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John Hill, CFA, has been working for Advisors, Inc., for eight years. Hill is about to start his own money management business and has given his two-week notice of his resignation from Advisors. A few days before his resignation takes effect, a former client of Advisors calls Hill at his home about his new firm. The former client says that he is very happy that Hill is leaving Advisors because now he and Hill can resume a professional relationship. The client says that he would never become a client of Advisors again. Hill promises to call the client back after he has left Advisors. Hill does not tell his employer about the call. Hill has most likely violated:

A) both Standards IV(A) and VI(A).

B) neither of these Standards.

C) Standard IV(A), Loyalty to Employer, by lining up business before he leaves the firm.

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Based upon the information here, Hill has done nothing wrong. He took a call at his home, presumably on his own time, and the client made it clear that he would never be a client of Advisors. Therefore, there was no breach of loyalty to Advisors by Hill, nor is there a conflict of interest.

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Grant Starks, CFA, has been working for Advisors, Inc., for eight years. Starks is about to start his own money management business and has given his two-week notice of his resignation. A few days before his resignation takes effect, a current client of Advisors calls him at his office to inquire about some services for her account at Advisors. During the conversation, Starks tells the client that his new business will have lower commissions than Advisors. Starks has most likely violated:

A) Standard IV(A), Loyalty to Employer, by competing with his current employer.

B) Standard VI(B), Priority of Transactions, by violating the priority of transactions.

C) none of these Standards.

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This is a breach of loyalty to his current employer. By telling a current client of his employer about the lower commissions he will charge in his new business, Starks is placing himself in direct competition with Advisors, and this is a violation of Standard IV(A).

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John Hill, CFA, has been working for Advisors, Inc., for eight years. Hill is about to start his own money management business and has given his two-week notice of his resignation from Advisors. A few days before his resignation takes effect, on his lunch hour, he takes out a loan from a bank on behalf of his new business and uses the money to buy some office equipment for his new business. Since he engaged in these transactions while still an employee of Advisors, Hill violated Standard IV(A), Loyalty to Employer, by:

A) neither of these actions.

B) engaging in a financial transaction, like taking out a loan, only.

C) both taking out the loan and purchasing the office equipment.

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The Standards of Practice under IV(A) expressly says that a departing employee is “generally free to make arrangements or preparations to go into a competitive business before terminating the relationship with the employee’s employer provided that such preparations do not breach the employee’s duty of loyalty.” Neither of these actions are in conflict with the interests of Advisors, and Hill performed them on his own time.

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Sue Parsons, CFA, works full-time as an investment advisor for the Malloy Group, an asset management firm. To help pay for her children’s college expenses, Parsons wants to engage in independent practice in which she would advise individual clients on their portfolios. She would conduct these investment activities only on weekends. Which of the following statements about Standard IV(A), Loyalty to Employer, is most accurate? Standard IV(A):

A) requires Parsons to obtain written consent from both Malloy and the persons from whom she undertakes independent practice.

B) does not require Parsons to notify Malloy of preparing to undertake independent practice under the current conditions.

C) requires Parsons to notify Malloy in writing about her intention to undertake an independent practice.

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Standard IV(A), Loyalty to Employer, requires that Parsons obtain written consent only from her employer before she undertakes independent practice that could result in compensation or other benefit in competition with Malloy. It is not required to get permission from your employer when only preparing to go into independent practice.

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Brian Bellow, a CFA Institute member, is a portfolio manager for Progressive Trust Company. Several friends asked Bellow to review their investment portfolios. On his own time, Bellow examined their portfolios and made several recommendations. He received no monetary compensation from his friends for his investment advice and provided no future investment counsel to them. According to CFA Institute Standards of Professional Conduct, did Bellow violate his duty to Progressive Trust?

A) Yes, because he undertook an independent practice that could result in compensation or other benefit to him.

B) No, because Bellow received no monetary compensation for his services.

C) No, because Bellow provided no ongoing investment advice.

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Standard IV(A) does not preclude providing independent services for compensation while still employed; however, notification to the employer is required describing the type of service, the expected duration, and the compensation. Compensation includes more than just monetary benefits.

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Fernando Abrea, CFA was an analyst for Pacific Investments.  In October he left Pacific and joined Global Securities as manager of a local office.  Abrea’s change of employment came about in the following manner:

• In April, Abrea contacted Global about a possible position he saw advertised in a financial publication and had exploratory meetings with Global.

• In July, Abrea submitted a strategic plan to Global and signed an agreement to join Global.  He then contracted for office space on behalf of Global.

• On October 15, Abrea's resignation from Pacific became effective.  He did not take any client lists from Pacific.

• On October 16, Abrea mailed a letter that explained his new undertaking with Global to prospective clients, including his former clients at Pacific. 

With respect to Standard IV(A) Loyalty, Abrea:

A) did not violate the Standard.

B) violated the Standard by contracting for office space on behalf of Global.

C) violated the Standard by contacting his former clients at Pacific.

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According to Standard IV(A) Loyalty, preparations to leave employment are not prohibited. Even though Abrea engaged in significant preparatory activities prior to beginning his new venture, none of these actions suggest Abrea did not continue to act in Pacific's interests while he was employed by Pacific. Abrea may contact his former clients on behalf of Global after his employment by Pacific has officially ended, as long as he did not misappropriate their contact information from Pacific.

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