FINRA Amends Rules 5110 and 5121 Related to Corporate Financing and Conflicts Of Interest

 On April 28, 2014 and on May 7, 2014, the SEC approved the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s (FINRA) amendments to Rule 5110 (Corporate Financing Rule – Underwriting Terms and Arrangements) and 5121 (Public Offerings of Securities with Conflicts of Interest) in order to simplify and refine the scope of the rules.  FINRA is the self-regulatory body that regulates and governs securities firms.  All securities firms are required to be licensed broker-dealers and are required to be members of FINRA.

FINRA rules and regulations are subject to review and approval by the SEC.  Section 15A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, requires that FINRA rules be “designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to foster cooperation and coordination with persons engaged in facilitating transactions in securities, to remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and a national market system, and in