At present, the stock market appears to be in free-fall, with most major market indices down approximately 25% in the past two weeks. The extent of the current crash and the duration of the recovery will likely depend on the extent and duration of the coronavirus crisis and the oil price trade war between Saudi Arabia and Russia. Absent a … Read More
Does Your Securities Broker or Investment Advisor have Errors and Omissions Insurance?
When shopping for an investment firm, or during your next meeting with your financial professional, ask whether the firm carries errors and omissions insurance. This type of insurance, also known and “E&O coverage,” insures against claims made by customers against their investment professionals. Unpaid arbitration awards remain a significant focus of regulators, legislators, and investor advocates. According to data published … Read More
Investor Advocates Call on FINRA to Immediately Stop the Expungement of Customer Complaints
The Public Investor Arbitration Bar Association (known as PIABA) is a nationwide association of attorneys who advocate for investors through litigation and arbitration and regulatory reform. In a report prepared by The PIABA Foundation, titled 2019 Study on FINRA Expungements, A Seriously Flawed Process that Should be Stopped Immediately to Protect the Integrity of the Public Record, PIABA called upon … Read More
The FINRA Arbitration Proceess
The FINRA Arbitration Process Almost all disputes involving securities brokers and their customers are resolved by arbitration under a process administered by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). FINRA was created on July 30, 2007, through the merger of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. and the New York Stock Exchange. FINRA is the largest non-governmental regulator of securities … Read More
Andrew Whiteman Assists Securities Law Clinics with Amicus Brief Filing
Andrew Whiteman Assists Securities Law Clinics with Amicus Brief Filing On April 19, 2019, Andrew Whiteman filed an amicus curiae brief in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit on behalf of three law school law clinics: University of Miami School of Law Investor Rights Clinic, Elizabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University Investor Rights Clinic, … Read More
Securities arbitration – Should you hire an attorney?
Here is a well-written article, co-authored by FINRA and PIABA, about why investors who are considering securities arbitration should hire an attorney. Securities Arbitration – Should You Hire an Attorney? ***** The lawyers at Whiteman Law Firm have been representing investors in securities claims for over 30 years. We represent individuals and businesses who have suffered financial losses due to … Read More
A Third of FINRA Arbitration Awards Go Unpaid
A third of FINRA arbitration awards are unpaid. Richard W. Berry, FINRA Executive Vice President of Dispute Resolution, recently provided a statement to the SEC Investment Advisory Committee on customer recovery in FINRA arbitration cases. According to Mr. Berry, “about a third” of cases in which FINRA arbitrators award damages to customers result in unpaid awards. Unpaid awards represent only … Read More