Practice Breakup Disputes

Even the best-intentioned partnerships don’t always work out. Disputes over customer origination, compensation, work ethic, or strategic direction can escalate into conflicts that trigger teams or firms to break up.

Matasar Jacobs has extensive experience representing both financial advisory practice owners and departing advisors in breakup disputes. Our practice is national in scope, and we regularly advise clients in the RIA and broker/dealer space. We work to negotiate favorable separation terms whenever possible, while remaining fully prepared to litigate when necessary.

We regularly help our clients with:

  • Dividing a firm’s book of business;
  • Negotiating reductions or cancellations of non-solicits and non-competes;
  • Addressing regulatory misconduct by team members;
  • Responding to client tampering by opposing parties;
  • Determining ownership of firm names and intellectual property; and
  • Other related issues.

When disputes cannot be resolved through negotiation, we aggressively protect our clients’ rights in court, FINRA, and other arbitration forums.

Financial Industry Litigation
Advisor Non-Solicit & Non-Compete Disputes Wrongful Termination Form U4/U5 Expungements Defending Customer Claims Practice Breakup Disputes

Success Stories

Forced Clean Break in Franchise Dispute

Represented a financial advisor separating from a large Ameriprise franchise in New York City under hotly disputed circumstances. By implementing a swift “first-strike” strategy and filing suit before the franchise owner could, the client was able to successfully separate, solicit the clients he serviced, and avoid payment of any damages to his former employer.

Won Freedom From Non-Solicitation

Represented a team of financial advisors working for a small, very successful RIA in Philadelphia. Leveraging evidence we had of substantial regulatory, financial, and personal misconduct by the firm’s CEO, we were able to negotiate our clients’ voluntary departures that included a waiver of their non-solicitation agreements, resulting in the clients being able to retain most of the customers they serviced without resorting to litigation.

Enforced Buyout and Non-Solicitation

Represented the owner of a financial advisory firm in Phoenix in a dispute with a junior partner over a lack of productivity and poor work ethic. Negotiated buyout of junior partner’s interest in the firm’s book of business as part of a separation agreement, and then successfully sued the former junior partner for violating the post-separation non-solicitation agreement.

I am truly grateful for Matasar Jacobs' guidance and advocacy, and I would wholeheartedly recommend Matasar Jacobs to anyone in need of skilled, ethical, and dedicated representation.

-Bob B., Wealth Management Firm