Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia
Department 590 - RULES OF OFFICE OF SECRETARY OF STATE
Chapter 590-4 - COMMISSIONER OF SECURITIES
Subject 590-4-4 - INVESTMENT ADVISERS AND REPRESENTATIVES
Rule 590-4-4-.19 - Prohibited Conduct in Providing Investment Advice
Current through Rules and Regulations filed through December 18, 2024
A person who is an investment adviser, an investment adviser representative or a federal covered investment adviser is a fiduciary and has a duty to act primarily for the benefit of its clients. The provisions of this subsection apply to federal covered investment advisers to the extent that the conduct alleged is fraudulent, deceptive, or as otherwise permitted by the National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996. While the extent and nature of this duty varies according to the nature of the relationship between an investment adviser, an investment adviser representative or a federal covered investment adviser and its clients and the circumstances of each case, an investment adviser, an investment adviser representative or a federal covered investment adviser shall not engage in prohibited fraudulent, deceptive, or manipulative conduct, including but not limited to the following:
(1) Recommending to a client to whom investment advisory services are provided the purchase, sale or exchange of any security without reasonable grounds to believe that the recommendation is suitable for the client on the basis of information furnished by the client after reasonable inquiry concerning the client's investment objectives, financial situation and needs, and any other information known by the investment adviser, investment adviser representative or federal covered investment adviser.
(2) Exercising any discretionary authority in placing an order for the purchase or sale of securities for a client without obtaining written discretionary authority from the client within ten (10) business days after the date of the first transaction placed pursuant to oral discretionary authority, unless the discretionary authority relates solely to the price at which, or the time when, an order involving a definite amount of a specified security shall be executed, or both.
(3) Inducing trading in a client's account that is excessive in size or frequency in view of the financial resources, investment objectives and character of the account.
(4) Placing an order to purchase or sell a security for the account of a client without authority to do so.
(5) Placing an order to purchase or sell a security for the account of a client upon instruction of a third party without first having obtained a written third-party trading authorization from the client.
(6) Borrowing money or securities from a client unless the client is a broker-dealer, an affiliate of the investment adviser or a financial institution engaged in the business of loaning funds.
(7) Loaning money or securities to a client unless the investment adviser is a financial institution engaged in the business of loaning funds or the client is an affiliate of the investment adviser.
(8) Misrepresenting to any client, or prospective client, the qualifications of the investment adviser, investment adviser representative, federal covered investment adviser, or any employee, or person affiliated with the investment adviser, investment adviser representative or federal covered investment adviser, or misrepresenting the nature of the advisory services being offered or fees to be charged for such service, or to omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made regarding qualifications, services or fees, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading.
(9) Providing a report or recommendation to any client prepared by someone other than the investment adviser, investment adviser representative or federal covered investment adviser without disclosing that fact. This prohibition does not apply to a situation where the investment adviser, investment adviser representative or federal covered investment adviser uses published research reports or statistical analyses to render advice or where an investment adviser, investment adviser representative or federal covered investment adviser orders such a report in the normal course of providing service.
(10) Charging a client an unreasonable fee.
(11) Failing to disclose to clients in writing before any advice is rendered any material conflict of interest relating to the investment adviser, investment adviser representative or federal covered investment adviser, or any of its employees, or affiliated persons which could reasonably be expected to impair the rendering of unbiased and objective advice including but not limited to:
(12) While acting as principal for its own advisory account, to knowingly sell any security to or purchase any security from a client, or while acting as broker-dealer for a person other than the client, to knowingly effect any sale or purchase of any security for the account of the client, without disclosing to the client in writing before the completion of the transaction the capacity in which it is acting and obtaining the consent of the client to the transaction.
(13) The prohibitions of this Rule shall not apply to an investment adviser effecting an agency cross transaction for an advisory client provided the following conditions are met:
(14) Guaranteeing a client that a specific result will be achieved with advice rendered.
(15) Publishing, circulating or distributing any advertisement that does not comply with Rule 206(4)-1 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
(16) Making, in the solicitation of clients, any untrue statement of a material fact, or omitting to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statement made, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading.
(17) Failing to establish, maintain, and enforce written policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent the misuse of material nonpublic information contrary to the provisions of Section 204A of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
(18) Disclosing the identity, investments, or other financial information of any client or former client unless required by law to do so, or unless consented to by the client.
(19) Taking any action, directly or indirectly, with respect to those securities or funds in which any client has any beneficial interest, where the investment adviser has custody or possession of such securities or funds when the action of the investment adviser or investment adviser representative is subject to and does not comply with the requirements of Rule 590-4-4-.20.
(20) Engaging in any act, practice, or course of business that is fraudulent, deceptive, manipulative or unethical.
(21) Engaging in conduct or any act, indirectly or through or by any other person, which would be unlawful for such person to do directly under the provisions of the Act or any rule or regulation thereunder.
(22) Paying a cash fee, directly or indirectly, to an unregistered investment adviser representative required to register under the Act, including any solicitor whose conduct does not meet the exclusion described in Rule 590-4-4-.12.
(23) Employing an investment adviser representative who is not registered as required by the Act.
(24) Exercising voting authority with respect to client securities, unless the investment adviser:
O.C.G.A. Sec. 10-5-51.