a person writing on a piece of paper

Do I Need a Securities Lawyer?

a man in a suit and tie

If you’ve been watching the latest stock market changes, you might be wondering what, if anything, can be done to protect your financial investments. When it comes to the financial markets, volatility is a part of the game, but that doesn’t mean that it has to be your norm. A securities lawyer is a specific type of attorney that helps you navigate the complexities and changes of regulations concerning financial investments. Here’s how to determine whether or not a New York securities lawyer like Herskovits Law is worth speaking with.

What does a securities attorney do?

Securities attorneys are an important asset to many publicly traded companies. Especially as shareholders and investors become more aware of the different kinds of ways that companies can use deceptive accounting practices to inflate their stocks, an attorney ensures that companies are operating on the up and up. With a variety of state and federal laws having been enacted to protect shareholders, a securities law firm can help your business navigate how these different regulations affect the way that your business operates and handles its finances. If you have a fiduciary duty to your clients, having a law firm with extensive experience is also key to maintaining your fiduciary duty. Since the rules are constantly changing and being updated as new securities and technology continue to develop, having these sorts of individuals in your corner is a helpful way to protect your interests.

How can a securities lawyer help me?

If you’re a broker-dealer, investment advisor, or financial institution, you may be able to benefit from speaking with a securities law firm. Whether you’re facing a FINRA investigation or SEC and CFTC whistleblower claims, securities litigation is complex and a New York securities attorney can help you work within the proper regulations. In fact, if you’re an investment adviser or own a brokerage firm, retaining a law firm to help you protect your business model and stay on top of new regulations as they’re passed. With extensive experience with federal securities laws, a licensed attorney can give you the legal advice you need to protect your investments and keep your business operating properly.

Another way that a securities attorney can protect you is by helping monitor your business to make sure that any signs of financial malfeasance haven’t appeared in your portfolios or accounting. There are a variety of signs that could point to securities fraud, and having an experienced legal team can be crucial to helping you stay vigilant. You never know when someone who works for you will be putting your business or your clients at risk, so it’s a good idea to retain a lawyer to keep tabs on your accounting practices, too.

If you’re ever taken to court by an investor, you may also need the help of a securities attorney. This is because there are a wide variety of claims that an investor could make against you that have nothing to do with the volatility of the market. For example, if someone files a lawsuit against your company because of a breach of fiduciary duty, failure to diversify your assets, or omission of facts, you’ll want a team of attorneys to help you handle your securities arbitration. While a securities law firm can certainly help you avoid these sorts of issues in the first place, there are still times when you will need representation in order to settle out of court.

Depending on your line of business, it’s important to have the right legal counsel. If you handle hedge funds or other financial securities, retaining a securities attorney is an important step to take in protecting your interests. Whether it’s because you want to monitor things internally or protect yourself from external threats, the right team can make a big difference.