September 7, 2009
I have been representing the victims of investor fraud for almost 18 years. While I like the fact that Finra would like to eliminate the 2 year period for showing certain final regulatory actions on BrokerCheck, I do not understand why that time limitation cannot be eliminated for all reportable events on BrokerCheck. Brokers often become investment advisors after their Finra registrations terminate, and investors could therefore still greatly benefit from that information, in many instances years after the broker's registration is terminated. If investor protection is paramount, then the more information that stays on BrokerCheck, the better.
Another important role that BrokerCheck can play relates to claims being made against the broker, or related to the broker. Such claims can be made many years after the broker's registration is terminated. If important inormation about the broker is not present on BrokerCheck, investors may not be able to find counsel willing to accept a case. The more information I can find about a broker when a victim contacts me, the more likely it will be that I make the correct call in determining if there is a claim worth persuing.
Overall, the poposed rule is good, but I would urge the SEC to require Finra to keep more information about brokers on BrokerCheck, regardless of when the broker's registration is terminated.