News & Events

Join Bates at the IBDC-RIAC Risk Management Conference May 7-10, 2023, at the beautiful St. Regis Hotel in Park City, Utah. Our colleague Ira D. Hammerman will be featured on the panel “A look at the SEC’s and FINRA’s 2023 priorities and guidance for IBDs and RIAs on how to navigate regulatory scrutiny.” Bates is a proud sponsor of the conference.

In a recent Staff Bulletin, SEC staff clarified care obligations for broker-dealers and investment advisers towards retail clients. Both the Reg BI and fiduciary standards share the same principles and responsibilities towards retail investors, narrowing the differences between the two.

The Money Transmission Modernization Act (MTMA) was created to modernize the money transmission industry by allowing for comprehensive standards and requirements that reduce regulatory burden and encourage innovation, and improved consumer protections that allow for less confusing rules across states. In this article, we look at the three key benefits of the MTMA, as well as the current attitude of state legislatures toward its adoption.

Meet Bates Senior Executive Advisor Jennifer Stout and Managing Director Paul Lambert at SIFMA’s Private Client Conference, May 3-5 in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Bates is proud to sponsor the Southwest Women in Financial Services (SWIFS) 2023 Spring Symposium, May 2, 2023 at Raymond James headquarters in St. Petersburg, FL.

FINRA and the SEC are increasingly focused on manipulative trading practices, such as wash sales and front running, due to an uptick in these violations and the regulators' use of advanced data analytics to detect potential market abuses.

Meet Bates Group crypto leaders Brandi Reynolds and John Ashley at CoinDesk's Consensus 2023 conference, April 26-28, 2023 in Austin, TX.

Bates is proud to announce the appointment of Benjamin R. Pappas as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Previously, Pappas was Bates Group’s President, where he was responsible for driving the firm’s overall growth strategy. Pappas succeeds former CEO Jennifer Stout, who will be taking up new roles as Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors and Senior Executive Advisor to the firm.

Bates is a proud Diamond Sponsor of the FSDA Industry Outreach Program "2023: Unmasking Market Opportunities." April 21, 2023 at the Boca Raton Marriott at Boca Center. Register today to join Bates CEO Jennifer Stout , Chair of the program, at this re-scheduled program.

Join Bates Group Managing Consultant John Ashley along with experts from Alloy and Chainalysis on this new webinar as they discuss regulatory compliance and best practices impacting companies building crypto-enabled products. Wednesday, April 19, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. ET

OFAC has recently made updates to its website designed to make it easier for users to find guidance on specific industries, use the reporting system, stay current on policy updates, and access OFAC's sanctions database quickly and efficiently.

Bates Compliance Managing Directors Kurt Wachholz and Hank Sanchez will be speaking on panels at the NSCP Interactive Compliance Lab - April 18, 2023 at Fordham School of Law in NYC.

Bates Group welcomes our newest consulting and testifying experts:

Nicholas Bowman, CFP®, CEP®, MSPFP

James A. Kamradt

Bridget McNamara-Fenesy, JD

David M. Minnick

Download this illustrative and detailed chartbook featuring U.S. economic and capital markets analysis for 2022. From Bates Group Director Greg Kyle and President Ben Pappas.

On March 27, 2023, the SEC Division of Examinations issued a Risk Alert focused on compliance deficiencies found in examinations of newly registered advisers. The Division said these advisers may face unique risks, particularly as to conflicts of interest, and cautioned them to review their policies and procedures, disclosures, and marketing practices. The Division also explained—perhaps as guidance for these new registrants—that their examinations were “an opportunity for early engagement between advisers and the staff.” Bates has a brief summary of this new Alert and what it could mean for your firm and clients.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) engages in rigorous examinations of financial institutions to ensure that they follow all applicable laws and regulations, have effective compliance management systems in place, and provide meaningful consumer protections. Bates Group offers independent consumer compliance reviews to help protect your business and customers.