Ep 68: How to Build a Culture of Compliance in Your Practice

Episode 68: How to Build a Culture of Compliance in Your Practice

Guest: Emil Ali

Overview

Welcome to the Financial Advisors Want to Know Podcast! I’m Catherine Tindall, CPA with Dominion Enterprise Services, where we help financial advisors navigate income tax planning and compliance.

Today’s guest is Emil Ali, a partner at McCabe & Ali, LLP, where he specializes in helping RIAs and broker-dealers stay compliant with SEC, State, and FINRA regulations. Emil works with advisors breaking away from wirehouses, guiding them through compliance risks, regulatory hurdles, and best practices for creating a culture of compliance within their firms.

Key Takeaways:

✅ Compliance is Foundational, Not Optional – Whether starting or scaling an RIA, firms must establish internal compliance structures, including manuals, policies, and a Chief Compliance Officer (CCO).

✅ Building a Culture of Compliance Drives Long-Term Success – Firms that integrate compliance into daily operations grow more sustainably and are better prepared for regulatory scrutiny.

✅ Breaking Away from a Wirehouse Requires Careful Planning – Advisors moving to independence must navigate complex compliance requirements, from marketing restrictions to data retention rules.

✅ Off-Channel Communications Pose a Growing Risk – Using texting, Slack, or Teams without proper oversight can lead to compliance violations if client interactions aren’t archived correctly.

✅ Compliance Needs Evolve as Firms Scale – As RIAs grow past key AUM thresholds ($500M, $1B), regulatory expectations increase, requiring firms to continually adapt their policies and infrastructure.

Connect with Emil Ali

🌐 Website: McCabe & Ali, LLP
🔗 LinkedIn: Emil Ali

Connect with Catherine Tindall

🔗 LinkedIn
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📧 Email: admin@dominiones.com

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