Tr?id=566623520170033&ev=PageView&noscript=1

Chicago FINRA Arbitrators Award Ten Former Financial Advisors Over $3 Million For Forfeited Deferred Compensation Damages, Interest and Attorneys’ Fees

Posted on March 25th, 2024 at 9:17 AM
Chicago FINRA Arbitrators Award Ten Former Financial Advisors Over $3 Million For Forfeited Deferred Compensation Damages, Interest and Attorneys’ Fees

Ten former Morgan Stanley financial advisors have been awarded over $3 million related to the firm’s wrongful forfeiture of the advisors’ deferred compensation.

The advisors were represented by Chicago-based Eccleston Law LLC, Rosca Scarlato LLC of Ohio and Salmanson Goldshaw PC of Pennsylvania.

The financial advisors alleged violations of ERISA as well as state labor law violations and various common law causes of action. The financial advisors took the position that the deferred compensation had been earned and thus could not be forfeited under any circumstances, including by their resignations to work for other financial services firms. Morgan Stanley, on the other hand, defended the claims by alleging that the deferred compensation was not earned, was merely a bonus, and that the firm had disclosed in writing that the deferred compensation could be forfeited, for example, upon an advisor’s resignation.

Although the FINRA award is not reasoned, which is customary in FINRA arbitrations, one reasonably can infer that the FINRA arbitrators rejected Morgan Stanley’s defenses.

The law firms have another dozen or so FINRA arbitrations for former Morgan Stanley financial advisors pending across the United States.

Tags: Eccleston, Eccleston Law

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next
Quotes Bigger

Thank you for your professional assistance with this matter. You are very good at what you do.

John T.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

1790008446 Law
September 21, 2026
Blackstone Limits Withdrawals From Blackstone Private Credit Fund

Blackstone's flagship private credit fund faces continued pressure from investors seeking liquidity.

1789752835 Law
September 18, 2026
SEC Sanctions Investment Adviser and Executive for Disproportionate Trade Allocations

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has determined that the conduct of registered investment advisory firm Barrington Asset Management, and its executive vice-president and chief compliance officer, Gregory Paris, disadvantaged clients and breached their fiduciary duties owed to clients.

1789665543 Law
September 17, 2026
SEC Charges 38 Entities Over Allegedly Fraudulent Adviser Filings

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged 38 entities with allegedly making material misrepresentations in Forms ADV filed with the SEC between 2025 and 2026.