The Client Asset rules have been a focus for the FCA for many years now and we see no sign of that changing.  The FCA actively use CASS audit reports to get a feel for the ?CASS health? of the industry so it's important that the reports present an accurate view of CASS compliance within your firm.  Since the FRC issued their guidance to auditors on providing assurance on client assets, the audit process has become more challenging, time consuming and costly.  Our session will look at the themes and trends in CASS audits that we?ve seen in the previous year. We?ll also look at what we can expect from audits in the coming period.  We?ll then focus on how you can best prepare for your CASS audit in order to make it as efficient both in terms of time and cost as possible, as well as making sure that you get useful benefits from the process itself. 

CASS audits are seen by many firms as a costly and time-consuming intrusion and something that must be endured.  But we believe that with planning and careful management, the CASS audit process can be useful and even add value to the firm.  This session will look at how that might be achieved as well as delving into some of the CASS ?hot topics? in detail. 

By the end of this workshop you will be able to:

• Understand why auditor selection is an important part of the CASS audit process.
• Understand some of the key CASS themes coming out of CASS audits.
• Better prepare for your CASS audit to ensure that it adds value to your business.
• Identify when and how you should challenge your auditor on CASS audit findings.