Ann Began Furman

Ann Furman advises fund boards, investment companies, broker-dealers, investment advisers, life insurance companies, and transfer agents in a wide array of regulatory, compliance, governance, product development, and enforcement matters.

As independent legal counsel to independent directors and trustees of mutual funds, closed-end funds, and exchange-traded funds, she counsels them on fulfilling their fiduciary duties to shareholders. Ann works closely with clients to identify creative solutions to a variety of issues under the federal securities laws.

Ann also advises distributors of mutual funds and insurance products on a broad range of distribution issues, including standard of conduct (best interest and suitability), advertising and marketing, electronic delivery, net capital, and other SEC and FINRA regulatory issues.

Ann represents financial services clients in internal investigations, regulatory compliance inspections and examinations, and SEC and FINRA regulatory enforcement matters. She counsels clients on litigation and regulatory risk under federal securities and state insurance law. Ann served as an SEC-approved independent compliance consultant retained as part of the resolution of an SEC enforcement action.

Speaking Engagements

"FINRA: Advertising, Social Media, and Regulatory Developments," ALI CLE Conference on Life Insurance Company Products, Washington, D.C. (November 8, 2024)

"A Primer on Form U5 Defamation Issues and Cases," SIFMA Compliance and Legal Executive Committee Meeting (July 9, 2024)

"The SEC Regulatory Landscape: New Cases, New Rules," Insured Retirement Institute Annual Conference, Nashville, TN (April 3, 2024)

"FINRA Advertising, Social Media, and Regulatory Developments," ALI CLE Conference on Life Insurance Company Products, Washington, D.C. (November 3, 2023)

Integrity Marketing Group LLC Compliance Summit (2023)

"Advertising Training Seminar," Carlton Fields Client Presentation (September 22, 2022)

"FINRA Regulation: Current Advertising, Social Media, and Regulatory Developments," ALI CLE Conference on Life Insurance Company Products, Washington, D.C. (November 4–5, 2021)

"Compliance Insights from Lessons Learned," American Council of Life Insurers Compliance & Legal Sections Annual Meeting (December 9, 2020)

"FINRA Examination Priorities and Findings for 2020," American Bar Association Third Annual Current Issues in FINRA Arbitration and Enforcement Regional CLE Program, American Bar Association Litigation Section Securities Litigation Committee (February 20, 2020)

"Protecting Older Investors," Insured Retirement Institute ACTION18 Conference, Washington, D.C. (May 9, 2018)

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"Regulatory Update on Key Broker-Dealer Issues," Client Focus Forum, Baltimore, MD (October 2016)

"Effective Social Media and Advertising Strategies," Insured Retirement Institute Government, Legal & Regulatory Conference (2012)

"General Counsels with Broker-Dealer Affiliations: Are You the Gatekeeper/Supervisor for Securities Activities?," American Council of Life Insurers Compliance & Legal Sections Annual Meeting (2012)

"The Securities Status of Fixed Annuities and Other Products in the Aftermath of the Harkin Amendment and the Withdrawal of Rule 151," Association of Life Insurance Counsel Annual Meeting (2011)

"Advertising Compliance at FINRA and in the States," Insured Retirement Institute Government, Legal & Regulatory Conference (2011)

"Distribution and Advertising Developments," ALI CLE Conference on Life Insurance Company Products, Washington, D.C. (2010)

"Senior Investors," National Association for Variable Annuities Compliance and Regulatory Affairs Conference (2008)

"Suitability," National Association for Variable Annuities Compliance and Regulatory Affairs Conference (2007)

"Regulation of Indexed Annuities," National Association for Variable Annuities Compliance and Regulatory Affairs Conference (2006)

"ASD Regulatory and Enforcement Update," National Association for Variable Annuities Compliance and Regulatory Affairs Conference (2005)

"Variable Insurance Product Advertising Issues," Practising Law Institute, Understanding the Securities Products of Insurance Companies (2005)

"Managing the Compliance Risks of Offshore Outsourcing," National Association for Variable Annuities Compliance and Regulatory Affairs Conference (2004)

"Hot Button Issues for Regulatory Examinations," National Association for Variable Annuities Compliance and Regulatory Affairs Conference (2003)

"Developing an Effective Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Program," National Association for Variable Annuities Compliance and Regulatory Affairs Conference (2002)

"Optional Federal Chartering for Life Insurance Companies," National Association for Variable Annuities Compliance and Regulatory Affairs Conference (2001)

"Developing a Privacy Compliance Program after Gramm-Leach-Bliley," National Association for Variable Annuities Compliance and Regulatory Affairs Conference (2000)

"Electronic Commerce in Insurance Product Sales and Distribution," National Association for Variable Annuities Compliance and Regulatory Affairs Conference (2000)

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Honors & Recognitions

The Best Lawyers in America (2025–2027)

Stand-Out Lawyers, Thomson Reuters (2024–2026)

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Professional & Community Involvement

Ann is a member of the American Bar Association Business Law Section's Subcommittee on Securities Activities of Insurance Companies, the Association of Life Insurance Counsel, and the District of Columbia Bar's Investment Management Committee. She is active in the Insured Retirement Institute, serving on its Securities Regulatory and Advocacy Committee and Broker-Dealer Committee, and serves on the editorial board of The Investment Lawyer. She has served on the faculty of the ALI-ABA Conference on Life Insurance Company Products, the Insured Retirement Institute Government, Legal, and Regulatory Affairs Conference, and the American Council of Life Insurers Compliance and Legal Sections Annual Meeting. In the community, she is involved with Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington.

Ann co-chairs the firm's Financial Services Regulatory Practice. At the Georgetown University Law Center, she served on Law and Policy in International Business.