FINRA Arbitration Panel Orders Credit Suisse to Pay Former Advisor More Than $844,000 in Deferred Compensation

Posted on October 30th, 2018 at 4:30 PM
FINRA Arbitration Panel Orders Credit Suisse to Pay Former Advisor More Than $844,000 in Deferred Compensation

From the Desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law LLC:

A FINRA arbitration panel has ordered Credit Suisse to pay an advisor more than $844,000 in unpaid deferred compensation accruing until 2015 when the firm shuttered its U.S. wealth management unit.  

Credit Suisse had signed an exclusive recruiting arrangement with Wells Fargo. Under the deal, Credit Suisse advisors were allowed to move their practice to Wells Fargo and still be able to maintain their rights to any unvested deferred compensation. However, under the deal, if a Credit Suisse advisor chose not to move to Wells Fargo and instead joined a competitor, his or her deferred compensation would be forfeited.

In this particular arbitration case, the advisor did not join Wells Fargo and instead joined Morgan Stanley immediately after Credit Suisse halted its wealth management practice. The advisor filed an arbitration claim against Credit Suisse to collect unpaid deferred compensation owed to him.

In its decision, the arbitration panel sided with the advisor and ordered the explanation for termination on his Form U5 changed to “terminated without cause.” Moreover, by changing the advisor’s Form U5 to reflect that he was terminated without cause, the advisor’s deferred compensation then would automatically vest.

The arbitration panel explained in its decision that, despite providing the advisor with an option to go to Wells Fargo, Credit Suisse breached its contract and was unjustly enriched for keeping the advisor’s deferred compensation.

The attorneys at Eccleston Law file unpaid wages, bonuses, and commissions lawsuits for advisors nationwide. Please call us at 312.332.0000 for a free consultation.

The attorneys of Eccleston Law LLC represent investors and advisors nationwide in securities and employment matters. The securities lawyers at Eccleston Law also practice a variety of other areas of practice for financial investors and advisors including Securities FraudCompliance ProtectionBreach of Fiduciary DutyFINRA Matters, and much more. Our attorneys draw on a combined experience of nearly 65 years in delivering the highest quality legal services. If you are in need of legal services, contact us to schedule a one-on-one consultation today.

Related Attorneys: James J. Eccleston

Tags: james eccleston, eccleston law, eccleston law llc, eccleston, finra, credit suisse, deferred compensation

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next

If the regulators are after you, and are trying to make a case against you, and you are going to contest their allegations against you, make sure you have the best securities industry defense lawyers, Eccleston Law Firm. My case was spun into a combination of penalties including fines, cash settlements, CE courses and suspension. They were the best I have seen in action. When all was said and done, they had done their magic, my situation was negotiated and settled with a simple "letter of caution" and a case closed without action. It is the most important legal business decision you will ever make, make it Eccleston Law.

Rick R.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

December 19, 2024
GPB Capital Investors See Progress as Court Confirms Receivership

In a significant development for investors in GPB Capital Holdings, the private equity firm will move into receivership following a prolonged legal battle.

December 18, 2024
SEC Fines Cantor Fitzgerald $6.75 Million for Misleading SPAC Investors

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. with causing two special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) under its control to make misleading statements to investors before their initial public offerings (IPOs). 

December 17, 2024
Former Western Asset Management Co-CIO Charged with Fraud for Cherry-picking Trades

The SEC recently charged Ken Leech, former Co-CIO of Western Asset Management, with fraud.