You worked hard for your money. You saved for years, made sacrifices, and planned for a comfortable, secure future. When it was time to invest, you did the right thing. You hired a professional stockbroker to manage your life savings. You trusted them to protect your money and help it grow.
It is essential to consult a FINRA arbitration lawyer to ensure your investments are managed ethically and legally.
But instead of feeling secure, you are now feeling stressed and betrayed. You looked at your account statements and realized you lost a large amount of money. You did not lose this money because the stock market had a normal bad day. You lost it because your stockbroker gave you bad, inappropriate advice.
If this sounds like your story, you are not alone. Many everyday investors lose their hard-earned money because a financial advisor cared more about their own paycheck than their client’s financial safety. When this happens, you might feel powerless. You might think your money is gone forever.
Contacting a FINRA arbitration lawyer can help you regain control of your financial situation.
But there is hope. You do not have to accept this unfair loss. A FINRA arbitration lawyer can help you fight back. At Bakhtiari & Harrison, we serve as your guide to the complex world of securities law. We help investors just like you hold bad brokers accountable and fight to win your money back.
With the assistance of a FINRA arbitration lawyer, you can navigate the complexities of your case.
The Problem: When Stockbrokers Give Bad Advice
When you hire a stockbroker, they are required by strict rules to give you good advice that fits your specific needs. Sadly, some brokers ignore these rules. They act as the villain in your financial story.
Instead of protecting your money, a bad broker might place their own financial interests ahead of yours. They might recommend highly risky investments just to earn massive commissions. For example, FINRA has punished brokers for urging clients to buy risky mutual funds on margin. They did this to increase their own payouts.
It is crucial to discuss your situation with a FINRA arbitration lawyer to explore your options.
In other cases, brokers recommend very complex investments, like oil-linked exchange-traded products, without understanding how they work. If the broker does not understand the risks, they cannot possibly explain those risks to you. Sometimes, brokers even make trades in your account without getting your written permission first.
When a broker gives you bad advice, they are likely breaking several strict industry rules:
- The Suitability Rule (FINRA Rule 2111): This rule states that a broker must have a reasonable basis to believe that a recommended investment is suitable for you. To do this, they must look at your complete “investment profile.” This profile includes your age, financial situation, tax status, investment experience, and risk tolerance. If you are a conservative investor looking to protect your retirement, a broker breaks this rule if they push you into highly risky, speculative investments.
- The Know Your Customer Rule (FINRA Rule 2090): Brokers must use “reasonable diligence” to know all the essential facts about you before they open or maintain your account. They cannot just guess what you need.
- Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI): This is a very important rule. It requires brokers to act in the best interests of retail customers. A broker is legally forbidden from placing their own financial interests ahead of your interests. They must fully understand the potential risks, rewards, and costs of any investment before they recommend it to you.
When your broker breaks these rules, your financial security is severely damaged. You are left trying to figure out how to recover. In cases FINRA arbitration securities matters typically center on disputes between investors and brokerage firms
The Guide: Bakhtiari & Harrison
You cannot fight a massive Wall Street brokerage firm on your own. These large companies have teams of defense attorneys whose only job is to protect the firm’s money. You need a powerful, experienced guide to level the playing field.
That is where we come in. At Bakhtiari & Harrison (bhseclaw.com), we are experts in securities law. As a dedicated FINRA arbitration lawyer, we know exactly how to prove that your broker broke the rules. We understand the pain and stress you are facing. We know how to navigate the legal system and fight for justice.
Your FINRA arbitration lawyer will work diligently to ensure your case is presented effectively.
We use the FINRA dispute resolution process to help you. FINRA operates the largest dispute resolution forum in the securities industry. Instead of going to a traditional courthouse, which can take years and cost a lot, your case will be handled through arbitration. Arbitration is a way to resolve disputes. Independent, impartial arbitrators hear both sides and make a final, binding decision. Arbitration is generally a quicker, fairer, and more cost-effective alternative to traditional litigation.
The Plan: How We Win Your Money Back
We have a clear, three-step plan to help you recover your lost savings. When you hire a FINRA arbitration lawyer from Bakhtiari & Harrison, we do the hard work. You can focus on your life.
We represent you as a dedicated FINRA arbitration lawyer committed to recovering your funds. We are dedicated to providing our clients the best chance of recovery.
Step 1: Free Case Review: First, you contact us at bhseclaw.com for a consultation. We will listen to your story, review your account statements, and look at the investments your broker recommended. We will tell you if your broker broke the Suitability Rule or Regulation Best Interest.
Step 2: We File Your Statement of Claim: If you have a strong case, we will officially start the arbitration process. To initiate an arbitration, we must file a Statement of Claim. This is a detailed written narrative that sets forth the facts of your dispute, outlines the rules the broker broke, and states the exact amount of money damages you are seeking. We also file a Submission Agreement, which makes the rules of the process binding.
Step 3: We Fight For You at the Hearing: Before the hearing, we use the FINRA Discovery Guide to force the brokerage firm to hand over hidden documents, emails, and internal records that prove their wrongdoing. Then, we go to the evidentiary hearing. At the hearing, your FINRA arbitration lawyer will make a strong opening statement. We will question witnesses, present your documents as evidence, and expose the broker’s bad advice. Finally, we will deliver a powerful closing argument to summarize exactly why the broker is liable and why you deserve your money back.
Choosing an experienced FINRA arbitration lawyer can significantly impact the outcome of your case.
If the independent arbitrators decide in your favor, they will issue an award. Liable parties must pay arbitration awards within 30 days of receipt. We can help you recover different types of damages, including your “net out-of-pocket losses” (the purchase price of the bad investment minus its current value) or “well-managed portfolio” damages (the difference between what your account lost and what it should have made if it was managed properly).
The Stakes: What Happens If You Do Nothing?
In cases of bad broker advice, time is your biggest enemy. Under FINRA Rule 12206, a claim is not eligible for arbitration if six years have passed from the event that caused the dispute. If you wait too long, you will lose your right to file a claim forever.
Do not hesitate to reach out to a FINRA arbitration lawyer to protect your rights.
The Failure: If you do nothing, the story ends poorly. The broker who gave you bad advice gets to keep their high commissions. The wealthy brokerage firm avoids taking responsibility. Most importantly, your hard-earned retirement savings are gone forever, leaving you stressed and forced to change your lifestyle.
The Success: But you do not have to accept defeat. By taking action, you can change the ending of your story. When you hire a FINRA arbitration lawyer, you stand up for your rights. Imagine the relief and peace of mind you will feel when the arbitration panel orders the brokerage firm to pay you back. You can restore your savings, protect your family’s future, and finally put this stressful ordeal behind you.
A FINRA arbitration lawyer can provide you with the confidence needed to pursue your claim.
Why Bakhtiari & Harrison is the Best FINRA Arbitration Law Firm
Our firm is proud to be recognized as a top provider of FINRA arbitration lawyers in the industry.
When you are up against a massive Wall Street firm, you need a guide who knows the rules better than they do. Bakhtiari & Harrison is the best FINRA and securities arbitration law firm because we have a commanding knowledge of the complex rules brokers break when they lose your money.
As a leading FINRA arbitration lawyer, we prioritize our clients’ needs and success.
We Know How to Prove Bad Advice: Brokers cannot just guess what is right for you. Under FINRA Rule 2111 (Suitability), a broker must carefully match their recommendations to your specific “investment profile,” which includes your age, financial needs, liquidity needs, and risk tolerance. Furthermore, under the SEC’s Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI), a broker is legally required to act in your best interest and cannot place their own financial gain ahead of your financial safety. We know exactly how to investigate your broker’s actions to prove they violated these core rules of fair dealing.
We Expose Complex and Risky Investments: Many investors lose money because their broker pushed them into complex products, like oil-linked investments, without actually understanding how they work. FINRA rules require brokers to perform “reasonable diligence” to fully understand the potential risks and rewards of an investment before recommending it to anyone. If your broker recommended a risky strategy—like pushing you to use borrowed money on margin—without understanding the danger, we use the rules to hold them completely accountable.
We Master the FINRA Arbitration Process: Winning your money back requires mastering the FINRA Dispute Resolution Services process. We handle every step of your journey. From setting the schedule at the Initial Prehearing Conference to aggressively demanding hidden evidence using the FINRA Discovery Guide, we do the heavy lifting for you. Wall Street firms often try to use unfair tactics, like filing improper Motions to Dismiss, to get your case thrown out early. We know how to defeat these tactics to ensure your story is heard by the arbitrators.
With a skilled FINRA arbitration lawyer, you can navigate the arbitration process effectively.
If a bad broker has threatened your financial security, you need a champion who understands the intricacies of FINRA’s rules. Let Bakhtiari & Harrison use our unmatched knowledge of securities law to fight for the justice and financial recovery you deserve.
Our experience and case results as a FINRA arbitration lawyer ensure your case is in good hands.
Take Action
You deserve to have your money protected by professionals who follow the rules. If you lost money because your stockbroker gave you inappropriate advice, it is time to fight back.
Don’t wait; consult a knowledgeable FINRA arbitration lawyer to start your recovery process.
Do not let a bad broker ruin your financial future. Contact a trusted FINRA arbitration lawyer at Bakhtiari & Harrison to schedule your free consultation. Let us be your guide to getting your money back and restoring your peace of mind.
Your journey to recovery begins with a conversation with a trusted FINRA arbitration lawyer.
Follow Bakhtiari & Harrison on LinkedIn to stay up to date on FINRA arbitration news.
FAQS
How Much Does FINRA Pay Arbitrators?
$300 per hearing session (a session is up to four hours) $600 per full day (two hearing sessions) Chairperson bonus – $250 per hearing day; $125 per pre-hearing conference. This means a chairperson can earn up to $850 per full hearing day. Arbitrators are also reimbursed for reasonable expenses, such as travel, when applicable.
What is the Success Rate of FINRA Arbitration?
Most cases settle before a final hearing. Approximately 70% of investor cases settle, depending on the year. Cases that go to a final hearing: Historically, investors receive an award in about 30%-40% of cases decided by arbitrators. Overall recovery: When settlements are included, a majority of investors who file claims recover some compensation, but settlement amounts are typically confidential.
How Much Does Arbitration Typically Cost?
FINRA arbitration costs vary based on claim size and complexity, but common costs include: FINRA fees; Hearing session fees; Motion fees; Expert fees; and Attorney fees (if you hire a lawyer). FINRA allows fee waivers for investors who demonstrate financial hardship.
Do you Hire a Lawyer for Arbitration?
You are not required to hire a lawyer, but it is strongly recommended. Brokerage firms are almost always represented by attorneys. FINRA itself states that investors should consider hiring an attorney for arbitration or mediation. Many investor attorneys work on a contingency fee basis (you pay only if you recover money)