Tyler Texas Fraud Lawyers: The Advantage of having Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas LTD, LLP

Disputes between parties in securities matters are virtually always resolved through a process called securities arbitration, as opposed to litigation in court. Simply put, arbitration is an alternative dispute resolution process that is generally a less expensive and faster way to resolve disputes than through litigation. From a technical standpoint, nearly all account opening documents that are executed by investors with brokerage firms specifically dictate that any differences between the parties must be resolved through arbitration and not litigation. The arbitration process for securities claims is governed by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). It is a highly specialized area of the law and the attorneys who represent the Wall Street firms in these cases are highly skilled and have handled hundreds of them before. Once the claim is filed and the panel of three arbitrators is selected, there is an extensive discovery period where the investor and the brokerage firm exchanges documents and other information to help the sides decide the strengths and weaknesses of their cases. At some point after the information exchange is completed, the attorneys will make attempts to settle the case through independent negotiation efforts or with the assistance of a mediator. The last stage in a securities arbitration case is the evidentiary hearing which would be held in Houston or Dallas, whichever is nearest to where the investor lives. After the conclusion of the presentation each parties’ case, the panel of arbitrators retire into executive session to weigh the oral and documentary evidence in order to reach a conclusion in the form of an award. The award does not have to be unanimous and can be decided by two panel members out of three. This award is final and cannot be appealed, except in rare and extraordinary circumstances.

This is why it is very important for you to have our securities law firm on your side. Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas LTD, LLP, has a team of attorneys, consultants and staff with more than 100 years of combined experience in the securities industry and in securities law. Since 1990, we have represented thousands of investors nationwide to recover losses. Continue Reading..

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