Florida Securities Fraud Lawyer

It's not asking too much to expect integrity and competent advice when investing your money. A Florida securities fraud lawyer that represents clients across the nation like Bert Savage can help you hold brokers accountable for losses caused by their fraud, bad advice, or information withheld. If you are suing for fraud under the law, you will need to bring the action within a certain time frame after the transaction at issue or you could be barred from bringing your claim. You might have heard this legal concept before. It's called the Statute of Limitations. Don't delay. Contact Bert now!

Investment advisers and stockbrokers give advice concerning investments for a fee and, in doing so, they are regulated by the Investment Advisors Act of 1940. Under certain state and federal laws, investment advisers owe a fiduciary duty to their clients. What is a "fiduciary duty?" Simply put, advisers should place their clients' interests above their own. One instance of a fiduciary duty is where the advisers must disclose the material facts about an investment (all facts, not just some) and must give advice that meets a client's financial objectives. Some laws impose a fiduciary duty on brokers as well. In some states, a broker has a fiduciary duty to fully and fairly disclose all material facts, make sure that a customer understands an investment's risks based on their financial interests, and keep customers informed about every completed transaction. Did an adviser or broker put their own interests above yours? Whether you're in Florida or elsewhere nationwide, contact Bert now for a FREE CASE STUDY. You may have a claim for a breach of fiduciary duty.

Brokers can misstate the nature of risks related to an investment so they can 'earn' their commission. Luckily, misrepresentations are actionable under state and federal laws, and Bert Savage can help you recover your losses from a financial adviser or stockbroker if they fail to fully or correctly disclose all relevant information in relation to their recommended of investments and/or securities. Laws that might be applicable to your case prohibit brokers from leaving out or falsifying material facts during the sale, purchase, or offering of a security (like a stock or bond, for example). Material or important facts can often include the financial health of a company, the fees associated with a stock purchase, or the risks concerning a specific investment as it relates to itself or to your entire portfolio. Although both the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and state laws prohibit misrepresentations or leaving material facts out when selling investments, a better option can be to pursue a misrepresentation claim under state law. Under some state laws, you do not necessarily need to show that you relied on the misrepresentation or omission. That's why it's important to contact a qualified securities fraud lawyer based in Florida and serving clients nationwide, like Bert Savage.

Under many state laws, either courts or FINRA hold financial advisers to a higher standard of care. Advisers should perform due diligence on securities or investments that they offer to clients so that they are not recommending a sham or poor investment that is unsuitable for you. To establish negligence, a securities fraud lawyer must demonstrate that the adviser or broker should have adhered to a certain standard of care, the adviser or broker breached this standard of care, and the breach caused damages. You could hold a broker accountable if they breached a duty when handling a securities transaction for you and that breach caused you to lose money.

You trust a broker to make decisions for you, but does he or she have your best interests in mind? Brokerage firms owe a duty to supervise and manage their brokers and to ensure that the brokers are following the applicable laws and FINRA rules. If a firm fails to follow this duty and fails to properly watch over its brokers, the firm can be liable for negligence by the brokers. In defending itself, the brokerage firm must show that it had a system in place to make sure that there was adequate supervision and compliance with the applicable rules and procedures. A brokerage firm can also be held indirectly liable for employee negligence under the doctrine of respondeat superior, which is a Latin term for being responsible for your employees or agents.

The attorneys at Savage Villoch Law, PLLC, also represents businesses in claims of breach of contract, disagreements between partners, enforcement or avoidance of non-competition agreements, and other legal matters. Most businesses rely on written contracts to help define various important rights and obligations for the business. Another area that often affects businesses is employment law. Employers have many obligations under federal and state laws. Contact us now to discuss your potential case.

Most financial or brokerage firms ask their new clients to sign an agreement when they open an investment account that has an arbitration or mediation clause. These clauses or provisions require the clients to resolve disputes with the firm outside of the courts. Arbitration is a less formal "trial" and it takes place before a neutral person or panel of people. Many, if not most, arbitrations are binding (meaning if the panel awards you money, the adviser, broker, and/or firm has to pay you like a judgment from Court). In contrast, mediation is a settlement conference and is an informal process where parties negotiate with the assistance of a neutral person, often a retired judge or experienced lawyer. Bert can represent you nationwide, not just in Florida.