Eccleston Law Blog

CFP Board Releases AI Ethics Guide for Its Certificants

April 1st, 2025 at 3:43 PM
The CFP Board has released a "Generative AI Ethics Guide" to address the growing use of artificial intelligence in financial advising.
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Margin Debt Hits Record Highs

March 31st, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Investors' use of margin trading has surged to unprecedented levels, with debit balances in margin accounts reaching a record $937 billion as of January 2025, according to FINRA.
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FINRA Arbitration Orders Stifel to Pay $133 Million Over Broker's Structured Note Strategy

March 28th, 2025 at 12:11 PM
A FINRA arbitration panel has ordered Stifel Financial’s retail broker-dealer to pay nearly $133 million in damages related to a structured note investment strategy promoted by Miami-based broker Chuck A. Roberts.
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FINRA Fines Robinhood $26 Million for Compliance Failures

March 27th, 2025 at 11:21 AM
According to Barron’s, FINRA has fined Robinhood Financial and Robinhood Securities $26 million for multiple rule violations, including failures in anti-money laundering compliance, inadequate supervision of trading technology, and misleading customer communications.
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Former Edward Jones Advisor Barred After Refusing to Cooperate with FINRA Investigation

March 26th, 2025 at 2:11 PM
A former Edward Jones advisor, James A. Bowman, has accepted an industry bar rather than cooperate with a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) investigation into allegations that he reimbursed clients for losses in their accounts.
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Pennsylvania Investor Sues Captrust Over $360,000 Phishing Scam Loss

March 25th, 2025 at 1:00 PM
A Pennsylvania investor has filed suit against Captrust Financial Advisors, alleging the firm failed to act swiftly in stopping a scam that drained her retirement savings.
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Merrill Lynch Advisor Sanctioned for Unauthorized Trading

March 24th, 2025 at 2:58 PM
FINRA has fined a former Merrill Lynch advisor $5,000 and suspended the advisor for 30 days for executing unauthorized trades in client accounts.
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SEC Updates Marketing Rule Guidance to Clarify Extracted Performance and Portfolio Metrics

March 21st, 2025 at 2:20 PM
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued updated guidance on its marketing rule, addressing industry concerns regarding net performance requirements, extracted performance, and portfolio characteristics.
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Stifel Loses Raiding Case, Ordered to Pay Over $7 Million in Legal Fees

March 20th, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Stifel Financial has lost its raiding and breach-of-contract claim against a group of advisors who left its Indianapolis office to establish their own firm.
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FINRA Enforcement Actions in 2024: Fines Drop But Cases Increase

March 19th, 2025 at 10:26 AM
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) imposed $59 million in fines in 2024, reflecting a 35 percent decrease from the previous year, according to an analysis by Eversheds Sutherland.
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LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

April 29, 2025
Merrill Lynch Fires Veteran Advisor for Ignoring Mandated Commission Discounts

Merrill Lynch has terminated Daniel G. Diaz, a 37-year industry veteran, for refusing to apply commission discounts to certain client accounts as instructed by management, according to his Central Registration Depository (CRD) record.

April 28, 2025
Former Morgan Stanley Advisor Barred After Fraudulent Check Allegations

Roger A. Gallagher has accepted an industry bar from FINRA rather than cooperate with a regulatory investigation. According to a FINRA Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent letter (“AWC”).

April 25, 2025
Rosedale Advisory Firm Fined for Role in NCAA Player Referral Bribery Scheme

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has finalized a cease-and-desist proceeding against Rosedale, a former SEC-registered investment adviser, for violations of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.