Securities law

This Week At Malecki Law

November 20, 2015 | Malecki Law Team

The experienced Securities attorneys at Malecki Law managed to secure a major win on behalf of one of their international clients. They managed to secure a summary judgment dismissal for a Chinese businessman, a well-known inventor and public figure in China, who was being sued in excess of $30 million for being the controlling shareholder of a company that went out of business. The opposing counsel was Weil, Gotschal & Manges LLP.

Today, Ms. Jenice Malecki is the Chair at a FINRA mock arbitration for St. John’s students. She has actively mentored students over the years from different law schools through lectureships and speaking engagements.

Malecki Law Attorneys Spread Awareness About Elder Exploitation

October 27, 2015 | Malecki Law Team

The Securities Fraud attorneys at Malecki Law today visited the Hudson Guild Senior Center to educate members of their Naturally Occuring Retirement Community (NORC) about Elder Financial Exploitation. Adam Nicolazzo and Robert Van de Veire addressed a group of 15-20 senior members of that community about investment fraud, common red flag signs of fraud, and how to protect their retirement income and nest eggs.

According to FINRA, the elderly lose approximately $ 2.9 billion every year due to fraud. The Malecki Law attorneys try to create awareness within communities of elders about dangers of elder financial exploitation and empower them to take legal recourse if they are victimized. The seniors get educated about regulatory authorities like FINRA and SEC, and tools like BrokerCheck available to them. The Malecki Law team used real life examples of Ponzi and affinity schemers, who are known to have preyed on the elderly, to help senior members understand the realities of financial fraud and that it comes in many forms. They also offer free consultation and case evaluation in these sessions.

Malecki Law continues to work towards positive changes in elder law within the securities industry and Jenice Malecki recently participated in a panel on Dangers of Diminished Capacity at the Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association’s (PIABA) annual conference.

I Have Just Been Fired By UBS in Puerto Rico. What Do I Do?

October 19, 2015 | Malecki Law Team

A number of senior management with UBS Puerto Rico were terminated late last week, according to sources. It is believed that individuals from marketing, investment banking, lending and other areas of the bank’s operations on the island were all let go. Read the recent report by Reuters on this here.

Consistent with industry custom, those who were let go were reportedly offered a severance package which they have roughly two to three weeks to accept or reject. Since these packages are usually contingent upon a general release of liability (meaning that the individual cannot sue the firm), for those individuals who were offered packages, there are likely a number of factors that should be considered before deciding to accept or reject. Once a general release is signed, virtually all claims for monetary damages that could have been brought before are then lost forever.

For anyone, being fired is a major life event. For licensed professionals, being fired comes with the potential for an additional life-changing of having a mark on their license in connection with their termination. If you are a licensed professional and are asked to sign an agreement, whether or not you have any intention of filing an action or any possibility of a FINRA U5 issue, it is always wise to seek the advice of a lawyer to learn about both your rights and what you might be giving up before you sign anything. Once you sign, it is too late. This is not the time to be “penny wise and pound foolish” – this is the time to consult with counsel to make informed decisions. Many lawyers provide free consultations.