[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 17, Volume 2]
[Revised as of April 1, 2001]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 17CFR201.102]

[Page 145-147]
 
              TITLE 17--COMMODITY AND SECURITIES EXCHANGES
 
             CHAPTER II--SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
 
PART 201--RULES OF PRACTICE--Table of Contents
 
                      Subpart D--Rules of Practice
 
Sec. 201.102  Appearance and practice before the Commission.

    A person shall not be represented before the Commission or a hearing 
officer except as stated in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section or as 
otherwise permitted by the Commission or a hearing officer.
    (a) Representing oneself. In any proceeding, an individual may 
appear on his or her own behalf.
    (b) Representing others. In any proceeding, a person may be 
represented by an attorney at law admitted to practice before the 
Supreme Court of the United States or the highest court of any State (as 
defined in Section 3(a)(16) of the Exchange Act, 15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(16)); 
a member of a partnership may represent the partnership; a bona fide 
officer of a corporation, trust or association may represent the 
corporation, trust or association; and an officer or employee of a state 
commission or of a department or political subdivision of a state may 
represent the state commission or the department or political 
subdivision of the state.
    (c) Former Commission employees. Former employees of the Commission 
must comply with the restrictions on practice contained in the 
Commission's Conduct Regulation, Subpart M, 17 CFR 200.735.
    (d) Designation of address for service; notice of appearance; power 
of attorney; withdrawal. (1) Representing oneself. When an individual 
first makes any filing or otherwise appears on his or her own behalf 
before the Commission or a hearing officer in a proceeding as defined in 
Sec. 201.101(a), he or she shall file with the Commission, or otherwise 
state on the record, and keep current, an address at which any notice or 
other written communication required to be served upon him or her or 
furnished to him or her may be sent and a telephone number where he or 
she may be reached during business hours.
    (2) Representing others. When a person first makes any filing or 
otherwise appears in a representative capacity before the Commission or 
a hearing officer in a proceeding as defined in Sec. 201.101(a), that 
person shall file with the Commission, and keep current, a written 
notice stating the name of the proceeding; the representative's name, 
business address and telephone number; and the name and address of the 
person or persons represented.
    (3) Power of attorney. Any individual appearing or practicing before 
the Commission in a representative capacity may be required to file a 
power of attorney with the Commission showing his or her authority to 
act in such capacity.
    (4) Withdrawal. Withdrawal by any individual appearing in a 
representative capacity shall be permitted only by order of the 
Commission or the hearing officer. A motion seeking leave to withdraw 
shall state with specificity the reasons for such withdrawal.
    (e) Suspension and disbarment. (1) Generally. The Commission may 
censure a person or deny, temporarily or permanently, the privilege of 
appearing or practicing before it in any way to any person who is found 
by the Commission after notice and opportunity for hearing in the 
matter:

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    (i) Not to possess the requisite qualifications to represent others; 
or
    (ii) To be lacking in character or integrity or to have engaged in 
unethical or improper professional conduct; or
    (iii) To have willfully violated, or willfully aided and abetted the 
violation of any provision of the Federal securities laws or the rules 
and regulations thereunder.
    (iv) With respect to persons licensed to practice as accountants, 
``improper professional conduct'' under Sec. 201.102(e)(1)(ii) means:
    (A) Intentional or knowing conduct, including reckless conduct, that 
results in a violation of applicable professional standards; or (B) 
Either of the following two types of negligent conduct:
    (1) A single instance of highly unreasonable conduct that results in 
a violation of applicable professional standards in circumstances in 
which an accountant knows, or should know, that heightened scrutiny is 
warranted.
    (2) Repeated instances of unreasonable conduct, each resulting in a 
violation of applicable professional standards, that indicate a lack of 
competence to practice before the Commission.
    (2) Certain professionals and convicted persons. Any attorney who 
has been suspended or disbarred by a court of the United States or of 
any State; or any person whose license to practice as an accountant, 
engineer, or other professional or expert has been revoked or suspended 
in any State; or any person who has been convicted of a felony or a 
misdemeanor involving moral turpitude shall be forthwith suspended from 
appearing or practicing before the Commission. A disbarment, suspension, 
revocation or conviction within the meaning of this section shall be 
deemed to have occurred when the disbarring, suspending, revoking or 
convicting agency or tribunal enters its judgment or order, including a 
judgment or order on a plea of nolo contendere, regardless of whether an 
appeal of such judgment or order is pending or could be taken.
    (3) Temporary suspensions. An order of temporary suspension shall 
become effective upon service on the respondent. No order of temporary 
suspension shall be entered by the Commission pursuant to paragraph 
(e)(3)(i) of this section more than 90 days after the date on which the 
final judgment or order entered in a judicial or administrative 
proceeding described in paragraph (e)(3)(i)(A) or (e)(3)(i)(B) of this 
section has become effective, whether upon completion of review or 
appeal procedures or because further review or appeal procedures are no 
longer available.
    (i) The Commission, with due regard to the public interest and 
without preliminary hearing, may, by order, temporarily suspend from 
appearing or practicing before it any attorney, accountant, engineer, or 
other professional or expert who has been by name:
    (A) Permanently enjoined by any court of competent jurisdiction, by 
reason of his or her misconduct in an action brought by the Commission, 
from violating or aiding and abetting the violation of any provision of 
the Federal securities laws or of the rules and regulations thereunder; 
or
    (B) Found by any court of competent jurisdiction in an action 
brought by the Commission to which he or she is a party or found by the 
Commission in any administrative proceeding to which he or she is a 
party to have violated (unless the violation was found not to have been 
willful) or aided and abetted the violation of any provision of the 
Federal securities laws or of the rules and regulations thereunder.
    (ii) Any person temporarily suspended from appearing and practicing 
before the Commission in accordance with paragraph (e)(3)(i) of this 
section may, within 30 days after service upon him or her of the order 
of temporary suspension, petition the Commission to lift the temporary 
suspension. If no petition has been received by the Commission within 30 
days after service of the order, the suspension shall become permanent.
    (iii) Within 30 days after the filing of a petition in accordance 
with paragraph (e)(3)(ii) of this section, the Commission shall either 
lift the temporary suspension, or set the matter down for hearing at a 
time and place designated by the Commission, or both, and, after 
opportunity for hearing, may censure

[[Page 147]]

the petitioner or disqualify the petitioner from appearing or practicing 
before the Commission for a period of time or permanently. In every case 
in which the temporary suspension has not been lifted, every hearing 
held and other action taken pursuant to this paragraph (e)(3) shall be 
expedited in accordance with Sec. 201.500. If the hearing is held before 
a hearing officer, the time limits set forth in Sec. 201.531 will govern 
review of the hearing officer's initial decision.
    (iv) In any hearing held on a petition filed in accordance with 
paragraph (e)(3)(ii) of this section, the staff of the Commission shall 
show either that the petitioner has been enjoined as described in 
paragraph (e)(3)(i)(A) of this section or that the petitioner has been 
found to have committed or aided and abetted violations as described in 
paragraph (e)(3)(i)(B) of this section and that showing, without more, 
may be the basis for censure or disqualification. Once that showing has 
been made, the burden shall be upon the petitioner to show cause why he 
or she should not be censured or temporarily or permanently disqualified 
from appearing and practicing before the Commission. In any such 
hearing, the petitioner may not contest any finding made against him or 
her or fact admitted by him or her in the judicial or administrative 
proceeding upon which the proceeding under this paragraph (e)(3) is 
predicated. A person who has consented to the entry of a permanent 
injunction as described in paragraph (e)(3)(i)(A) of this section 
without admitting the facts set forth in the complaint shall be presumed 
for all purposes under this paragraph (e)(3) to have been enjoined by 
reason of the misconduct alleged in the complaint.
    (4) Filing of prior orders. Any person appearing or practicing 
before the Commission who has been the subject of an order, judgment, 
decree, or finding as set forth in paragraph (e)(3) of this section 
shall promptly file with the Secretary a copy thereof (together with any 
related opinion or statement of the agency or tribunal involved). 
Failure to file any such paper, order, judgment, decree or finding shall 
not impair the operation of any other provision of this section.
    (5) Reinstatement. (i) An application for reinstatement of a person 
permanently suspended or disqualified under paragraph (e)(1) or (e)(3) 
of this section may be made at any time, and the applicant may, in the 
Commission's discretion, be afforded a hearing; however, the suspension 
or disqualification shall continue unless and until the applicant has 
been reinstated by the Commission for good cause shown.
    (ii) Any person suspended under paragraph (e)(2) of this section 
shall be reinstated by the Commission, upon appropriate application, if 
all the grounds for application of the provisions of that paragraph are 
subsequently removed by a reversal of the conviction or termination of 
the suspension, disbarment, or revocation. An application for 
reinstatement on any other grounds by any person suspended under 
paragraph (e)(2) of this section may be filed at any time and the 
applicant shall be accorded an opportunity for a hearing in the matter; 
however, such suspension shall continue unless and until the applicant 
has been reinstated by order of the Commission for good cause shown.
    (6) Other proceedings not precluded. A proceeding brought under 
paragraph (e)(1), (e)(2) or (e)(3) of this section shall not preclude 
another proceeding brought under these same paragraphs.
    (7) Public hearings. All hearings held under this paragraph (e) 
shall be public unless otherwise ordered by the Commission on its own 
motion or after considering the motion of a party.
    (f) Practice defined. For the purposes of these Rules of Practice, 
practicing before the Commission shall include, but shall not be limited 
to:
    (1) Transacting any business with the Commission; and
    (2) The preparation of any statement, opinion or other paper by any 
attorney, accountant, engineer or other professional or expert, filed 
with the Commission in any registration statement, notification, 
application, report or other document with the consent of such attorney, 
accountant, engineer or other professional or expert.

[60 FR 32796, June 23, 1995, as amended at 63 FR 57122, Oct. 26, 1998]

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