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Registered Rep. October 1, 2004 |
When the Loan Comes Due I switched firms three years ago, joining a wirehouse offering a seven-year forgivable loan as upfront payment. Since hiring on at the new firm, my production has nosedived. If I am fired, can my firm legally ask for the balance of the forgivable loan back? |
Registered Rep. October 1, 2002 Jonathan P. Arfa |
First, Hire the Lawyers With heavy investor losses, customer claims filed with the NYSE and the NASD are expected to hit an all-time high in 2002. What should a broker do if they are the target of a complaint? |
Registered Rep. April 1, 2006 |
Mudslinger Stains Q: I've been a broker for 22 years and worked for two of the largest brokerage firms in the world. Several years ago, I received a phone call from a long-standing client, who'd received something strange in the mail... A: Document what is taking place... etc. |
Registered Rep. March 1, 2006 |
Whose Lawyer Is It Anyway? Q: My firm and I have been named in an arbitration filed by a former client. The firm agreed to provide me with a lawyer who is representing it, too. Do I have any reason to be concerned about this joint representation?... A: This is the classic problem that many brokers face... etc. |
Investment Advisor September 2009 Thomas D. Giachetti |
Expert's Corner: It Beats Getting Sued What every investment advisor should know about securities arbitration. |
Registered Rep. June 1, 2005 |
The Cost of Compliance Q: My current firm recently hired a non-licensed wholesaler to begin marketing our mutual fund family. What liability do I have, given that the wholesaler is not licensed? |
On Wall Street November 1, 2009 Thomas Lewis |
It's Payback Time on Promissory Notes Firms have been fighting back against defecting advisors. Increasingly one of the most effective weapons in their arsenal is the enforcement of promissory notes. |
Registered Rep. August 1, 2005 |
Suitable for Blaming? I just opened an account for a new client who said he had lost a lot of money with another firm. It was clear to me that the prior activity was not suitable for either the investment objectives or the risk tolerance of the customer. Should I say anything to my client, or should I just make the changes that I think are appropriate? |
On Wall Street October 1, 2009 Alan J. Foxman |
Crossing the Line in Your Relationships with Clients Q&A: What privileges can a firm give a client?... Can a financial advisor borrow money from a bank that is a client?... Arbitration claims about promissory note... Must I tell my employer annuities I've sold through a third-party vendor?... |
On Wall Street February 1, 2010 Alan J. Foxman |
Advisor Sued When Market Is to Blame Legal experts answer questions from advisors who are being sued by clients who have lost money in the financial turmoil. |
Registered Rep. August 1, 2006 |
Unbreakable Promises Q: Isn't it standard in the industry to prorate notes over the entire period employed? Do we have any recourse?... A: It's way too late in the game for you to be wondering about how proration of promissory notes works in the industry... etc. |
Registered Rep. September 1, 2004 |
The Blame Game When is a broker or a financial planner a fiduciary?... Should I seek separate legal counsel or allow my former firm's attorney to represent me?... |
Registered Rep. January 27, 2004 John Churchill |
New Rule Makes Clearing Your Record Harder Brokers can expect a new rule that will make removing customer complaints and disciplinary actions from their public records much more difficult. |
On Wall Street January 1, 2012 Alan J. Foxman |
The Disclosure Dilemma When and what needs to be disclosed on the U4? |
On Wall Street September 1, 2010 Alan J. Foxman |
Ponzi Schemes And Problems Paying Fines Q&A: What does it mean for advisors that records are now available to the general public online?... How will arbitration payments I must make but cannot afford right now affect my license?... more... |
Registered Rep. May 1, 2006 French & Palmer |
The Argument Over Arbitration While investment-related arbitrations are supposed to be cheaper and more expeditious than trials in civil court, many say that these advantages have diminished in recent years, and that all too often the proceedings just look like outtakes from The Gong Show. Is there a better way? |
Registered Rep. January 1, 2006 |
Who Gets the Book? Q: I had an oral contract with my partner that I would inherit his $40 million book when he retired... Please advise me as to my rights... A: At the outset, my advice is that you have viable claims against your firm for breach of contract, detrimental reliance and unfair business practices... etc. |
Registered Rep. May 1, 2004 |
Arbitrary Decisions Q & A on work-related ethical quandaries for the investment professional. |
Registered Rep. October 1, 2006 Ann Therese Palmer |
Agent or Fiduciary? Q: I underwent a grueling arbitration hearing this year. One point the complainant's attorney tried to make was that I had acted in a fiduciary capacity... A: The designation "fiduciary" used to mean something special in both the legal and the brokerage worlds... |
On Wall Street November 1, 2008 Alan J Foxman |
Caught in the Middle In an arbitration lawsuit one advisor was named as respondent, one wasn't -- and now both have problems to deal with. |
Registered Rep. October 17, 2011 Patrick J. Burns |
Don't Ignore That Promissory Note One of the trickiest components when it comes to a broker's departure from a wirehouse firm is how to handle the promissory note. |
Registered Rep. November 1, 2005 |
Supplemental Inquiry Q: Is there any way my employer can find out if I receive W-2 income from other sources... Q: Recently at a social event, a co-worker's client told me another local broker (who is a competitor) had made some disparaging remarks about my co-worker... etc. |
Registered Rep. January 1, 2003 Jonathan P. Arfa |
Do-It-Yourself Arbitration When a rep is laid off or changes firms, there's often a disagreement about how much she is due for her final months of work. |
Registered Rep. November 1, 2004 |
The Fear of Pursuit Nonsolicitation agreements are commonplace in the brokerage industry. However, if you change firms and choose to contact clients, whether you will be pursued is a business decision that your former firm would have to make. |
On Wall Street September 1, 2008 Alan J Foxman |
Court or Arbitration Sexual harassment claims can go to court under FINRA's rules, but some employment contracts call for arbitration... If I leave my firm can they get an injunction preventing me from taking my clients? Can this go to arbitration? |
On Wall Street June 1, 2013 Alan J. Foxman |
When Settling a Suit Makes Sense Our legal expert discusses when settling an arbitration case saves time and money. |
On Wall Street August 1, 2009 Helen Kearney |
Death Knell for Mandatory Arbitration The meltdown on Wall Street, along with the raft of Ponzi schemes, have created a renewed regulatory zeal on the part of the government towards financial advisors. This all begs a major question: Is this the end of mandatory arbitration? |
Registered Rep. February 11, 2010 Halah Touryalai |
Victory For Broker in Citi Bonus Repayment Case A former Citi broker doesn't have to pay back the full amount owed on his sign-on bonus, a FINRA arbitration panel rules. |
Investment Advisor June 2007 Thomas D. Giachetti |
Look Before Leaping For financial advisors, there are many issues to be reviewed before making a decision to leave your current employer. Experienced counsel should be consulted. Every case has similarities, and every case has differences. |
Registered Rep. August 1, 2006 Gary Weiss |
Institutionalized Unfairness Here the author of Wall Street Versus America discusses how the mandatory arbitration of customer disputes must be made to go away. And not just because it hurts financial advisory customers. It hurts the financial advisor equally. |
On Wall Street November 1, 2010 Alan J. Foxman |
Crime Versus Punishment Members of the financial services industry write in for advice and have their legal questions answered. |
On Wall Street October 1, 2009 Judith Schoolman |
Five Questions with Brian Smiley Brian Smiley is president of the PIABA, which promotes the interests of investors involved in arbitration disputes against brokerage firms. In this short interview he speaks about his group's goals and why he's been so busy. |
Registered Rep. April 1, 2008 John Churchill |
The Failure Chain Consider the curious and rather grotesque case of Gary J. Gross, a financial advisor from Boca Raton, Fla. Gross' U4 is close to 100 pages long, and lists 35 customer complaints. |
BusinessWeek August 16, 2004 Emily Thornton |
The Brokers Strike Back Wall Street to investors: Beware of suing your brokers -- they might just sue you back. |
The Motley Fool October 19, 2006 S.J. Caplan |
When Brokers Break the Rules Investors do have some recourse if they feel they've been duped, and that recourse is on sale this month. |
Registered Rep. January 1, 2007 Karen Donovan |
Fix Arbitration Now Here are three problems that lawyers who struggle with the securities industry's arbitration system say they confront on a routine basis. For the most part, the lawyers for customers and those who represent the industry have radically different views on how to fix the system. |
Registered Rep. May 13, 2011 Bill Singer |
Blaming, Naming, and FINRA Gaming Suppose that an unhappy investor didn't specifically name you in a lawsuit or arbitration when he complained about your investing advice. You'd think that would get you off the regulatory disclosure hook, right? Think again. |
Entrepreneur October 2003 Jane Easter Bahls |
Ties That Bind Are you within your rights to require employees to sign a binding arbitration agreement? |
Registered Rep. October 1, 2005 |
Foul or Fair Q: Am I correct in my belief that I was discriminated against regarding account distribution, training opportunities, marketing, support and partnership opportunities because I was a woman rep who wasn't aligned with a male partner to protect me?... A: Controversy permeates the securities industry... etc. |
Registered Rep. January 27, 2012 Kristen French |
Due Diligence: FINRA's Merrill Fine is a Tap on the Wrist This week, FINRA fined Merrill Lynch $1 million for making it hard for former brokers of the firm to fight back in bonus disputes. |
Registered Rep. January 1, 2005 Jennifer Woods Burke |
Not in My Name Under limited circumstances, NASD Rule 2130 allows registered representatives to erase histories of disputes with customers from the CRD system. |
Registered Rep. August 16, 2006 Karen Donovan |
Put It in Writing: Investors Want Arbitrators to Explain Their Awards Lawyers who represent investors in securities arbitrations hope that a proposed NASD rule -- which would give them the option of demanding written explanations from arbitration panels that hear their disputes against brokerage houses -- will take effect soon. |
On Wall Street July 1, 2012 Alan J. Foxman |
Defining Full Disclosure Legal questions are answered on disclosure of civil actions and bankruptcy for registered investment adviser applicants and which members of an RIA firm may have control of an LLC. |
On Wall Street May 1, 2010 Alan J. Foxman |
Do You Always Have A Right To An Attorney In Arbitration? Q&A: Rights to attorneys in arbitration... Is giving the client a bond's rating enough when it comes to disclosing risks?... |
On Wall Street August 1, 2012 Alan J. Foxman |
FINRA's New Suitability Rule I'm a compliance officer for a small brokerage firm. I'm a little confused by FINRA's new suitability rule. What, if anything, extra does it require us to do? |
BusinessWeek August 13, 2007 Lewis Braham |
Want To Take On Your Broker? Investors' odds have shrunk in recent years. Even if you win, don't expect a windfall. |
On Wall Street December 1, 2008 Alan J Foxman |
Sipc Insures Select Cases Brokers are unsure what to tell clients about SIPC coverage, as well as the rationale on arbitration disputes. |
On Wall Street October 1, 2010 Alan J. Foxman |
The Instant Age of Social Media Readers ask for advice on indemnification agreements, social media, suing a 401(k) plan holder for misrepresentation on the outlook for company stock, and asset purchase agreements. |
Registered Rep. October 1, 2002 Betsy Riley |
...Especially if They Foot the Bill It's not unusual for firms that settle arbitration cases to make the broker involved in the accusations pay part of the bill, even if the rep isn't specifically named in the case. What options does the broker have? |
On Wall Street August 1, 2013 Alan J. Foxman |
Legal Expert Discusses Commission Contracts Our legal expert discusses how to make sure you re getting your due in commissions. |