Samuel Telline, CFA, is a portfolio manager at Aiklin Investments with discretionary authority over all of his accounts. One of his clients, Alan Caper, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ellipse Manufacturing, invites Telline to lunch.

At the restaurant, the CEO reveals the reason for the lunch. "As you know Reinhold Partners has made an unsolicited cash offer for all outstanding shares of Ellipse Manufacturing. Reinhold has made it clear that I will not be CEO if they are successful. I can assure you that our shareholders will be better off in the long-term if I'm in charge." Caper then shows Telline his projections for a new plan designed to boost both sales and operating margins.

"I know that your firm is the trustee for our firm's Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). I hope that the trustee will vote in the best interest of our shareholders and that would be a vote against the takeover offer."

After looking through Caper's business plans, Telline says, "This plan looks good. I will recommend that the trustee vote against the offer." Caper responds, "I remember my friend Karen Leighton telling me the the Leighton Family's Trust is managed by your firm. Perhaps the trustee could vote those shares against the acquisition as well. Karen Leighton is a close friend. I am sure that she would agree."

Telline responds, "The Famly Trust is no longer managed by Aiklin." He adds, "I understand that the Trust is very conservatively managed. I doubt it that it would have holdings in Ellipse Manufacturing." Telline does not mention that although the Family Trust has changed investment managers, Karen Leighton remains an important client at Aiklin with significant personal holdings in Ellipse.

After lunch, Telline meets with Sydney Brown, CFA, and trustee of the Eclipse ESOP. He shows her Caper's plan for improvements. "I think the plan is a good one and Caper is one of the firm's most profitable accounts. We don't want to lose him." Brown agrees to analyze the plan. After thoroughly analyzing both the plan and the takeover offer, Brown concludes that the the takeover offer is best for the shareholders in the ESOP and votes the plan's shares in favor of the takeover offer.

A few months later the acquisition of Ellipse by Reinhold Partners is completed. Caper again meets Telline for lunch. "I received a generous severance package and I'm counting on you to manage my money well for me. While we are on the subject, I would like to be more aggressive with my portfolio. With my severance package, I can take additional risk." Telline and Caper discuss his current financial situation, risk tolerance, and financial objectives throughout lunch. Telline agrees to adjust Caper's investment policy statement (IPS) to reflect his greater appetite for risk and his increased wealth.

Back at the office, Telline realizes that with the severance package, Caper is now his wealthiest client. He also realizes that Caper's increase appetite for risk gives him a risk profile similar to that of another client. He pulls a copy of the other client's investment policy statement (IPS) and reviews it quickly before realizing that the two clients have very different tax situations. Telline quickly revises Caper's IPS to reflect changes in his financial situation. He uses the other client's IPS as a reference when revising the section relating to Caper's risk tolerance. He then files the revised IPS in Caper's file.

The following week, an Aiklin analyst issues a buy recommendation on a small technology company with a promising software product. Telline reads the report carefully and concludes it would be suitable under Caper's new IPS. Telline places an order for 10,000 shares in Caper's account and then calls Caper to discuss the stock in more detail. Telline does not purchase the stock for any other clients. Although the one client has the same risk profile as Caper, that client does not have cash available in his account and Telline determines that selling existing holdings does not make sense.

In a subsequent telephone conversation, Caper expresses his lingering anger over the takeover. "You didn't do enough to persuade Aiklin's clients to vote against the takeover. Maybe I should look for an investment manager who is more loyal." Telline tries to calm Caper but is unsuccessful. In an attempt to change the topic of conversation, Telline states, "The firm was just notified of our allocation of a long-awaited IPO. Your account should receive a significant allocation. I would hate to see you lose out by moving your account." Caper seems mollified and concludes the phone call, "I look forward to a long-term relationship with you and your firm."

Aiklin distributes a copy of its firm policies regarding IPO allocations to all clients annually. According to the policy, Aiklin allocates IPO shares to each investment manager and each manger has responsibility for allocating shares to accounts for which the IPO is suitable. The statement also discloses that Aiklin offers different levels of service for different fees. After carefully reviewing the proposed IPO and his client accounts, Telline determines that the IPO is suitable for 11 clients including Caper. Because the deal is oversubscribed, he receives only half of the shares he expected. Telling directs 50% of his allocation to Caper's account and divides the remaining 50% between the other 10 accounts, each with a value equal to half of Caper's account.

Question (multiple choice):

1) When discussing the Leighton Family Trust, does Telline violate any CFA Standards of Professional Conduct? A) No. B) Yes, relating to duties to clients. C) Yes, relating to misrepresentation.

2) When deciding how to vote the ESOP shares, does Brown violate any CFA Institute Standards? A) No. B) Yes, relating to loyalty, prudence, and care. C) Yes, relating to diligence and reasonable basis.

3) The Standard LEAST likely to provide guidance for Telline when working with the clients' investment policy statement would be the Standard relating to: A) suitability B) fair dealing C) loyalty, prudence, and care.

4) Does Telline violate any CFA Institute Standards when he places the buy order for shares in the technology company for Caper's account? A) No. B) Yes, relating to fair dealing C) Yes, relating to diligence and reasonable basis.

5) Is Aiklin's policy with respect to IPO allocations consistent with required and recommended CFA Institute Standards? A) Yes. B) No, because the IPO policy disadvantages certain clients. C) No, because the different levels of service disadvantages certain clients.

6) Does Telline violate any CFA Institute Standards in his allocation of IPO shares to Caper's account? A) No. B) Yes, because the IPO is not suitable for Caper. C) Yes, because he does not treat all clients fairly.