CERTIFICATIONS | |
I, Christopher H. Pinkerton, certify that: | |
1. I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of First Investors Equity Funds; | |
2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a | |
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of | |
the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the | |
period covered by this report; | |
3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information | |
included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of | |
operations, changes in net assets, and cash flows (if the financial statements are required to | |
include a statement of cash flows) of the Registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this | |
report; | |
4. The Registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and | |
maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the | |
Investment Company Act of 1940) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in | |
Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) for the Registrant and have: | |
(a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such | |
disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that | |
material information relating to the Registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is | |
made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which | |
this report is being prepared; | |
(b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such | |
internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide | |
reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of | |
financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted | |
accounting principles; | |
(c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the Registrant’s disclosure controls and | |
procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the | |
disclosure controls and procedures, as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of | |
this report based on such evaluation; and | |
(d) Disclosed in this report any change in the Registrant’s internal control | |
over financial reporting that occurred during the second fiscal quarter of the period | |
covered by this report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially | |
affect, the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and | |
5. The Registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed to the Registrant’s | |
auditors and the audit committee of the Registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing | |
the equivalent functions): |
(a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or | |
operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to | |
adversely affect the Registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize, and report | |
financial information; and | |
(b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other | |
employees who have a significant role in the Registrant’s internal control over financial | |
reporting. |
By: | /S/ CHRISTOPHER H. PINKERTON | |
Christopher H. Pinkerton | ||
President and Principal Executive Officer | ||
Date: | May 30, 2012 |
CERTIFICATIONS | |
I, Joseph I. Benedek, certify that: | |
1. I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of First Investors Equity Funds; | |
2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a | |
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of | |
the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the | |
period covered by this report; | |
3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information | |
included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of | |
operations, changes in net assets, and cash flows (if the financial statements are required to | |
include a statement of cash flows) of the Registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this | |
report; | |
4. The Registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and | |
maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the | |
Investment Company Act of 1940) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in | |
Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) for the Registrant and have: | |
(a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such | |
disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that | |
material information relating to the Registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is | |
made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which | |
this report is being prepared; | |
(b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such | |
internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide | |
reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of | |
financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted | |
accounting principles; | |
(c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the Registrant’s disclosure controls and | |
procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the | |
disclosure controls and procedures, as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of | |
this report based on such evaluation; and | |
(d) Disclosed in this report any change in the Registrant’s internal control | |
over financial reporting that occurred during the second fiscal quarter of the period | |
covered by this report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially | |
affect, the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and | |
5. The Registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed to the Registrant’s | |
auditors and the audit committee of the Registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing | |
the equivalent functions): |
(a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or | |
operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to | |
adversely affect the Registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize, and report | |
financial information; and | |
(b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other | |
employees who have a significant role in the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting. | |
By: | /S/ JOSEPH I. BENEDEK | |
Joseph I. Benedek | ||
Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer | ||
Date: | May 30, 2012 |