Ted Anderson, Attorney
Pat Milfeld, Paralegal

Kilgore & Kilgore’s Texas FINRA lawyers have successfully defended many employees in the financial industry from false charges made by their employers concerning their job performance. Our attorneys know how to navigate the FINRA arbitration process. They have won compensatory damages as well as expungement of defamatory information on FINRA Forms U-5 on behalf of employees serving as brokers and other employees of financial institutions overseen by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

Our FINRA lawyers help employees submit claims for dispute resolution by FINRA who were damaged by false performance reports by their employers that appeared on their FINRA Forms U-5. Other types of cases include charges of account churning, unsuitable investments, or breach of trust by stockbrokers or other financial industry professionals and brokerages. Securities litigation cases and shareholder lawsuits for economic failure are other securities matters that we undertake. We also bring actions on behalf of investors claiming misconduct, attempts to conceal negligent activity, and other dubious behavior by securities dealers and stockbrokers.

Recent FINRA Cases Illustrate the Breadth and Scope of Our Law Practice

In 2018, there were 23 FINRA matters completed or underway at Kilgore & Kilgore. Below are some examples of the many FINRA cases that our Dallas FINRA attorneys undertook:

• Claim on behalf of two brokers against their employer, a major bank, that resulted in each broker being awarded lost earnings and compensatory damages plus the expungement of false and defamatory information on their FINRA Forms U-5;
• Claim on behalf of a former bank vice president regarding false and defamatory information on his
  FINRA Form U-5;
• Claim on behalf of a family estate against brokers who were involved in churning and investment suitability misjudgments;
• Claim on behalf of a broker terminated from a securities dealer involving defamation and disparagement on his FINRA Form U-5;
• Claim that a financial institution wrongfully forfeited a financial advisor’s retirement and wealth accumulation account; and
• Claim that a broker and broker-dealer breached their fiduciary relationship of trust with our client.

FINRA Arbitration Experience

Our Dallas FINRA attorneys have a depth of experience with FINRA arbitrations. This form of dispute resolution is an alternative to litigation. The decision of the FINRA arbitrator or FINRA arbitration panel is legally binding, just like a court’s decision. A matter that goes through a FINRA arbitration cannot be brought before a court of law. In a FINRA arbitration, the arbitrator(s) hear arguments from both sides, review the testimonial and documentary evidence, and render a decision. A FINRA arbitration can take as long as 16 months. The claim’s size determines the type of FINRA arbitration process that is used. Claims that exceed $100,000 in value require a hearing with a three-arbitrator panel. Smaller claims can be decided by one FINRA arbitrator or proceed administratively through a process called the FINRA Simplified Arbitration Process.

Arbitration or FINRA Mediation

FINRA offers different methods of resolving a claim between an individual and a brokerage firm, arbitration or mediation. Deciding which method to use is easier with the help of an experienced FINRA attorney. Mediation is an alternative to arbitration. It is a simpler process and the result is easier to achieve. An attorney can help you understand how the result can differ using either method and can also represent you through the claims process. There are many important steps to the claims process, which a FINRA attorney can explain and guide you through. An arbitration is required when a broker or brokerage firm has a dispute concerning securities business activities and when the dispute is between one brokerage firm and another brokerage firm or between a brokerage firm and a broker. An investor can request arbitration and the broker and brokerage firm must comply. When a broker has a dispute regarding matters of employment, an arbitration is not required, but it may be decided that they agree to an arbitration. Since brokerage firms are represented by attorneys, it is not a good idea to represent oneself in a mediation or arbitration without benefit of legal counsel.

We Can Help You Build a Law Team

We respect established relationships with counsel and frequently joint venture with other lawyers representing clients with cases that demand large legal teams with adequate resources. We receive most of our referrals from other lawyers. When a conflict arises, or there is a need for local or trial counsel, we stand ready to support the team in whatever configuration makes the most sense. As a matter of policy, we always return a client to his or her original attorney.

Our Clients Tell Us

Review the testimonials shown on this page or click on this link to read some of the many client testimonials that people have sent to thank our FINRA attorneys for getting them back on track with their careers. Kilgore & Kilgore can do the same for you.

Reach Out to Us

To learn more about our FINRA arbitration practice, or to schedule an appointment to discuss matters in confidence with a Dallas FINRA lawyer, click on this link contact us, fill out and submit the form to get the conversation started. We offer a free review of the facts of your case with a Kilgore & Kilgore attorney.