What to do about FINRA Customer Complaints

Trust is essential for a successful career as a securities broker. FINRA’s BrokerCheck website allows the public and employers to search a securities broker by name and discover any disciplinary actions that have been issued against that broker. A BrokerCheck report also lists any formal complaints by previous investors. This system helps prevent investors from getting involved with securities brokers with a history of fraudulent and/or negligent behavior. In some instances, however, BrokerCheck casts too wide a net, causing significant reputational harm to undeserving brokers.

When a customer complaint appears on a broker’s BrokerCheck report, it is originally listed as pending. This occurs whether or not the complaint actually has merit. Unfortunately, complaints can be listed as pending for years until settled or decided in an arbitration. If the Broker-Dealer or FINRA deny the complaint on its merits the status of the complaint changes from pending to denied; however, the complaint remains on the BrokerCheck report. Even though a complaint is listed as denied, investors may still find themselves weary of that broker when comparing them to a broker with a claim-free record.

Recognizing that BrokerCheck complaints can have a tremendous influence on a broker’s career, FINRA allows brokers to request expungement of claims on their BrokerCheck report.  Here at Cosgrove Law Group, LLC, we have experience helping securities brokers remove meritless complaints from their FINRA BrokerCheck report. If you are suffering under a meritless claim on your BrokerCheck report, please contact the Cosgrove Law Group, LLC for more information on how we can help. 

Authors: Alexander Oakes and Max Simpson

Please follow us on Twitter @CosLawGroup, on LinkedIn at Cosgrove Law Group, LLC, and on Facebook at Cosgrove Law Group, LLC. 

Presidential Candidate Requests Information on Proposed Amendments to FINRA’s Expungement Rules

The Central Registration Depository (“CRD”) and the publicly available online portal, BrokerCheck, comprise FINRA’s registration and licensing system.  Via BrokerCheck, customers, employers, and regulators can access information regarding customer complaints levied against an individual broker.  BrokerCheck plays a key role in allowing customers to evaluate their broker’s track record before making investment decisions.  By the same token, adverse claims can have a devastating effect on a broker’s ability to retain their clients.   

As such, FINRA has established rules for the expungement of certain adverse claims from CRD.  Currently, FINRA Rules 12805 and 2080 control customer complaint expungement proceedings.  Rule 12805 requires that a broker file a Statement of Claim requesting expungement of the customer disclosure.  The panel must:

·    hold a recorded session regarding the appropriateness of the expungement;

·   when applicable, review settlement documents and consider the amount of payments made to any party;

·    provide a written explanation which indicates which of the grounds for expungement under Rule 2080 is the basis for the order; and

·    assess all fees for the hearing against the party requesting expungement.[1] 

Under Rule 2080, grounds for expungement include:

·    the claim, allegation or information is factually impossible or clearly erroneous;

·  the registered person was not involved in the alleged investment-related sales practice violation, forgery, theft, misappropriation or conversion of funds; or

·    the claim, allegation or information is false.[2] 

Following an arbitration award recommending an expungement, the broker must then file a petition in a court of competent jurisdiction to obtain an order confirming the award and directing such expungement.

In December 2017, FINRA published Regulatory Notice 17-42, a proposed amendment relating to requests to expunge customer dispute information.  Regulatory Notice 17-42 would create a roster of arbitrators with specific training and experience to handle all expungement requests.  It would also require:

·       the broker to appear at his or her expungement hearing;

·       unanimous agreement of the three person arbitration panel;

·      expungement requests to be brought within one year of the dispute; and

·       minimum fees for filing expungement requests.[3] 

Since publishing Regulatory Notice 17-42 for public comment, FINRA has not submitted it to the SEC.  As such, the proposed expungement rules are not currently in effect.  In a March 2019 letter to FINRA President and CEO Robert Cook, Senator Elizabeth Warren requested an update on FINRA’s proposed rule changes to its customer dispute information expungement process.[4]  If eventually submitted and finalized, the new process for removing customer dispute information from a broker’s CRD will be more onerous on the broker and likely decrease the frequency with which expungement requests are granted.  Senator Warren’s letter requests, among other things, a timeline for when FINRA will submit Regulatory Notice 17-42 to the SEC for approval.

It is unclear if or when the new CRD expungement rules will be submitted to the SEC and put into effect.  FINRA spokespersons have declined to comment on the substance of Senator Warren’s letter, stating, “We have received the senator’s letter and are working to respond accordingly.”[5] 

Given the uncertainty of the status of FINRA’s expungement rules, it is important that brokers seeking CRD expungement select an attorney capable of guiding them through expungement proceedings under the current and any potential future FINRA rules.  Cosgrove Law Group, LLC has represented numerous individuals in CRD expungement proceedings under the current rules and stands ready to represent brokers in proceedings governed by the proposed amended rules.  If you are seeking expungement of customer complaints from your CRD/BrokerCheck, you may wish to consult with experienced counsel at Cosgrove Law Group.

BY: Max Simpson

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[1] FINRA Rule 12805, http://finra.complinet.com/en/display/display_main.html?rbid=2403&element_id=7229

[2] FINRA Rule 2080, http://finra.complinet.com/en/display/display_main.html?rbid=2403&element_id=8468

[3] Regulatory Notice 17-42, http://www.finra.org/industry/notices/17-42

[4]Letter, Sen. Warren to Cook, March 21, 2019, https://www.warren.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2019.03.21%20Letter%20to%20FINRA%20re%20Broker%20Expungement%20Data.pdf

[5] Financial-Planning.com, Warren presses FINRA for answers on expungement reform, https://www.financial-planning.com/news/elizabeth-warren-presses-finra-for-answers-on-expungement-reform

Financial Advisors Expunging Baseless Customer Complaints in State Court

The Internet is awash with articles about “bad brokers” with clean U-4s, and “rouge brokers” obtaining expungements of valid customer complaints.  Indeed, studies have been published ostensibly demonstrating that state regulators poses more valuable information on their system than what appears on FINRA’s public Broker-Check data base.  In sum, there is a consensus that too many complaints are being expunged.  But whether that consensus is based on fact is subject to debate.

Regardless, FINRA has repeatedly responded to the hue and cry by making it increasingly difficult for a financial adviser to obtain an expungement of a customer complaint published on his or her professional record.  But amidst all of this anguish and gnashing of teeth, a politically incorrect truth has been left in the shadows.  I feel compelled to share it with you.  Here it is:  some customer complaints are baseless.  There; I said it.

Another often-overlooked fact is that FA’s are able to go straight to a court of law, rather than a FINRA arbitration, to obtain an expungement.  Almost exactly one year ago, FINRA issued new guidance to its arbitrators raising ever higher the procedural bars for a panel to recommend expungement[1].  Should a FA surmount the procedural hurdles and slim avenues to success, the FA still has to go to court to get the Award confirmed.  And, in that state court action, he or she still needs to name FINRA as a party so that they can show up and oppose the FINRA arbitrator’s recommendation.

But FINRA Rule 2080 actually reads as follows:

2080. Obtaining an Order of Expungement of Customer Dispute Information from the Central Registration Depository (CRD) System

(a) Members or associated persons seeking to expunge information from the CRD system arising from disputes with customers must obtain an order from a court of competent jurisdiction directing such expungement or confirming an arbitration award containing expungement relief.

(b) Members or associated persons petitioning a court for expungement relief or seeking judicial confirmation of an arbitration award containing expungement relief must name FINRA as an additional party and serve FINRA with all appropriate documents unless this requirement is waived pursuant to subparagraph (1) or (2) below.

(1) Upon request, FINRA may waive the obligation to name FINRA as a party if FINRA determines that the expungement relief is based on affirmative judicial or arbitral findings that:

(A) the claim, allegation or information is factually impossible or clearly erroneous;

(B) the registered person was not involved in the alleged investment-related sales practice violation, forgery, theft, misappropriation or conversion of funds; or

(C) the claim, allegation or information is false.

(2) If the expungement relief is based on judicial or arbitral findings other than those described above, FINRA, in its sole discretion and under extraordinary circumstances, also may waive the obligation to name FINRA as a party if it determines that:

(A) the expungement relief and accompanying findings on which it is based are meritorious; and

(B) the expungement would have no material adverse effect on investor protection, the integrity of the CRD system or regulatory requirements.

(c) For purposes of this Rule, the terms "sales practice violation," "investment-related," and "involved" shall have the meanings set forth in the Uniform Application for Securities Industry Registration or Transfer ("Form U4") in effect at the time of issuance of the subject expungement order.

It seems as if very few have read the actual rule.  I recently read an attorney blog that makes no mention of the direct-to-court avenue whatsoever!  Well, our attorneys are very familiar with both the state court and arbitration options and procedures. 

   

There is actually some case law out there on a financial adviser’s right to go to court to seek an expungement.  In Lickiss v. FINRA, 208 Cal.App. 4^th 1125 (2012), the California Court of Appeals reversed a lower court’s dismissal of the FA’s petition.  In fact, it held that the trial court abused its discretion by limiting itself to the criteria set forth in Rule 2080(b), rather than employing the court’s broad equitable power and discretion.  The Court of Appeals stated in part:

            FINRA has established BrokerCheck, an online application through which the public may obtain information on the background, business practices and conduct of FINRA member firms and their representatives.   Through BrokerCheck, FINRA releases to the public certain information maintained on the CRD, thereby enabling investors to make informed decisions about individuals and firms with which they may wish to conduct business.   This data includes historic customer complaints and information about investment-related, consumer-initiated litigation or arbitration….

            The issues surrounding Lickiss's sale of CET stock occurred more than 20 years ago, and the one regulatory matter against him resolved 15 years ago in 1997.   Since then, his record has been clear, yet Lickiss attested that he suffers professional and financial hardship relating to the prior sale of CET stock because current and potential clients increasingly use the Internet to obtain his BrokerCheck history.

Lickiss petitioned for expungement of his CRD records, asserting that the superior court had jurisdiction “pursuant to (1) FINRA Rule 2080(a);  [and] (2) the Court's equitable and inherent powers to effectuate expungements.”…

FINRA removed the action to federal court.   Upon Lickiss's motion, the federal district court remanded the matter back to the state superior court, ruling that it did not have subject matter jurisdiction over the case because there is no statute, rule or regulation imposing a duty on FINRA to expunge….

Had Lickiss merely petitioned the court for expungement relief under rule 2080, without also invoking the court's equitable powers, that might be the end of the matter.   However, Lickiss explicitly invoked those powers….

Equity aims to do right and accomplish justice.  (Hirshfield v. Schwartz (2001) 91 Cal.App.4th 749, 770.)… 

The equitable powers of a court are not curbed by rigid rules of law, and thus wide play is reserved to the court's conscience in formulating its decrees… 

This basic principle of equity jurisprudence means that in any given context in which the court is prevailed upon to exercise its equitable powers, it should weigh the competing equities bearing on the issue at hand and then grant or deny relief based on the overall balance of these equities…

The choice of a very narrow, rigid legal rule to assess the legal sufficiency of Lickiss's petition—a choice that closed off all avenues to the court's conscience in formulating a decree and disregarded basic principles of equity—was nothing short of an end run around equity…

This is not, as FINRA contends, merely a request for a remedy.   Rule 2080(a) essentially recognizes the right of members and associated persons to seek expungement of information from the CRD system by obtaining an order from a court of competent jurisdiction directing such expungement. 

See also Lickiss v. FINRA, Fed.Sec. L. Rep. P.96, 345 (2011). Compare Updegrove v. Betancourt, 2016 WL 3442762 (2016).

  

If you are a FA who has a U-4 scarred by one or more clearly erroneous customer complaints, we would be happy to evaluate your prospects for success in seeking an expungement in state court or arbitration.  Your chances of erasing an unfair or unfounded complaint in a court of law at a reasonable cost might be better than you think.

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[1] http://www.fa-mag.com/news/finra-continues-to-tighten-lid-on-expungements-with-newly-enhanced-arbitrator-guidance-23443.html

http://finra.complinet.com/en/display/display.html?rbid=2403&record_id=15841&element_id=11616&highlight=2081#r15841

New FINRA Rule Limits usage of Expungement Requests in Arbitration

The SEC has approved FINRA Rule 2081 that would disallow brokers from conditioning settlement of a customer dispute on a customer’s consent to the broker’s request for expungment from the Central Registration Depository (“CRD”). The CRD is the licensing and registration system used by all registered securities professionals. The system enables public access to information regarding the administrative and disciplinary history of registered personnel, including customer complaints, arbitration claims, court filings, criminal matters and any related judgments or awards. Because of the open nature of information available to its investors, registered professionals would like sensitive matters, such as customer complaints, expunged from the record. 

The purpose of Rule 2081 is to make sure that full and reliable customer dispute data remains available to the public, brokerage firms, and regulators to prevent concealment by prohibiting the use of expungement as a bargaining chip to settle disputes with a customer. Furthermore, it allows regulators to make informed licensing decisions about brokers and dealers and improve FINRA’s transparency on broker-dealer complaint histories. This prohibition applies to both written and oral agreements and to agreements entered into during the course of settlement negotiations, as well as to any agreements entered into separate from such negotiations. The rule also precludes such agreements even if the customer offers not to oppose expungement as part of negotiating a settlement agreement and applies to any settlements involving customer disputes, not only to those related to arbitration claims.

On one hand, Rule 2018 will make it more difficult for brokers to sanitize their CRD report from a past claim, ensuring that future investors can more accurately assess the quality and integrity of a registered securities professional, ensuring protection from potential fraud and abuse.  On the other hand, settlements are a significant part of resolving FINRA claims in a timely manner.  If more FINRA claims reached arbitration, then the average FINRA claim would take substantially longer to adjudicate.  Ultimately, Rule 2081 could dissuade broker-dealers from settlement prior to arbitration because they may want to take their chances in arbitration, making an already potentially slow moving process, slower.

When investigating historical use of expungement in arbitration, pursuant to SEC Release No. 34-72649, the SEC found “despite the very narrow permissible grounds and procedural protections designed to assure expungement is an extraordinary remedy…, arbitrators appear to grant expungement relief in a very high percentage of settled cases.” In order to even seek expungement, FINRA Rule 2080 requires a showing that (1) the claim, allegation or information is factually impossible or clearly erroneous; (2) the registered person was not involved in the alleged investment-related sales practice violation, forgery, theft, misappropriation or conversion of funds; or (3) the claim, allegation or information is false. 

In approving Rule 2081, however, the SEC cautioned FINRA that the new rule should not be the last word on the subject of expungement and that FINRA should continue to consider making improvements to the expungement process. In this regard, even though “the proposed rule change is a constructive step to help assure that the expungement of customer dispute information is an extraordinary remedy that is permitted only in the appropriate narrow circumstances contemplated by FINRA rules,” the SEC nonetheless remains concerned about “the high number of cases where arbitrators grant brokers’ expungement requests.” SEC Release No. 34-72649

Official rule language:

2081. Prohibited Conditions Relating to Expungement of Customer Dispute Information.

"No member or associated person shall condition or seek to condition settlement of a dispute with a customer on, or to otherwise compensate the customer for, the customer’s agreement to consent to, or not to oppose, the member’s or associated person’s request to expunge such customer dispute information from the CRD system. See Regulatory Notice 14-31."

Cosgrove Law Group, LLC has experience with financial industry disputes including representing investors in recouping their losses and registered representatives seeking expungement. We also provide training, information, and compliance for registered professionals through the Investment Adviser Rep Syndicate.

Authored by Mercedes Hansen

How Bankruptcy May Affect Your Pending Expungement Claim

         Registered representatives terminated from broker-dealers may face several issues after the firm reports the reason for the reps’ termination on his or her Form U-5.  Depending on that reason, it may be difficult for that broker to become associated with another broker-dealer or find future employment in the financial industry.  As a result, terminated reps may experience financial difficulties while looking for employment.  If a rep believes the reason for termination that was reported on his or her U-5 was false, that rep may consider seeking expungement, or even damages associated with the U-5 filing.  This process takes time and costs money, especially if the rep engages legal counsel to assist with the arbitration.  If this results in financial difficulties for the rep, the rep should consider the case of In re Jimmy W. Clark before resorting to a remedy such as bankruptcy during the pendency of the arbitration. 

            Clark, a broker, was terminated by Charles Schwab after it received and investigated a ‎customer complaint that he placed unauthorized trades in their accounts.‎ ‎ Schwab reported that ‎reason for termination on his Form U-5. Clark instituted a FINRA arbitration proceeding ‎against Schwab and sought both monetary damages for alleged wrongful termination and defamation and CRD expungement of the statements Schwab made on his Form U5.  During the pendency of his FINRA arbitration (two years after his termination), Clark filed ‎for bankruptcy.

            Before the bankruptcy case was closed, Clark failed to disclose his bankruptcy to FINRA or Schwab and failed to include the pending claim as an asset in his bankruptcy or notify the bankruptcy trustee (“Trustee”).  After Schwab discovered Clark’s bankruptcy, Clark moved to re-open his bankruptcy and allowed the Trustee to pursue the arbitration claims on behalf of the bankruptcy estate.  Schwab and the Trustee settled Clark’s claims for a fraction of the alleged damages and broadly released Schwab from all claims.  The $120,000 settlement was essentially enough to pay the fees of the trustee ‎and his counsel and enable a distribution to the creditors. 

            Clark objected to the bankruptcy court arguing that (1) ‎his “claim” for expungement was personal and not property of his bankruptcy estate, (2) only ‎FINRA had authority to adjudicate and approve settlement of expungment claims, and (3) the ‎settlement was unfair.

Expungement as Personal Property

The court rejected Clark’s argument that his claim for expungement was his personal property, finding that it was merely a remedy rather than an independent claim.  In doing so, the court relied on FINRA Rule 2080 which specifically refers to expungement as “relief” and Notice to Members 04-16, which introduced Rule 2080 and advises respondents seeking expungement to request it in “his or her prayer for relief.”  Clark argued that expungement is vital to the preservation of his broker’s license, which is personal, non-transferable, and not part of the property of the Estate. The Court conceded that point, but found that the settlement did not concern Clark’s license.  The Court noted that neither Schwab nor the Trustee were trying to take away Clark’s license.  They were simply settling a cause of action ‎which might have an impact on the debtor’s ability to procure future employment.

FINRA’s Authority over the Settlement of Expungement Claims

            The court also rejected Clark’s claim that FINRA has exclusive jurisdiction over the settlement of expungement claims because the bankruptcy court was not ordering expungement.  The court found that nothing in the FINRA rules precludes parties from settling a dispute and the settlement between Schwab and the Trustee was consistent with the FINRA Rules. FINRA’s approval is required only if settlement of a FINRA ‎action includes the affirmative expungement of the Form U-5.

Fairness of the Settlement

The court noted that when a bankruptcy court considers approval of a settlement, it evaluates: (a) the ‎probability of success in the litigation; (b) the difficulties, if any, to be encountered in collection; ‎‎(c) the complexity of the litigation involved, and the expense, inconvenience and delay ‎necessarily attending it; and (d) the paramount interest of the creditors and deference to their ‎reasonable views on the settlement.  In considering these factors, the court found that while the settlement might not always be in the best interest of a debtor, it’s the interest of the creditors that takes precedent. 

Thus, a rep experiencing financial difficulties during the pendency of an arbitration that includes a request for expungement should consider the consequences of filing for bankruptcy. 

            The attorneys at Cosgrove Law Group, LLC have substantial experience representing individuals in various types of FINRA matters.    

FINRA Panel Awards Expungement in Unlikely Case

 A FINRA hearing Panel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania recently made an uncommon move when it expunged an arbitration from a broker’s CRD records despite finding the broker jointly liable to the customer. 

In Bordas v. Wells Fargo, FINRA ID # 11-00484, the Claimants, James and Linda Bordas filed an arbitration claim against Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC and Ernest Coffindaffer for unsuitability, unauthorized trading, forgery, misrepresentation, fraud, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, violations of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5, respondeat superior, failure to supervise, and breach of contract.  The causes of action relate to the alleged recommendation and purchase of municipal bonds and variable annuities against the Claimants’ express wishes. 

The Respondents asserted counterclaims for defamation per se, tortious interference with business relationships, and tortious interference with prospective business relationships. 

At the close of hearing, Claimants’ requested a total award of $10 million: $754,765.00 in lost capital; $707,200.00 in lost gain; and the balance in non-economic and punitive damages.  Respondents’ requested $2,000,000.00 in compensatory damages, plus attorneys’ fees of $381,561.60 and $65,564.63 in disbursements. 

The Panel found Wells Fargo and Coffindaffer jointly and severally liable to the Claimants in the amount of $97,250.00.  Since arbitration awards rarely discuss findings of fact, it is unclear which claim(s) the award relates to.  James Bordas was found liable to Coffindaffer for defamation in the amount of $1,000.00.  All other claims against Claimants were dismissed with prejudice. 

Despite finding Coffindaffer jointly and severally liable with Wells Fargo, the Panel made a specific finding of fact that Coffindaffer was not involved in the alleged investment-related sales practice violation, forgery, theft, misappropriation, or conversion of customer funds.  Even though it is uncertain what claim(s) the award was based on, one can assume that Coffindaffer was probably not found liable for fraud or any claims involving an element of willful intent especially since the Panel found that Coffindaffer’s conduct was “not so egregarious as to warrant a permanent stigma on his CRD.”  

The Central Registration Depository (CRD) is a database used by FINRA and NASAA to store and maintain information on registered securities and broker firms.  CRDs contain qualification, employment, and disclosure histories of registered individuals and can be used like a background check on brokers.  FINRA also pulls information from CRDs for its BrokerCheck program, which provides background information on brokers and firms to investors. 

When a broker is named as a respondent in a customer-initiated arbitration, the claim and any alleged wrongdoing are required to be reported on the borker’s Form U4, which will eventually get recorded in the CRD system and become available to the public through BrokerCheck. Therefore, some information that can be disclosed on one’s CRD could be damaging to a broker’s reputation.   

Brokers may seek to expunge any reference to the allegations or involvement in the arbitration from the CRD system.  However, FINRA provides rules that arbitrators must follow before awarding expungement to a broker. 

FINRA Rule 2080 requires that a court of competent jurisdiction confirm an arbitration award granting expungement.  FINRA must be named as an additional party to these court proceedings.  In most cases, FINRA generally opposes the confirmation of an award to expunge.  However, upon request, FINRA may waive the requirement to be named as an additional party in these proceedings if the award directing expungement contains one of the following findings: (1) the claim, allegation or information is factually impossible or clearly erroneous; (2) the registered person was not involved in the alleged investment-related sales practice violation, forgery, theft, misappropriation or conversion of funds; or (3) the claim, allegation or information is false.

FINRA Rules 12805 and 13805 provide that in order to grant expungement, an arbitration panel must hold a recorded hearing session regarding the appropriateness of the expungement.  If the case involves a settlement, the panel must review the settlement documents and conditions of the settlement to determine whether concerns exist about the broker’s involvement in the alleged misconduct. The panel must also indicate which grounds exist under FINRA Rule 2080 to support expungement.  Finally, all hearing session fees must be assessed against the party requesting expungement for any hearings in which the sole topic is expungement. 

Therefore, although the panel awarded expungement, Coffindaffer will still have to obtain a confirmation of the expungement award by the courts.  While the Panel made a specific finding under FINRA Rule 2080, FINRA may still oppose the expungement since he was sheld jointly and severally liable to the customer.  The Panel’s finding that Coffindaffer’s conduct was “not so egregarious as to warrant a permanent stigma on his CRD” may not be enough.

If you are a broker named in a customer-initiated arbitration and would like to seek expungement of the allegations or involvement in the arbitration from your CRD, contact the experienced attorneys at Cosgrove Law Group, LLC.