Stephens Wins $18.2 Million In Raiding Claim Against Ben Edwards

Posted on February 4th, 2022 at 12:48 PM
Stephens Wins $18.2 Million In Raiding Claim Against Ben Edwards

From the Desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law: 

Stephens, Inc. has won nearly $18.2 million in an arbitration claim against Benjamin Edwards & Company over the raiding of an Arkansas branch. 

Stephens’ claim accused Ben Edwards of poaching four advisors at the Jonestown, Arkansas office over an 11-month span beginning in 2016. According to Stephens, the hiring constituted an unfair raid causing the firm to lose at least 40% revenue accompanied by predatory intent and “improper means” of recruiting. The award included $10.97 million in compensatory damages and $2.20 million in attorneys’ fees. Additionally, the two panelists in the majority awarded $5 million in punitive damages. 

The two panelists also denied a counterclaim that had sought nearly $2.55 million in damages pertaining to violations of the industry’s Broker Protocol recruiting agreement. Ben Edwards, which employs at least 300 advisors across 75 offices, will likely appeal the matter in an effort to reverse the arbitrators’ decision, according to a company spokeswoman. 

Eccleston Law LLC represents investors and financial advisors nationwide in securities, employment, regulatory and disciplinary matters.

Tags: eccleston, eccleston law, arbitration

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next

You are the best attorneys in the country.

CC

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

September 5, 2025
Merrill Lynch Advisor Faces FINRA Disciplinary Action for Refusing to Cooperate with Investigation

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has initiated disciplinary proceedings against former Merrill Lynch broker Ali F. Chehab of Portland, Oregon. According to ThinkAdvisor, FINRA alleges that he refused to cooperate in an investigation into potential misconduct, including unauthorized trading and material misrepresentati...

September 4, 2025
Wells Fargo Ties $2,000 Bonus to Non-Solicitation Clause, Raising Advisor Concerns

Wells Fargo & Co. recently issued a $2,000 bank-wide award to its 215,000 employees, following the Federal Reserve’s June decision to lift its asset growth restrictions.

September 3, 2025
Kansas City Advisory Firms Agree to $25.5 Million Settlement Over No-Poach Allegations

Mariner Wealth Advisors, along with two other Kansas City-area firms, has agreed to a $25.5 million class action settlement over allegations that they illegally agreed not to solicit each other’s advisors.