News & Events –

Bates continues our practice leadership conversations this week with Edward Longridge, Managing Director of Bates Anti-Money Laundering and Financial Crimes Practice, for his views on the matters most pressing for AML officers right now, including coronavirus-related fraud, transaction monitoring, and third-party risk management. Here is a recap of our conversation.

The first part of this year has been challenging for the equity markets. In March, the S&P 500 Index plunged into bear market territory as volatility soared to historic levels. The sudden appearance of a severe global pandemic is just the most recent example of a “black swan event” roiling the markets. In this paper, Bates Director and expert Greg Kyle examines in detail bear markets, black swan events, and volatility to gain some perspective on how the recent—or current?—bear market compares with historical periods.

A message from Bates Group CEO Jennifer Stout

Bates Group’s industry-leading insurance, forensic accounting and economic damages experts stand ready to assist Insurers and agents in the many challenges they face as result of pandemic-related business interruptions, including pre-litigation claims reviews and multi-faceted support should a matter proceed to litigation.

In this first of a series of conversations with Bates Group practice leaders, we caught up with Robert Lavigne, Managing Director and Bates Compliance Practice Leader, and Hank Sanchez, Esq., Bates Compliance Managing Director and former SEC and FINRA regulator, to get an understanding of what they are hearing from compliance officers right now, as well as advice for compliance teams in the "new normal."

Bates Group is proud to welcome our newest experts and consultants: 

Kathy D. Ireland – ERISA, Investment Advisers Act, Codes of Ethics

Philip Lieberman, CPCO, CLU – Property and Casualty Insurance

Jennifer Luce – Accounting, Media, Publishing

Mike Steinmetz – Cybersecurity

Over the course of the last 40 years we’ve seen plenty of ups and downs in the markets. Along the way, Bates Group has helped our clients sort through the complexities and fallout by providing clear and accurate analyses, reporting, and expertise.

FINRA has announced that, in response to the evolving coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), it “has decided to administratively postpone all in-person arbitration and mediation proceedings scheduled through May 1, 2020. “

NSCP Regulatory Interchange with the SEC, DOL & FINRA: Moved to July 24, 2020 in Denver, CO. Bates Compliance Managing Director Linda Shirkey is a speaker/moderator.

Bates Compliance Practice Leader Robert “Bob” Lavigne is quoted in a new article entitled “Reg BI Compliance Race is On,” published by ThinkAdvisor.

If you’ve been in meetings about investor communications, business travel, or other contingency planning over the past few days and weeks, you are not alone. Since the outbreak of the coronavirus (also referred to as COVID-19) and more recently, the precipitous volatility of the financial markets, financial firms have been deluged with questions from just about every stakeholder group about how to respond. Regulators are weighing in as well. Bates looks at some of the efforts to prepare and reassure everyone out there.

Bates Group is proud to welcome new Managing Director Jennifer L. Cunningham. She is an accomplished and seasoned financial services professional with over 20 years of experience in broker-dealer branch office management, risk and supervision, suitability, operations, sales support, Human Resources and customer communications. A former Director at UBS in New Jersey and New York City and former Vice President at the Merrill Lynch Fifth Avenue flagship office, Ms. Cunningham comes to Bates from another consulting firm, where she provided expertise in support of broker-dealer litigation and customer complaint matters, prepared FINRA broker-dealer New Member Applications, and served as lead project manager for specialized regulatory and compliance consulting retentions.

Bates Group Expert and Consultant William Jannace is quoted in a new article from Investment News.

Bates Group is pleased to announce the acquisition of The Advisor's Resource, Inc. (TARI), a leading compliance consulting firm based in Houston, Texas. Veteran compliance leader and TARI Founder & President Linda Shirkey will join Bates Group, along with Shelley Dragon, TARI’s director of client service, as members of the Bates Compliance team. The acquisition further expands Bates Compliance with greater access and resources to service Registered Investment Advisers (RIAs), as well as private equity and hedge fund firms across the United States.

Last month, we reported on FINRA's announcement that they will be conducting SEC Reg BI readiness assessments to better understand companies' Reg BI implementation preparations. Bates Compliance helps firms achieve Reg BI readiness.

FINRA has announced that they will be conducting SEC Reg BI readiness assessments to better understand companies' Reg BI implementation preparations. Learn about how Bates Compliance and our Reg BI Readiness Workshops can support your firm’s SEC Reg BI implementation efforts.