LaBranche Financial Services, LLC - s. 211 of the Regulation

Headnote

Application in connection with application for registration as an international dealer, for an order pursuant to section 211 of the Regulation exempting the applicant from the requirement in subsection 208(2) of the Regulation that it carry on the business of an underwriter in a country other than Canada to be able to register in Ontario as an international dealer.

Statutes Cited

Securities Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. S.5, as am.

Regulations Cited

Regulation made under the Securities Act, R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 1015, as am., ss. 100(2), 208(2), 211.

IN THE MATTER OF

THE SECURITIES ACT, R.S.O. 1990,

CHAPTER S.5, AS AMENDED (the Act)

AND

IN THE MATTER OF

ONTARIO REGULATION 1015, R.R.O. 1990,

AS AMENDED (the Regulation)

AND

IN THE MATTER OF

LABRANCHE FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC

ORDER

(Section 211 of the Regulation)

UPON the application (the Application) of LaBranche Financial Services, LLC (the Applicant) to the Ontario Securities Commission (the Commission) for an order, pursuant to section 211 of the Regulation, exempting the Applicant from the requirement in subsection 208(2) of the Regulation that the Applicant carry on the business of an underwriter in a country other than Canada in order for the Applicant to be registered under the Act as a dealer in the category of international dealer;

AND UPON considering the Application and the recommendation of staff of the Commission;

AND UPON the Applicant having represented to the Commission that:

1. The Applicant is not currently registered in any capacity under the Act. The Applicant has filed an application for registration under the Act as a dealer in the category of international dealer in accordance with section 208 of the Regulation.

2. The Applicant is a limited liability company formed under the laws of the State of New York in the United States. The Applicant's principal place of business is located in New York, New York.

3. The Applicant is registered as a broker-dealer with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and is a member in good standing of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

4. The Applicant executes transactions in U.S. securities on behalf of U.S. and foreign institutional customers on a fully disclosed basis through a registered U.S. clearing broker-dealer.

5. Subsection 208(2) of the Regulation provides that "no person or company may register as an international dealer unless the person or company carries on the business of a dealer and underwriter in a country other than Canada."

6. The Applicant does not currently act as an underwriter in the United States or in any other jurisdiction.

7. In the absence of the relief requested in this Application, the Applicant would not meet the requirements of the Regulation for registration as a dealer in the category of international dealer as it does not carry on the business of an underwriter in a country other than Canada.

8. The Applicant does not currently act as an underwriter in Ontario and will not act as an underwriter in Ontario if it is registered under the Act as a dealer in the category of international dealer, notwithstanding the fact that subsection 100(2) of the Regulation provides that the registration of an international dealer authorizes the dealer to act as an underwriter for the sole purpose of making a distribution that it is authorized to make by section 208 of the Regulation.

AND UPON the Commission being satisfied that to do so would not be prejudicial to the public interest;

IT IS ORDERED, pursuant to section 211 of the Regulation, that, in connection with the registration of the Applicant as a dealer under the Act in the category of international dealer, the Applicant is exempt from the provisions of subsection 208(2) of the Regulation requiring that the Applicant carry on the business of an underwriter in a country other than Canada, provided that, so long as the Applicant is registered under the Act as an international dealer:

(a) the Applicant carries on the business of a dealer in good standing in a country other than Canada; and

(b) notwithstanding subsection 100(2) of the Regulation, the Applicant shall not act as an underwriter in Ontario.

March 11, 2008