion municipal securities market, the role of the MSRB, and how the MSRB is building more efficient and transparent markets.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and the first week of May is Well-Being Week in Law. To complement PLI’s catalog of mental health and well-being programs , on this episode Chris and Kurt step away from the world of securities regulation to talk about some of the challenges many attorneys and accountants face, and how they can set out on a path to wellness. First, Chris and Kurt chat with Denise Perme, Associate Director of the D.C. Bar’s Lawyer Assistance Program, to talk about drivers of ...
“If you want to do something extraordinary you will have to inevitably do something uncomfortable and scary.” In other words, go off the beaten path. That’s the advice of Alex Su, a lawyer turned-social media influencer, author of the Off The Record newsletter, and Head of Community Development at Ironclad. On this episode of the inSecurities podcast, Alex offers advice to professionals who are considering their next career move. Follow Alex on TikTok (@legaltechbro) and Twitter (@heyitsalexsu),...
On this episode of the inSecurities podcast, Chris and Kurt chat with Kirsten Wegner, CEO of Modern Markets Initiative (“MMI”), about the rise of the retail investor, the role of market makers in promoting fair and efficient markets, and the ubiquity of algorithmic and high-frequency trading. They also learn about MMI’s efforts to promote innovative, competitive, and transparent capital markets.
On March 9, 2022, President Biden signed an Executive Order on Ensuring Responsible Development of Digital Assets, marking the “first ever, whole-of-government approach to addressing the risks and harnessing the potential benefits of digital assets and their underlying technology.” On this episode of inSecurities, Chris and Kurt sit down with experts Carla Carriveau, the Chief Legal Officer of CoinList, and Michael Liftik, a Co-Chair of Quinn Emanuel’s SEC Enforcement Practice, to find out wheth...
Chris & Kurt chat with FINRA’s Deputy Head of Enforcement, Chris Kelly, to learn what it’s like on the front lines of FINRA Enforcement. Chris discusses how FINRA’s role as a self-regulatory organization helps it fulfill its regulatory mandate, what FINRA means when it says its goal is “to get to the right regulatory outcome,” and why member firms facing a potential disciplinary action should actually be open to a dialogue with FINRA.
Kurt and Chris welcome back SECI Director George Wilson to cover recent developments in SEC, PCAOB, and FASB news. George gives his take on new PCAOB leadership, goodwill accounting standards reform, recent developments around 10b5-1 plans, and the stock buyback regulations. Subscribe to the SEC Institute’s Quarterly Newsletter .
Stephanie Avakian, the head of WilmerHale’s Securities and Financial Services Department and a former Director of the SEC’s Enforcement Division, talks with Chris and Kurt about changes in tone for the Division of Enforcement, current enforcement priorities, and what she’s watching on the enforcement horizon.
Robinhood is on a mission to “democratize finance for all.” Chris & Kurt sit down with Robinhood’s Deputy General Counsel, Lucas Moskowitz, to talk about Robinhood’s mission, how 2021 changed Robinhood – and the markets – for good, and what regulatory changes Robinhood spies on the horizon. They also have fun with some Robin Hood trivia.
Chris and Kurt sit down with Jesse Eisinger, senior editor at ProPublica , Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist covering the financial markets and the 2008 financial crisis, and author of The Chickenshit Club: Why the Justice Department Fails to Prosecute Executives (2017) . Their conversation focuses on reporting in the securities markets, his prophetic (and award-winning) writing about the fall of the housing market and its impacts, and his recent work as a consultant on the hit HBO show Successi...
Ring in the New Year with inSecurities! Guests on the inSecurities podcast keep listeners current on the latest securities regulatory and enforcement developments. On this special New Year’s Eve episode of the podcast, Chris and Kurt visit with past guests at a virtual cocktail party, including SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, Jane Norberg, and professors Daniel Taylor, James Tierney, J.W. Verret, and Karen Woody. Tune in to learn how the regulatory landscape is changing, and hear our guests’ 202...
In this episode of the inSecurities podcast, Chris and Kurt sit down with FINRA Head of Enforcement Jessica Hopper to talk about the role of FINRA Enforcement and several of FINRA’s enforcement priorities – including “finfluencers,” cybersecurity, and complex products – and then bust a few myths about FINRA Enforcement. Tune in to this episode of FINRA’s own podcast, Unscripted , to hear more from Jessica: https://www.finra.org/media-center/finra-unscripted/enforcement-jessica-hopper-introductio...
SEC Commissioner Allison Herren Lee sits down with Chris & Kurt to share her views on how the Commission might enhance investor protection and increase transparency in private markets and update the ESG disclosure regime to meet the needs and demands of investors . . . along with the benefits of “beautiful accounting footnotes.” Be sure to read Commissioner Lee’s recent speech, “Going Dark: The Growth of Private Markets and the Impact on Investors and the Economy,” available here: https://ww...
The SEC’s Division of Enforcement just released its enforcement results for FY2021. On this special episode, Chris and Kurt break down the results with Quinn Emanuel partner, Sarah Heaton Concannon . https://www.pli.edu/insecurities
Nebraska College of Law Professor James F. Tierney explains how many apps incorporate design features — sometimes called “gamification” — to influence investor behavior. Professor Tierney also explores with Chris & Kurt some of the regulatory and policy implications of those design features. https://www.pli.edu/insecurities
As a bonus feature, we are sharing an episode of the ACFE’s Fraud Talk podcast entitled “Understanding the Art and “Science” of the Theranos Saga,” on which our very own Chris Ekimoff appeared as a special guest. On the episode, released during International Fraud Awareness Week, Chris and Mandy Moody, CFE, ACFE communications manager, discuss the latest from the trial of former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes. https://www.pli.edu/insecurities...
In October, the SEC released its long anticipated “GameStop Report.” Ty Gellasch, a market plumbing expert and Executive Director of Healthy Markets, gives Chris & Kurt his take on the report.
The securities regulatory and enforcement world was buzzing after PLI’s annual SEC Speaks program. From ESG to SPACs, and from “gamification” to corporate penalties, the conference hit all the hot topics. On this episode of inSecurities, Chris & Kurt share their “Four Big Things” to take away from The SEC Speaks in 2021: Requiring admissions in SEC enforcement actions; zero tolerance for auditor independence violations; regulating the robo-advisors; and cryptocurrency in the Wild West. Watch...
