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Georgia Investors Deserve Expert Legal Protection
If you’ve experienced investment losses due to broker misconduct or securities fraud in Georgia, you need a dedicated Georgia investment fraud lawyer who understands the unique challenges investors face in our state. At Patil Law, P.C., we specialize in helping Georgia investors recover their losses through FINRA arbitration and other legal avenues.
Since our founding, Patil Law, P.C. has recovered over $25 million for clients nationwide, with significant recoveries for Georgia investors in Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, and throughout the state. Our firm brings specialized expertise in securities law, FINRA regulations, and investment fraud cases that Georgia investors need when facing financial devastation.
Preston L. (attorney)
Joan P. (attorney)
Understanding Investment Fraud in Georgia
Investment fraud occurs when financial professionals use deceptive practices to manipulate investors into making decisions that result in substantial losses. In Georgia, we’ve seen an alarming increase in various types of investment fraud targeting our communities:
- Affinity fraud targeting religious communities in Atlanta, Macon, and other Georgia cities
- Unsuitable investments where Georgia residents are placed in high-risk products despite conservative investment goals
- Ponzi and pyramid schemes that have devastated investor communities across Athens, Columbus, and Sandy Springs
- Excessive trading (churning) generating commissions at the expense of Georgia clients
- Misrepresentation of investment risks to Georgia retirees and pre-retirees
Example Scenario: A broker in Marietta convinces a retired Georgia teacher to move their entire pension into a high-risk alternative investment, downplaying the risks involved while exaggerating potential returns. When the investment collapses, the client loses their retirement security and faces financial ruin.
How a Georgia FINRA Lawyer Can Help Recover Your Losses
When you first hired your broker or financial advisor, you trusted them to put your best interests first. Unfortunately, many financial professionals betray this trust through negligence or outright fraud. As experienced Georgia FINRA lawyers, we understand how to navigate the complex arbitration process to help recover your investment losses.
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) provides a specialized forum for resolving disputes between investors and financial professionals. As your Georgia FINRA attorney, we will:
- Investigate your case thoroughly to identify all instances of misconduct
- Document violations of Georgia securities laws and FINRA regulations
- File and prosecute your FINRA arbitration claim
- Negotiate settlements when appropriate to recover your losses
- Represent you at hearings before FINRA arbitration panels
Most Georgia investors don’t realize that they’re required to resolve securities disputes through FINRA arbitration rather than the court system. Having an experienced Georgia FINRA lawyer representing your interests is crucial to navigate this specialized process successfully.
Common Types of Investment Fraud in Georgia
Our Georgia investment fraud attorneys regularly handle cases involving:
- Unsuitable investment recommendations that don’t align with Georgia clients’ risk tolerance and financial goals
- Breach of fiduciary duty where advisors place their interests above Georgia investors
- Material misrepresentations about investment risks and returns
- Excessive trading to generate commissions at Georgia clients’ expense
- Failure to diversify portfolios to protect Georgia investors from market volatility
- Selling away where brokers sell investments not approved by their firms
- Ponzi and pyramid schemes targeting Georgia communities
- Elder financial abuse targeting vulnerable seniors across Georgia
If you’ve experienced significant investment losses in Georgia, don’t assume it’s simply due to market conditions. Many losses result from actionable misconduct that an experienced Georgia investment fraud lawyer can help address.
Why Georgia Investors Choose Patil Law, P.C.
When Georgia investors face investment losses, they need a law firm with specialized expertise in securities law and FINRA arbitration. Patil Law, P.C. brings unmatched experience to these complex cases:
Meet Chetan Patil
Chetan Patil is the founder and Managing Partner of Patil Law, P.C.. He brings over 15 years of extensive experience in diverse complex disputes and transactions across the country. Mr. Patil specializes in litigations, trials, arbitrations, and appeals of complex securities, FINRA, financial and business disputes, with an emphasis in securities, financial services, and financial regulatory law.
Few attorneys have the depth and breadth of his legal experience and judgment. He has handled and overseen well over a thousand litigation and arbitration cases in Federal and State Courts and arbitration forums across the country. Chetan has represented defrauded investors, family trusts, family offices, public and private companies of all kinds (including banks and other financial institutions), broker-dealers, registered investment advisors, advisory firms, and securities brokers.
Chetan’s vast trial and arbitration experience includes business, securities, and financial fraud; breach of contract; real estate transactions and disputes; employment disputes; unfair competition; noncompete and restrictive covenant cases; and intellectual property disputes including copyright and trademark infringement. He is a highly experienced and respected litigator as well as an effective negotiator.
Mr. Patil began his career at a large (over 150 attorneys) Midwestern law firm. He then was recruited to a senior litigation position at Cetera Financial Group, one of the largest brokerage firms in the United States, with over $115 billion in assets under management as of 2022. In this role, he managed internal attorneys, external legal counsel, significant regulatory matters, and significant legal matters with exposure exceeding $1 million. On average, he would be responsible for an annual litigation portfolio of approximately $20 million.
This insider perspective gives our Georgia clients a significant advantage when pursuing FINRA claims against major financial institutions.
Signs You May Be a Victim of Investment Fraud in Georgia
Georgia investors should watch for these warning signs of potential investment fraud:
- Unexplained drops in account value
- Unauthorized transactions in your account
- Excessive or frequent trading activity
- Investments that don’t match your stated objectives
- Concentration in a single investment or sector
- Promises of guaranteed returns or “no risk” investments
- Pressure to act quickly on investment opportunities
- Difficulty withdrawing funds from your account
- Missing account statements or confirmations
If you notice these red flags, contact a Georgia investment fraud lawyer immediately to protect your rights.
The FINRA Arbitration Process for Georgia Investors
Most investment agreements contain mandatory arbitration clauses that require disputes to be resolved through FINRA rather than the court system. The FINRA arbitration process typically involves:
- Filing a Statement of Claim detailing the misconduct and your losses
- Respondent’s Answer where the broker/firm responds to allegations
- Arbitrator Selection choosing the panel who will decide your case
- Discovery exchange of relevant documents and information
- Pre-hearing Conferences to address procedural issues
- Evidentiary Hearing similar to a trial but less formal
- Final Decision which is binding and difficult to appeal
As experienced Georgia FINRA lawyers, we navigate this complex process on behalf of our clients to maximize their recovery potential.
Serving Investors Throughout Georgia
Patil Law, P.C. represents investors across Georgia, including:
- Atlanta
- Savannah
- Augusta
- Macon
- Athens
- Columbus
- Sandy Springs
- Roswell
- Johns Creek
- Alpharetta
- Marietta
- Smyrna
- Dunwoody
- Peachtree Corners
- Gainesville
- And all surrounding communities
Other Practice Areas We Cover For Georgia Investment Fraud
Don’t Wait to Protect Your Financial Future
If you’ve suffered investment losses in Georgia, don’t delay seeking legal advice. FINRA claims are subject to strict time limitations, and waiting too long can permanently bar your right to recovery.
Contact Patil Law, P.C. today for a confidential consultation with an experienced Georgia investment fraud lawyer. We’ll evaluate your case, explain your legal options, and develop a strategy to help recover your investment losses.
FINRA ARBITRATION REPRESENTATION FOR GEORGIA INVESTORS
Contact our office today at 800-950-6553 or click here for a free consultation.