For FINRA member firms, and employees of FINRA firms (even those who are not registered) FINRA Rule 8210 (Provision of Information and Testimony and Inspection and Copying of Books) gives FINRA the authority to request documents and testimony from firms, registered persons, and, in FINRA’s view, other persons and entities […]
Tag: Primer
Churned or Traded?
Churning claims dominated the securities arbitration landscape in the 2000’s, but have declined over the years, as the trading mania waned. As the markets improved, we have begun to see a resurgence of churning claims again. The common perception among the general public is that a customer who trades his […]
Hearing Hearing
Securities arbitrations, in fact, all arbitrations, are conducted in the same manner that a court trial is held, without some of the formalities. There are opening statements, first by the attorney for the claimant (typically a customer) and then by the respondents (the broker and/or his firm). The openings are […]
Cold Calling Rules
Compliance with securities regulations is only the beginning By Mark J. Astarita, Esq. Introduction Cold calling is a method of marketing a service or product by calling prospective clients “cold” – that is, without an introduction, to determine if the potential client has a need for, or interest in, the […]
Avoiding Customer Disputes
You can take steps to avoid being sued by your customers. By Mark J. Astarita, Esq. Introduction Since the United States Supreme Court Decision in MacMahon v. Shearson American Express, arbitration has been the preferred method of resolving customer disputes. In fact, today nearly every brokerage firm in the country […]
Introduction to the Securities Law – A Securities Lawyer Guide
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Calling England
Foreign Countries Have Their Own Securities Regs, and You Have to Comply With Them Too. By Mark J. Astarita, Esq. Financial professionals who are looking to solicit foreign investors have more to consider than the United States securities laws. Just like the United States has an interest in protecting its citizens […]
Introduction to Private Placements – A Securities Lawyer Guide
Introduction By Mark Astarita, a New York Securities Lawyer This overview of the private placement process is not legal advice, and is intended solely for information and educational purposes. If you are contemplating a private placement, or any legal transaction, you should consult an attorney who can provide you with […]
LAW REVIEW: FOR THE RECORD
YOU CAN’T STOP CLIENTS’ UNFOUNDED ARBITRATION CLAIMS, BUT YOU CAN BE PREPARED: KEEP GOOD RECORDS. BY MARK J. ASTARITA, ESQ. More than 6,000 arbitration claims are being filed each year with the various self-regulatory agencies. It follows that more and more brokers are finding themselves involved in these claims with […]
Insider Trading – The Legal and Illegal
Illegal insider trading is a serious securities law violation that carries potential civil and criminal penalties. Civilly, the penalties can be as large as three times the gross profit on the trading. An insider trading investigation by the SEC requires experienced securities counsel, as the initial investigation often dictates the […]