Navigating SEC Examination for a Registered Investment Adviser
How we guided a regulated financial services firm through a high-risk regulatory examination while strengthening its long-term compliance framework.
- Practice Area: Broker-Dealer & Investment Adviser Regulation
- Jurisdiction: United States
- Client Type: Registered Investment Adviser (RIA)
- The Challenge
Regulatory and Operational Risks
The client was notified of an upcoming regulatory examination conducted by federal authorities. The examination posed significant legal, operational, and reputational risks.
Key challenges included:
- Limited preparation time before the examination
- Inconsistencies between operational practices and written supervisory procedures
- Increased regulatory scrutiny due to recent business expansion
- Internal teams lacking experience with complex regulatory audits
Failure to address these issues could have resulted in enforcement actions, financial penalties, or long-term regulatory consequences.
- Our Approach
Strategic Legal Assessment
Our team adopted a proactive and structured approach focused on both immediate examination readiness and long-term risk mitigation.
We began with a comprehensive review of the client’s regulatory posture, identifying gaps between existing practices and regulatory expectations. This allowed us to prioritize risks and design a targeted remediation strategy aligned with the client’s business model.
Our approach emphasized collaboration with internal stakeholders, clear communication with regulators, and practical compliance solutions rather than theoretical frameworks.
- The Challenge
Regulatory and Operational Risks
We provided end-to-end legal and strategic support throughout the examination process, including
Conducting a detailed regulatory risk assessment
Reviewing and updating compliance manuals and supervisory procedures
Aligning internal policies with current regulatory requirements
Preparing senior management and staff for regulator interviews
Providing real-time legal support during the examination
Acting as the primary point of contact with regulatory authorities
All solutions were customized to reflect the client’s operational structure, risk profile, and growth objectives.
- Our Approach
Outcome & Impact
The regulatory examination was completed successfully without material findings or enforcement actions.
As a result of our work, the client achieved:
- A favorable examination outcome
- Enhanced confidence in regulatory interactions
- A stronger and more resilient compliance framework
- Reduced exposure to future regulatory risk
Beyond the immediate examination, the client is now better positioned to scale operations while maintaining regulatory compliance.