Financial services law firm Murphy & McGonigle announces today it has continued its recent momentum with the opening of an office in Chicago, its second new office this year. The firm has made significant strides in gaining market share across the U.S. since its founding in 2010, with an ever-growing lineup of financial industry lawyers and a unique law firm platform.

On March 31, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES Act, to provide immediate and critically needed financial relief to the economy, which was racing the disastrous consequences of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The US commodities regulator almost equalled its annual record for the number of penalties it handed down for market manipulation in the past year.

Coming close on the heels of adoption by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) of substantial amendments to Rule 15c2-11 governing over-the-counter (“OTC”) quotations for securities, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) has proposed to adopt new Rule 6439 “to expand and enhance the obligations of [FINRA] member firms that operate certain systems that regularly disseminate the quotations of identified broker-dealers in OTC Equity Securities” (“interdealer quotation system” or “IDQS”).

Produced by the Attorney General’s Cyber-Digital Task Force, the Framework is divided into three parts with a conclusion. It provides an overview of threats and enforcement challenges associated with the increasing use of cryptocurrency; enumerates the criminal and civil statutes and regulatory framework used to investigate and regulate illegal crypto-related activities; and outlines ongoing challenges for businesses involved with cryptocurrency, and future strategies for investigating and prosecuting crypto involved crimes.

FINRA’s  expungement  process  provides  a  way  for  registered representatives to remove information about customer complaints and arbitrations from FINRA’s Central Registration Depository (CRD) system.  The system serves as the central licensing and registration system for the U.S. securities industry.

Three members of Murphy & McGonigle’s Commodities, Futures & Derivatives Practice will have prominent speaking roles at this week’s FIA Law & Compliance Division Conference 2020 (Oct. 7-9). The annual conference, held virtually this year, provides a forum to explore recent legal and regulatory precedents affecting the futures, options and centrally cleared derivatives markets.