For expert representation when you decide to pursue investment litigation for stockbroker fraud, contact attorney Michael Wilson in San Diego
Apollo Law Group
8355 La Mesa Blvd
La Mesa, CA 91941
P: 619-464-6100
F: 619-564-6751
Investment Litigation and Stockbroker Fraud – Skilled Attorney Providing San Diego Investment Loss Representation
When you put your trust in a financial adviser or stockbroker to invest your capital, that individual has a fiduciary duty to give you sound advice and help you invest your money in a prudent fashion. Unfortunately, in recent times there have been several reported instances where investment representatives have breached this trust and committed stockbroker fraud. Lawyer Michael Wilson, a leading attorney in San Diego is an investor himself and has a thorough understanding of the legal and ethical requirements that stockbrokers and investment firms have to their clients. If you have lost substantial sums due to what you suspect is fraud or other malfeasance, Michael Wilson will investigate the circumstances of your losses and will provide hard-hitting investment litigation to help you recover your money. Our attorney has helped San Diego clients recover financial losses incurred by stockbrokers and investment firms that attempted to further their own interests by betraying their clients. Michael Wilson's proven track record as a successful investment and business litigation lawyer in San Diego is assurance that he will provide you the skilled, knowledgeable, and aggressive representation you need to take on those who attempted to abuse your trust.
Michael Wilson has successfully helped clients achieve substantial settlements after litigating against several types of stockbroker misbehavior, including:
- Unsuitability
- Misrepresentations and Omissions
- Churning
- Overconcentration
- Insider Trading
- Investment Fraud
- High-Level Investment Fraud
Unsuitability
Under the National Association of Securities Dealer's Conduct Rules 2110 and 3110, investment firms and stockbrokers have a "know your customer" obligation to make investments that are consistent with the needs, investment goals, and risk tolerance of their customers. Your stockbroker has a duty to recommend investments that are in line with your stated desires and that are suitable to your current situation in life. If your stockbroker has you invest in high risk securities even though you need conservative investments that supply a steady return, for example, the stockbroker has usurped his or her responsibility to you and has committed a form of stockbroker fraud. Lawyer Michael Wilson in San Diego has helped individuals who have suffered devastating losses due to a stockbroker's careless or intentional disregard of their wishes and financial needs. Our expert investment litigation attorney has helped several San Diego clients recover their losses and avoid the crushing financial problems they could have suffered had they not contacted our office.
Misrepresentations and Omissions
Your stockbroker is required to disclose all the material facts and risks associated with any investment. Sometimes, though, a stockbroker has been instructed to push a particular stock that has a level of risk beyond your threshold of comfort. The stockbroker may recommend the stock without fully disclosing the risk, and after you buy the stock, you are hit with a major financial loss or even the complete loss of your investment when the stock's value declines. This is clearly stockbroker fraud, and our attorney in San Diego has little patience with this kind of abuse. If you have been victimized by a stockbroker who misrepresented an investment, contact the law office of Michael Wilson today for a case evaluation that will begin you on the road to potential recovery of your losses.
Churning
Churning, or excessive trading, is one of the most common forms of stockbroker fraud our investment litigation attorney sees in San Diego. Every time a trade is executed, the stockbroker receives a commission. Some stockbrokers unethically use churning like a personal ATM — whenever they need funds, they execute trades in client portfolios solely for the purpose of generating commissions. The clients of these unscrupulous individuals typically lose money because little, if any, attention is paid to the timing of the trades. The stockbroker has a steady source of income while your portfolio's value is gradually siphoned away. If your investment account has been showing what you feel is excessive activity, we urge you to contact Michael Wilson for a free case evaluation.
Overconcentration
A cardinal rule of investing is diversification. Using asset allocation to spread your money across different stocks and other kinds of investments, such as bonds, protects your investment from volatility in one sector and minimizes your overall risk. Your stockbroker or investment adviser has a responsibility to diversify your portfolio to help ensure your financial safety. A broker who heavily concentrates your portfolio in one sector can be held liable if you lose significant capital due to stock-price declines. An expert in stockbroker fraud, lawyer Michael Wilson understands that San Diego clients who lose considerable amounts of money due to this type of irresponsibility feel betrayed. Using his expertise in investment litigation, our lawyer will provide strong representation to help you obtain compensation if you have lost money because your broker or investment adviser concentrated your portfolio too heavily in one area.
Insider Trading
Insider trading happens when someone has information about a company that has not been made public, and uses that information to influence stock trades. Those who can have such information include corporate officers, company employees, brokerage firms, and stockbrokers. It is illegal for people to use inside information to trade stocks because they have an advantage not available to the general public. If you have lost money because of what you believe was insider trading by your stockbroker, fraud may have occurred. Lawyer Michael Wilson of San Diego will thoroughly investigate your case if he suspects insider trading caused you financial harm and will dedicate himself to the recovery of your losses.
If you have suffered financial losses because of stockbroker fraud, you need a legal expert who understands and has extensive experience in investment litigation. Lawyer Michael Wilson helps San Diego clients when they become victims of an unscrupulous and unethical stockbroker. Contact Apollo Law Group, APLC today to receive a free evaluation of your case to begin recovery of your investments.
Investment Fraud
Conflicts of interest have sometimes influenced stockbrokers and analysts to commit investment fraud by issuing stock reports that are deceptive and misleading. This is often done to help a potential or existing client with deep pockets. For example, a brokerage firm hoping to do business with the investment banking division of a corporation may downplay or conceal negative information about the company in its stock reports. Investors buy the company's stock based on the misleading reports, thinking they are making a sound investment. In a worst-case scenario, the corporation's financials are actually quite bad (think Enron), and the investors lose much or all of their investments when the company's stock loses value.
If you suspect or know that you have been victimized by this type of stockbroker fraud, attorney Michael Wilson in San Diego will go after the wrongdoers to help you get back the money you lost. He will pursue your case tirelessly to help ensure that your stockbroker, brokerage firm, and even the company they assisted provide you full restitution for their misdeeds.
High-Level Investment Fraud
Investment fraud can occur at the highest levels. In recent years, such well-known investment houses as Bear Stearns, Credit Suisse Group, Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Lehman Brothers, and Morgan Stanley have come under investigation by the SEC for this type of fraud. Merrill Lynch paid $100 million in 2002 and was fined another $100 million in 2003 after investigations for alleged investment fraud. Smith Barney paid $400 million in 2003 to settle investigations into its activities with the WorldCom debacle. Morgan Stanley agreed to pay $125 million in 2003 to end investigations of alleged investment fraud. You can be sure that these firms have high-priced lawyers to defend them against charges of investment fraud. When you decide to pursue a case against a stockbroker or brokerage house, you need knowledgeable, aggressive legal representation. Our investment litigation expert, lawyer Michael Wilson in San Diego, can help you recover losses incurred when betrayed trust causes you to incur substantial investment losses.
Contact Our Stock Broker Fraud and Investment Litigation Lawyer in San Diego
To recover financial losses caused by stockbroker fraud, you need an effective investment litigation attorney. Contact lawyer Michael Wilson in San Diego to receive expert legal representation dedicated to helping you achieve the maximum possible compensation.