The Fiduciary Standard and Beyond: Rethinking the Financial Advisor-Client Relationship | One-Day Conference
Thursday, March 25, 2010 – 8:00 am to 4:30 pm | OBA Conference Centre | 20 Toronto Street, 2nd Floor
In today’s economy, clients demand high standards from their financial service professionals. Investors are increasingly focused on long-term financial prospects and are highlighting the need for greater integrity to avoid another financial crisis. Implementing a uniform fiduciary standard for both dealers and advisors is one proposal for addressing client demand and protecting the financial sector from future downturns. Examining the fiduciary standard will shed light on the crucial relationship between clients and their financial service professionals – pointing the way to potential policy reforms and regulatory changes in Canada.
The concept of the fiduciary duty does not exist in Canada in the context of the client-advisor relationship. Instead, financial professionals in Canada (including both individual representatives and firms) have a duty to satisfy suitability obligations to their clients. The suitability obligation includes both the “know your client” and “know your product” obligations.
Should that duty be broadened to a fiduciary standard?
Why You Should Attend
This one-day conference will focus on the client-advisor relationship, and how that relationship connects to the debate over extending the fiduciary standard to all financial service professionals. Speakers will provide Canadian and international perspectives, and will include scholars as well as regulatory and industry experts. Our ultimate objective is to inform and motivate relevant policy initiatives in Canada through discussion and comparative analysis.
Who Should Attend
- Lawyers
- Investor and Shareholder Advocates
- Industry Representatives
- Financial Dealers and Advisors
- Regulators
- Business and Law Faculty and Students
Key Benefits
- Gain a clear understanding of the issues, especially regarding the fiduciary standard
- Learn what other countries are doing with respect to the financial advisor-client relationship
- Understand the impact on your business of various policy reform proposals
The Conference Programme
| 8:00-8:30 | Registration and Continental Breakfast |
| 8:30-8:45 am | Welcome and Introductory Remarks |
| 8:45-10:00 am | Panel 1: Introducing the Fiduciary Standard Debate |
| 10:00-10:15 am | Break |
| 10:15-11:30 am | Panel 2: Rethinking the Client-Advisor Relationship |
| 11:45 am-1:00 pm | Lunch Panel with Keynote Speaker |
| 1:15-2:30 pm | Panel 3: Enforcement and Remedies |
| 2:30-2:45 pm | Break |
| 2:45-4:00 pm | Panel 4: Implementing a Fiduciary Standard and Beyond |
| 4:00—4:15 pm | Concluding Remarks |
Registration Fee is $100 General | Free for Faculty and Students
Fees include attendance, program materials, breakfast/refreshments and hot buffet lunch.
Click here for full Conference Programme/Brochure.
This event is jointly hosted by FAIR Canada and The Hennick Centre for Business and Law.
