Chances are, you expect your financial broker to be well-informed about the investment products they recommend you. Furthermore, it is with the understanding that they have done the relevant research before presenting any recommendation to you. However, this is not something to be taken for granted: sometimes brokers may be misinformed about the products they recommend you or they can deliberately mislead you for fraudulent reasons.
As your broker is often the first person you turn to for financial advice, it can feel like you are all alone when the broker-client relationship is shattered.
Our team of securities attorneys at Weltz Law has years of experience representing investors who have been victims of securities fraud and will do our best to represent you. Call (877) 905-7671.
Under FINRA’s Rule 2111, all brokers have suitability obligations to their clients. Simply put, this means that brokers should ensure any investment products they recommend fit with their client’s investment profile. However, when suitability obligations are not met, this can be due to the failure to conduct due diligence into an investment product. What this means is that financial firms and brokers have the responsibility to conduct all relevant research into investment products before recommending them to clients. This research encompasses an investigation into the issuer, its management and assets as well as the securities they recommend.
Firms and brokers who comply with the requirement of due diligence perform independent research on the investment product before recommending them to clients. This includes but is not limited to: identifying any red flags that pop up with the product or issuer as well as addressing concerns potential investors may have. Depending on how big or small a firm is, there can be an entire department dedicated to due diligence. In smaller firms, usually one or two qualified persons are in charge of the process. The purpose of this research is for firms to verify the authenticity of the claims and offerings made by the issuer in the best interests of the client.
If the issuer happens to be associated with the financial firm in some way, such as being an affiliate or employee, the process of due diligence additionally helps to mitigate any conflicting interests. This protects investors by ensuring that the investment products on offer do in fact align with their needs and are not just promoted to benefit the firm and its affiliates.
Fill out the form below or call 877-905-7671 to schedule your free consultation
By Appointment Only
5 N Village Ave 2nd Floor
Rockville Centre, NY 11570
By Appointment Only
9171 Wilshire Blvd #500
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Attorney Advertising | Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.