Investigation / Arbitration / Litigation / Regulatory / Compliance / AML
Bates Group: Your Industry Solution
We assist financial services firms and their counsel throughout the lifecycle of their legal and compliance matters
The Bates team of consulting and testifying experts and experienced big data and analytical professionals: (1) support arbitration, litigation, financial crimes and enforcement matters, (2) help with the complexities of internal investigations, (3) assist in responding to and resolving regulatory investigations and examinations and (4) prepare and assist in the implementation, review and enhancement of compliance, AML and supervision programs, policies and procedures. Our dedication to meet our clients’ needs is our greatest priority and pride.
Early Case Assessment, Data Analytics and Damages Consulting
What Is My Exposure? Helping Clients Make Sense of the Dollars at Stake
When an arbitration, litigation or enforcement matter is commenced against our clients, they call upon our industry-leading data analytics support team, which, following the collection and analysis of large amounts of data, is able to accurately estimate the potential damages at stake. Using Bates Group’s proprietary software, our skilled professionals prepare high-quality data analytics reports, hypotheticals and what-if scenarios to support or rebut allegations before, during, and after hearings and while settling or mediating matters.
Litigation & Arbitration: Our Experienced Industry Experts and Consultants
Our large and highly-skilled nationwide team of over 175 industry experts and consultants bring their extensive, deep and very experienced backgrounds in retail and institutional financial services, insurance, fraud and forensics, and compliance to the task of analyzing the facts and data in each matter, recommending a course of action, and, if necessary, testifying at depositions and hearings.
Regulatory and Internal Investigations
Revealing the Financial Truth in a Matter
Bates Group’s professionals and experts, with decades of practical senior regulatory, legal, compliance and business experience, are leveraged by our clients to conduct or participate in sensitive and complex regulatory and internal investigations in the U.S. and throughout the world. Our regulatory practice team works closely with regional and multi-national financial services corporations, law firms, and federal and state regulators, which may also involve responding to the employee conduct that may be at issue in the arbitration, litigation or regulatory inquiry.
Whether it’s a large-scale insider trading investigation, a focused examination into specific transactions and/or events, independent data review and validation, or testing and tuning of internal surveillance alert systems, we use experienced programmers and forensic experts with financial industry, fraud examination and accounting backgrounds to form an effective team. Bates Group plays an integral role in helping counsel understand the nature of the data set being examined and presents its results in a format that counsel can easily interpret and explain.
Our experts have served as investigators on behalf of clients, running internal U.S. and international fact-finding missions, so management and counsel are in command of the facts in order to make the best-informed decisions. Moreover, Bates is highly experienced in handling investigations involving large and complex data sets. Our role in both internal and regulatory investigations is that of a partner to our clients and their counsel, bringing our technical, industry and managerial expertise to address the issues.
Bates Compliance
Reviews, Testing, Best Practices and Monitoring
Our experienced consultants provide comprehensive offerings of compliance programs, reviews and continuing guidance to our broker-dealer and registered investment advisory financial services clients. These seasoned professionals closely review and test policies and procedures, supervision, and the related practices involved in the matter, recommending changes and best practices to supplement and enhance clients’ compliance and supervisory systems, and remediate the results of regulatory action or audit. We also assist our clients forming new BDs, RIAs, Money Services Businesses and virtual assets/crypto firms with the preparation and implementation of their compliance and supervisory programs. In the face of increased regulatory pressures and budget constraints, financial service providers are increasingly looking to independent experts and consultants to help meet their growing compliance obligations and establish best practices. Bates Compliance helps financial service providers meet those obligations, whether ongoing or at the end of an arbitration, litigation, investigation or regulatory matter.
AML Compliance and Licensing Support
For Financial Firms, Money Services Businesses and Non-Banking Financial Institutions
The Bates Anti-Money Laundering Compliance team offers a valuable combination of both industry and technical expertise, providing the highest possible value to our financial industry clients. Bates helps clients meet their AML Compiance obligations through experience, resources and ongoing guidance. Our services are tailored to the specific needs and requirements that our clients and regulators are seeking in the following areas across your AML Compliance program: BSA/AML/OFAC Risk Assessments, Gap Assessments & Audits, AML Program Redesign and Implementation, Development of Program Governance, Policies and Procedures, Backlogs and Lookbacks Staffing Support, AML Transaction Monitoring System Tuning and Validation, Virtual/Digital/Crypto assets. We also assist clients with state money transmitter license (MTL) acquisition and maintenance.
Training, CLE Education, and Industry Intelligence
Current and Relevant Information Is Crucial for your Success
Bates Group provides training and educational programs to clients on relevant and timely topics impacting securities litigation, regulatory, AML and compliance matters. As an accredited CLE provider in multiple jurisdictions, Bates hosts webinars and live programs featuring the nation’s leading experts. Our programs cover key practice developments and provide fresh perspectives, highlighted by free-flow exchanges with, and insights from, our experts. Our training on Bates’ analytics products teaches clients how to read, analyze and interpret financial schedules to build powerful cases. Bates also provides custom corporate training for your AML and Compliance success. Our signature BSA/AML/OFAC e-learning course is designed to help your organization stay on top of industry compliance regulations.
Articles, Alerts, and White Papers
Bates creates original content to help our clients become better educated and prepared to understand the financial industry. Our weekly articles are devoted to helping readers stay abreast of current issues in markets, including regulatory and compliance activity, litigation trends and AML and financial crimes updates. Our white papers provide overviews of different aspects of the financial markets, and are designed to help readers understand complex topics without undertaking a comprehensive review of the subject. Bates also publishes timely alerts covering regulatory, compliance and litigation developments.
Private Briefings and Presentations
Our team can also prepare presentations and briefings covering any aspect of the industry and have worked with clients to prepare presentations before regulators and other audiences. We have presented materials before major financial institutions, bar associations, industry groups, including: SIFMA-CL Regional Conferences, SIFMA Breakfast Briefings, SIFMA Roundtables, New York State Bar Association, New York County Lawyers’ Association, Greensfelder/BAMSL Securities Industry Symposium, National Association of Compliance Professionals (NSCP), Investment Advisor Association, Practising Law Institute (PLI), Independent Broker Dealer Consortium (IBDC), Florida Securities Dealers Association (FSDA), INFiN, Money Services Business Association (MSBA), ACAMS, Money Transmitter Regulators Association (MTRA), the South Carolina Emerging Tech Association (SCETA), and private client events.
Our Promise to You
Bates Group has been a trusted partner to our financial services clients and counsel for 40 years, delivering superior quality and results at a competitive cost. Our comprehensive services will provide you with powerful and innovative analytics solutions that will give you clear insight into your case issues, help you mitigate litigation risk with our financial services experts, and manage risk with our regulatory, compliance and AML solutions.