PCAOB Announces 2017 Forums for Auditors of Broker-Dealers

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board today announced that the Board will hold two Forums for Auditors of Broker-Dealers this year, on October 20 in Las Vegas and December 7 in Jersey City, N.J.

The Las Vegas forum will be streamed live for the first time, offering a convenient alternative to attending the event in person.

The forums will feature case studies as well as discussions on topics including inspection observations and trends, enforcement matters, and auditor independence.

"The forums promote a productive dialogue between the PCAOB and auditors of broker-dealers," said James R. Doty, PCAOB Chairman. "We encourage firms that have previously been unable to attend these full-day events to join us this year or take advantage of the online opportunity."

The forums will include presentations from the staff of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and the Securities and Exchange Commission. There also will be an update on auditing standards and a panel discussion on exercising professional skepticism.

"Audit deficiencies in broker-dealer audits remain a concern to the PCAOB," said Greg Scates, Acting Director of the Office of Outreach and Small Business Liaison. "The forums provide an opportunity for the PCAOB and auditors to talk about some of these issues and how to apply the standards."

Forums are live meetings and are open to members of PCAOB-registered firms that audit smaller broker-dealers. There is no fee to participate, but preregistration is required and space may be limited. Attendees also have the opportunity to earn continuing professional education credits.

More information about the forums is available on the PCAOB website. Questions about the forums may be directed to the Office of Outreach at [email protected] or 202-591-4135.