Solutions - Govern | Oyster Consulting

The Intersection of Clearing and Compliance Technology

November 20, 2025

Broker-dealers rely heavily on their clearing firms for core operational functions. But clearing is no longer just about processing trades—it is a critical data source driving compliance and risk oversight. As regulatory expectations increase around reporting, surveillance, and monitoring, firms need to ensure that clearing data flows seamlessly into their compliance technology. Clearing Data as the Foundation of Compliance Every […]

Account Type Recommendations: Meeting Reg BI and Fiduciary Standards

November 20, 2025

Understanding Account Type Recommendations Under Reg BI and the Advisors Act Account type recommendations remain one of the most closely scrutinized areas of regulatory oversight. Both the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) have highlighted this issue in recent guidance and examinations, making it a critical area of focus for […]

GRC Software That Focuses Your Team: Why Risk Assessments Matter

October 29, 2025

In today’s regulatory environment, firms cannot afford to let compliance operate in silos or rely on manual processes. Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) software exists to bring structure and focus to complex obligations, ensuring that teams spend their time on the activities that truly matter. At the center of this framework is the risk assessment—a […]

Reg BI and Fiduciary Obligations

September 30, 2025

Taking Standards of Care from Policy to Practice In Part 2 of this Oyster Stew conversation, Ed Wegener continues the discussion with compliance experts Brent Nicks and Len Derus—this time focusing on the most pressing challenges firms face in applying Reg BI and fiduciary duty in practice: documentation, compensation conflicts, and rollover recommendations. The episode […]

NASAA Membership Exams Provide Insight for Investment Advisers

September 29, 2025

Common Compliance Gaps for Investment Advisers The North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) has released its 2025 Coordinated Investment Adviser Exams Report, offering valuable insight into common compliance gaps and areas of regulatory concern for state-covered investment advisers. Based on 1,086 examinations conducted between February 1 and July 31, 2025, the report identified 3,402 violations […]

Oyster Solutions Unveils Expansive Product Updates

May 8, 2025

Oyster Solutions Significantly Advances its Versatile Platform Oyster Solutions, the industry’s premier provider of governance, risk and compliance technology, revealed a rich set of new features and capabilities to its already robust operating system. With Oyster Solutions, financial services professionals can maximize their productivity, mitigate risk, and deliver exceptional service—all within Oyster Solutions’ centralized platform […]

How to Build an Effective Compliance Calendar

April 17, 2025

The Foundation: Rules and Risk Assessments In the dynamic world of regulatory compliance for wealth management firms, having a well-structured compliance calendar is not just a best practice—it’s essential. A strong, tailored compliance calendar ensures that your tasks, reviews, and compliance filings are executed on time, minimizing risks and keeping your firm in line with […]

The Benefits of Software Outsourcing for Financial Firms

March 14, 2025

Why Software Outsourcing Matters In today’s highly regulated financial industry, firms face increasing operational complexities and compliance challenges. Managing these demands in-house can stretch resources thin, limiting focus on core activities like client services and growth strategies. Software outsourcing has emerged as a strategic solution. By partnering with specialized providers, financial firms can access tailored […]

Don’t Miss Investment Advisor Regulatory Filing Deadlines

January 24, 2025

Each year, registered investment advisers (RIAs) face a variety of regulatory filing obligations, including annual amendments to Form ADV, Form PF submissions for eligible firms, and other essential compliance reports. Keeping track of these requirements can be complex due to their volume and the unique demands of each filing. A clear understanding of these deadlines […]

Common Marketing and Communications Compliance Mistakes

December 5, 2024

Navigating Common Compliance Pitfalls Communication missteps, non-compliant marketing strategies and outdated procedures are all common pitfalls that can lead to significant risk for Registered Investment Advisors and Broker-Dealers. Listen to Part 1 of our two-part series on Common Compliance Mistakes as Oyster’s regulatory compliance experts Sarah Sutton, Candy Palugi and Dean Pelos uncover how to […]

From Application to Approval: Breaking Down Broker-Dealer Registration

November 26, 2024

Understanding Broker Dealer Registration In order to conduct securities transactions and business with the investing public, both firms and individuals need to be registered with FINRA. Individuals need to pass certain securities examinations based on the type of business they will engage in, and firms must go through FINRA’s membership application process and be granted […]

Rule 3240 Updated

November 7, 2024

Overview of FINRA Rule 3240 In 2003, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) adopted Rule 3240 which put restrictions on whether and when registered individuals could borrow from or lend to customers. The rule generally prohibited such arrangements but allowed them in certain prescribed circumstances so long as the broker-dealer had policies and procedures allowing […]

Posts by

Ed Wegener