Netcapital Inc. 10-K

ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS From time to time, we may become involved in litigation or regulatory proceedings the ordinary course of our business, including litigation or regulatory proceedings that could be material to our business In addition, the securities industry is highly regulated and many aspects of our business involve substantial risk of liability. In past years, there has been an increasing incidence of litigation involving the securities industry, including class action suits that generally seek substantial damages, including in some cases punitive damages. Compliance problems that are reported to federal, state and provincial regulators, exchanges or other self-regulatory organizations by dissatisfied customers are investigated by such regulatory bodies, and, if pursued by such regulatory body or such customers, may rise to the level of arbitration or disciplinary action. We are also subject to periodic regulatory audits and inspections for various federal, self-regulatory and state regulators. Any such audits and inspections could require significant amounts of management time, result in the diversion of significant operational resources, require us to change our business practices or products, result in sanctions being levied against us, including fines and censures, suspension or expulsion from a certain jurisdiction or market or the revocation or limitation of licenses, result in negative publicity, or otherwise harm our business and financial results. Pending Regulatory Inquiries Our businesses are heavily regulated by state and federal regulatory agencies as well as the Nasdaq Stock Market and FINRA. In the current era of heightened regulatory scrutiny of financial institutions, we have incurred increased compliance costs, along with the industry as a whole. Increased regulation also creates increased barriers to entry. We receive many regulatory inquiries each year in addition to being subject to frequent regulatory examinations. The great majority of these inquiries do not lead to fines or any further action against us. We are generally the subject of regulatory inquiries regarding subjects including, but not limited to: anti-money laundering, compliance, registration, record-keeping, and other topics of recent regulatory interest. We have procedures for evaluating whether potential regulatory fines are probable, estimable and material and for updating its contingency reserves and disclosures accordingly. In the current climate, we expect that we may, from time to time, be subject to regulatory fines on various topics on an ongoing basis, as other regulated financial services businesses do. The amount of any fines, and when and if they will be incurred, typically is impossible to predict given the nature of the regulatory process. ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES Not applicable. - 35 - PART II