The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) announced today that PCAOB Board Member Kara M. Stein will host an in-person forum on auditing in the small business environment and on auditing broker-dealers on November 12, 2025. The one-day event – part of a series of 2025 forums – will take place at Loyola Marymount University (St. Robert’s Hall, 1 LMU Drive, Los Angeles, CA, 90045).
“Auditors of smaller public companies and of broker-dealers make up essential parts of the auditing landscape and our investor-protection framework,” said Board Member Stein. “The PCAOB is dedicated to engaging with our stakeholders in support of vibrant capital markets, and I look forward to continuing this dialogue in Los Angeles.”
Tailored to PCAOB-registered firms auditing smaller public companies or broker-dealers, the forums provide a unique opportunity for auditors to interact with representatives from the PCAOB and other regulators.
In addition to remarks from Board Member Stein, the agenda includes the following:
- Presentations by PCAOB staff from the Office of the Chief Auditor, the Division of Registration and Inspections, and the Division of Enforcement and Investigations.
- Presentation of illustrative examples related to audit risks associated with revenue, cash flow projections, related party transactions, and review of exemption reports.
- Discussion of resources that the PCAOB has recently released to assist and inform auditors in their implementation QC 1000, A Firm’s System of Quality Control, and other standards.
- Presentations by staff of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
Registration Required for the November 12 Forum; CPE Available
There is no fee to attend the Los Angeles forum, but advance registration is required and can be completed here. While the event is in-person only, a recording of the event will be made available on the PCAOB’s website. Attendees can earn continuing professional education (CPE) credits.
Forum attendees are encouraged to submit questions in advance via email. There also will be an opportunity to submit questions during the forum.
Visit the PCAOB’s Information for Smaller Firms page – which the PCAOB maintains as part of its ongoing efforts to support smaller audit firms – to find resources including publications, videos, and a sign-up form for the Communications to Small Audit Firm Practitioners mailing list.
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About the PCAOB
The PCAOB is a nonprofit corporation established by Congress to oversee the audits of public companies in order to protect investors and further the public interest in the preparation of informative, accurate, and independent audit reports. The PCAOB also oversees the audits of brokers and dealers registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including compliance reports filed pursuant to federal securities laws.