Morgan Lewis

Brian J. Baltz

Associate

Brian J. Baltz focuses his practice on the regulation of investment advisers, broker-dealers, and bank fiduciaries. Brian counsels clients offering investment advice and brokerage services through their private wealth and private client businesses on issues arising under regulation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). Brian advises investment advisers, broker-dealers, and banks on investment management issues, including conflicts, disclosure, trading, wrap fee programs, soft dollar arrangements, advertising, and other ongoing regulatory compliance matters.

Extended Profile

Before joining Morgan Lewis, Brian held multiple positions in the SEC’s Division of Trading and Markets, including in the Office of Chief Counsel and Office of Market Supervision. While in the Office of Chief Counsel, he was part of the team responsible for drafting a proposed rule to establish a uniform standard of conduct for broker-dealers and investment advisers. Prior to his work at the SEC, Brian was public policy counsel to a financial services industry trade association based in Washington, DC, where he worked on legislative and regulatory issues impacting broker-dealers and investment advisers, including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

Education

  • Vanderbilt University Law School, 2008, J.D.
  • Iona College, 2004, M.B.A., With Honors
  • Iona College, 2002, B.B.A., Cum Laude

Admissions

  • District of Columbia
  • New York

Awards and Affiliations

Member, Practice Group of the Year, Asset Management, Law360 (2017)

Former Editor in Chief, Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment and Technology Law

Publications

July 2019 - Game Changer: What Regulation Best Interest Means for Retail Broker-Dealers, Wall Street Lawyer

7/12/2019 - In Focus: Deciphering the SEC’s Standard of Conduct for Investment Advisers

6/25/2019 - In Focus: What Regulation Best Interest Means for Retail Broker-Dealers

6/14/2019 - SEC Takes the Reins in Debate over Retail Advice Standards

6/6/2019 - SEC Adopts Standards of Conduct For Retail Advice

June 2018 - SEC Pitches Proposed Rules for Brokers Giving Advice to Retail Investors

6/14/2018 - SEC Proposes Interpretation of Standard of Conduct for Investment Advisers

5/15/2018 - SEC Proposes Rules of the Road for Brokers Giving Advice to Retail Investors

4/20/2018 - SEC Proposes Standards of Conduct for Broker-Dealers, Investment Advisers

4/17/2018 - GDPR’s New Requirements: What Investment Managers, Funds, Banks, and Broker-Dealers Need to Know

11/3/2017 - SEC Tackles MiFID II Research Issues

4/18/2017 - Effect of the MIFID II Research Regime on US Investment Managers, The National Law Review

4/18/2017 - Effect of the MIFID II Research Regime on US Investment Managers

4/3/2017 - EU’s New Regime on Payments for Research, Use of Dealing Commissions

March 2017 - EU’s New Regime on Payments for Research, Use of Dealing Commissions, The Hedge Fund Journal

February 2017 - 2016 Year in Review: Select SEC and FINRA Developments and Enforcement Cases

11/14/2016 - The 2016 Election and the Future of the Department of Labor Fiduciary Rule

5/13/2016 - Sub-Advisers Get Relief from Custody Rule’s Surprise Exam Requirement

March 2016 - 2015 Year in Review: Select SEC and FINRA Developments and Enforcement Cases

1/28/2016 - SEC Staff Issues Guidance on Mutual Fund Distribution Arrangements

5/20/2015 - DOL’s Proposal to Expand Fiduciary Definition Would Bring Many Service Providers Into Scope

4/15/2015 - DOL Fiduciary Rule to Revamp Regulation of Advice to Plans and IRAs

3/23/2015 - Department of Labor Retirement Initiative Fails to Consider Current Regulatory Regime, which Comprehensively Protects Investors, Including IRA Investors, and Preserves Investor Choice

February 2015 - Select Broker-Dealer Enforcement Cases and Developments: 2014 Year in Review

1/21/2015 - Reg. SCI: What ATS CCOs Need to Know, Compliance Intelligence

December 2014 - SEC Adopts Regulation SCI

View more...

News

2/28/2017 - Morgan Lewis Issues 11th Annual Report on SEC, FINRA Enforcement Developments and Cases

3/3/2016 - Morgan Lewis Releases 10th Annual Report on SEC, FINRA Enforcement Developments and Cases

Events

9/10/2019 - SEC Standards of Conduct: Navigating New Requirements for Retail Advice Disclosures

6/27/2019 - SEC Standards of Conduct: Navigating the Investment Adviser Interpretation

6/12/2019 - SEC Sets Standards for Retail Advice

5/20/2019 - Fiduciary: Bank vs. RIA

4/1/2019 - Primer On Regulation of Wealth Management - New York

10/25/2018 - 2018 Securities Law Development Conference

5/9/2018 - SEC Proposed Standards of Conduct for Retail Advice

4/23/2018 - NRS Spring 2018 Compliance Conference

12/6/2017 - NIRI Capital Area: Change in the Sell-Side Research Model is Coming. Are You Ready?

9/19/2017 - Trading Practices, Portfolio Compliance and Related Enforcement Cases

6/17/2016 - 2016 Money Management Institute Legal & Compliance Seminar

View more...