Marilyn A. Sponzo
Of Counsel

Connecticut

Email: mas@jordenusa.com
Phone: 860-392-5000
Fax: 860-392-5058

Marilyn Sponzo practices primarily in the area of securities and insurance product distribution, including mutual funds, variable annuities and variable life.

She has spent two decades working in broker-dealer regulation, not only providing legal advice to clients in private practice, but also working as the chief compliance officer for one of the nation's largest insurance-affiliated broker-dealers.

As Vice President, Distribution Compliance, for a major northeastern life insurance company, Ms. Sponzo managed a 65-person division responsible for ensuing that the activities of producers affiliated with the carrier and its broker-dealers complied with applicable securities and insurance regulations. She also served as chief compliance officer, anti-money laundering officer and chief privacy officer of the carrier's retail broker-dealer/investment adviser with 4,500 registered representatives, and its primary underwriter/distributor of proprietary variable products. Her responsibilities included: designing field inspection programs and transaction surveillance systems; creating anti-money laundering programs; conducting product and sponsor due diligence; and creating and conducting security training programs for registered representatives, including Home Office personnel.

Ms. Sponzo counsels clients on: broker-dealer formation and operation; developing supervisory policies and procedures; developing supervisory control programs; handling securities regulatory and enforcement matters; insurance and investment suitability issues; third party distribution and revenue-sharing arrangements; non-cash compensation matters; investigation and resolution of sales practice violations and customer complaints; and securities advertising and marketing.