FINRA Dispute Resolution
The Process
Most people have never been through arbitration and have no idea what they are agreeing to. Here is the shape of it, from the first email to the hearing.
You send your statements
Account statements, the new-account form you signed when the account was opened, and anything your advisor put in writing. These documents do most of the work.
We analyze the account
Losses are reconstructed and the recommendations tested against the objectives recorded at account opening. Turnover and cost figures are calculated where relevant.
You get a candid assessment
A straight answer on whether the claim is worth bringing, what it would involve, and what the realistic range of outcomes looks like — including when the answer is no.
The claim is filed
A Statement of Claim is filed with FINRA Dispute Resolution. The firm answers, arbitrators are selected, documents are exchanged, and the matter proceeds to hearing or resolves before it.
A word about timing
Two separate clocks apply to a securities claim: FINRA's six-year eligibility rule, measured from the events giving rise to the dispute, and the statutes of limitations under state and federal law, which can be shorter. Applying either one to a specific account is not always straightforward. If your losses happened some time ago, it is worth asking rather than assuming — in both directions.
Questions people ask first
Why arbitration instead of court?
Almost every brokerage account agreement contains a clause requiring disputes to be resolved in FINRA arbitration rather than in court. That is not something you opted into deliberately — it was in the paperwork when you opened the account. FINRA Dispute Resolution is the forum where the great majority of investor claims are heard.
How long do I have to bring a claim?
Two separate clocks matter. FINRA has a six-year eligibility rule measured from the events giving rise to the dispute, and separately there are statutes of limitations under state and federal law that may be shorter. Because those periods can be complicated to apply to a particular account, it is worth asking early rather than assuming you are out of time — or assuming you have plenty of it.
The market went down. Is that really a claim?
Market losses alone are not a claim, and no one can promise you an investment will go up. The question is different: was the advice you were given suitable for you in the first place, was the risk described accurately, and was the account handled the way it should have been? A loss caused by an unsuitable recommendation is a very different thing from a loss caused by the market.
I signed the paperwork. Doesn’t that end it?
Not necessarily. Signing an account agreement does not waive a brokerage firm’s obligations to you, and the documents you signed are often part of the evidence rather than a defense to it — particularly the new-account form recording your stated objectives and risk tolerance.
What will this cost me?
The initial case review is free and carries no obligation. Fee arrangements for a matter that proceeds are discussed with you directly and set out in a written engagement agreement before any work begins.
What should I gather before we speak?
Account statements covering the period in question, the new-account form or client profile completed when the account was opened, any correspondence with your advisor including texts and emails, and any marketing material you were given about the investment. If you do not have all of it, that is fine — much of it can be obtained later.
No cost, no obligation
Tell us what happened.
Describe your account, your advisor, and the losses. We will review what you send and tell you candidly whether a FINRA claim makes sense — including when it does not.
- The case review is free and carries no obligation.
- Your message goes directly to the attorney, not to a call center.
- You will get a straight answer, even if that answer is no.
- Timing matters — FINRA claims are subject to an eligibility rule and to statutes of limitations.
Inquiry@altamiranopllc.com
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