WASHINGTON, D.C., June 19, 2008—The North American Securities Administrators Association, Inc. (NASAA) today said its upcoming public forum on securities arbitration will be webcast live on the Internet.

The webcast, Arbitration is Broken: How Can it be Fixed?, will be available on the NASAA website at 12:30 p.m. (EDT) on June 24. The two-hour audio-only webcast also will be archived on NASAA’s website for later listening. To register for the webcast, simply click the “NASAA Securities Arbitration Webcast” link on the NASAA homepage.

Moderated by Massachusetts Securities Division Director Bryan Lantagne, the forum will bring together a panel of leading arbitration experts to examine the current securities arbitration system and offer constructive steps to restore choice, fairness, and balance to the securities arbitration process. Panelists include:

  • Robert F. Schiff, Majority Chief Counsel, U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on the Constitution;
  • Barbara Roper, Director of Investor Protection, Consumer Federation of America;
  • Theodore G. Eppenstein, Senior Partner, Eppenstein & Eppenstein;
  • Tanya Solov, Director, Illinois Securities Division;
  • Jill Gross, Associate Professor of Law, Pace University School of Law;
  • F. Paul Bland, Jr., Staff Attorney, Public Justice.

The panel will also feature statements from consumers about their first-hand experiences with the securities arbitration system. A recent study released by the Securities Industry Conference on Arbitration (SICA) found that most investors view the current securities arbitration forum as biased and unfair.

Panelists will explore the manner in which arbitrations are conducted; whether the selection, qualification, and composition of arbitration panels is fair; and whether the arbitration process should be an option, not a requirement, for investors. Panelists also will discuss the Arbitration Fairness Act of 2007 (S.1782 and H.R. 3010, introduced by Sen. Russ Feingold, D-WI, and Rep. Hank Johnson, D-GA), and current research exploring consumer views on securities arbitration.

The Forum is free and open to the public on a first come, first serve basis. On-site registration and a light lunch begin at noon, with the program following from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The Forum will be held at the Intercontinental Barclay Hotel, 111 East 48th Street, in New York City.

NASAA is the oldest international organization devoted to investor protection. Its membership consists of the securities administrators in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada, and Mexico.

For more information:
Bob Webster, Director of Communications
202-737-0900





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