Protecting Investors and Victims of Misrepresentation of Risk
In today's investment world, with the sheer number of complex and varied investment products available, you can find it difficult to truly understand the level of risk associated with a specific type of investment. Accordingly, you may have put your trust in an investment advisor, someone you relied on to determine the level of risk associated with all investments in your portfolio and to help you avoid investments that are outside your desired level of risk. When you have lost substantial value in your investments because the level of risk was misrepresented or mismanaged, you want an experienced attorney to protect your interests and help you get full and fair compensation for your losses.
Attorneys Daniel R. Whitmore and Allen A. Glass aggressively represent individuals who have suffered financial losses because of misconduct by a financial advisor or broker, including losses resulting from fraud or misrepresentation regarding the amount of risk involved in an investment. We have over 30 years of combined legal and financial experience, including time on Wall Street, with big 5 accounting firm, with the FDIC, the SEC and the Massachusetts state securities division. If you have put your trust in a financial advisor and your trust has been betrayed, we can help. Contact our office or call us at 206-329-8400 for a free initial consultation.
We represent individual investor in legal actions against brokers, financial planners, retirement advisors and 401(k) planners who have misrepresented the level of risk in an investment, resulting in substantial loss of value. Many of our clients are older Americans, close to retirement or already retired.
Misrepresentation of risk in investment can take many forms, including
- A failure to fully disclose all of the risk involved. Your broker may tell you the upside, but fail to disclose the downside.
- Placing you in an investment that is inappropriate for your circumstances. Your investment advisor may put you in aggressive stocks if you are close to retirement, at a time when you want to conserve as much as possible. Your broker may also fail to present or identify investments that are suitable for your age or level of wealth.
- Lying about the level of risk. Your advisor may state that certain stocks or types of investments are safer than is commonly recognized.
- Selling you certain types of investments. Unless you are a sophisticated investor, certain types of investments, such as collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs) are generally inappropriate and involve a high level of risk.
Your broker has a fiduciary duty to act on your behalf and in your best interests. Often, your broker will be more highly compensated for investing your money in securities that carry greater risk. Such an act violates the fiduciary duty and constitutes a conflict of interest. We will aggressively protect your interests when you have lost investment value because of a misrepresentation of risk.
We take all claims on a contingent fee basis. We will not charge attorney fees unless we recover compensation for your losses.
To schedule a free initial consultation, contact us or call us at 206-329-8400. Our office is open Monday through Friday, from 8:30 am until 5 pm, and evenings and weekends by appointment. We are located near the Fishermen's Terminal in Seattle. We have a Spanish speaking paralegal on site, if necessary.
