A Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent is a mechanism provided under the FINRA Rule 9216 to permit the Department of Enforcement or Department of Market Regulation to resolve aa controversy between the Department and a member or associated person over a violation of of any rule, regulation or staturory provision, including the federal securities laws and the regulations promulgated thereunder, which FINRA has jurisidiction to enforce. See also FINRA Rule 9211.

Subsection (a) of FINRA Rule 9216 states in part as follows:

(1) Notwithstanding Rule 9211, if the Department of Enforcement or the Department of Market Regulation has reason to believe a violation has occurred and the member or associated person does not dispute the violation, the Department of Enforcement or the Department of Market Regulation may prepare and request that the member or associated person execute a letter accepting a finding of violation, consenting to the imposition of sanctions, and agreeing to waive such member’s or associated person’s right to a hearing before a Hearing Panel or, if applicable, an Extended Hearing Panel, and any right of appeal to the National Adjudicatory Council, the SEC, and the courts, or to otherwise challenge the validity of the letter, if the letter is accepted. The letter shall describe the act or practice engaged in or omitted, the rule, regulation, or statutory provision violated, and the sanction or sanctions to be imposed. Unless the letter states otherwise, the effective date of any sanction(s) imposed will be a date to be determined by FINRA staff.

In addition, a member or associated person who executes an AWC waives certain rights:

(2)(A) If a member or person associated with a member submits an executed letter of acceptance, waiver, and consent, by the submission such member or person associated with a member also waives:
(i) any right of such member or person associated with a member to claim bias or prejudgment of the General Counsel, the National Adjudicatory Council, or any member of the National Adjudicatory Council, in connection with such person’s or body’s participation in discussions regarding the terms and conditions of the letter of acceptance, waiver, and consent, or other consideration of the letter of acceptance, waiver, and consent, including acceptance or rejection of such letter of acceptance, waiver, and consent; and
(ii) any right of such member or person associated with a member to claim that a person violated the ex parte prohibitions of Rule 9143 or the separation of functions prohibitions of Rule 9144, in connection with such person’s or body’s participation in discussions regarding the terms and conditions of the letter of acceptance, waiver, and consent, or other consideration of the letter of acceptance, waiver, and consent, including acceptance or rejection of such letter of acceptance, waiver, and consent.
(B) If a letter of acceptance, waiver, and consent is rejected, the member or associated person shall be bound by the waivers made under paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2)(A) for conduct by persons or bodies occurring during the period beginning on the date the letter of acceptance, waiver, and consent was executed and submitted and ending upon the rejection of the letter of acceptance, waiver, and consent.

FINRA Rule 9126 (2).