Answers to CFA Level III practice questions

1. C is correct. High ethical standards distinguish professions from the craft guilds or trade bodies. Unlike trade bodies, professional bodies also typically have a mission to serve society and enforce professional conduct rules for practitioners.
2. B is correct. Fiduciary duty is an obligation to deliver a high standard of care when acting for the benefit of another party. Professionals must act in the best interest of the client, exercising a reasonable level of care, skill, and diligence. Other entities—including employers, regulators, trade associations, and not-for-profit bodies—may also support an industry but are not the same as professional bodies. Unlike professions, these other entities generally do not exist to set and maintain professional standards.
3. C is correct. The investment management profession and investment firms must be interdependent to maintain trust. Employers and regulators have their own standards and practices, which may differ from regulations and standards set by professional bodies.
4. C is correct. When a dilemma occurs, raising an issue internally is often a good starting place and creates an opportunity for an independent internal review. Protecting the client and the firm may take priority over the position of an individual professional raising a concern.

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