Item: LaxNeville
Rating: 5
Author: Anonymous

Client Represented by Lax & Neville LLP Wins $2.6MM Award Against E1 Asset Management, Inc., Shaun Joseph Grimaldi, and Ron Yehuda Itin

On April 3, 2024, Lax & Neville LLP won a FINRA arbitration award on behalf of a 75-year-old retiree ("Claimant") against E1 Asset Management, Inc., Shaun Joseph Grimaldi, and Ron Yehuda Itin ("Respondents"). Respondents, who all have checkered regulatory histories, capitalized on Claimant's trust and friendship for a decade to conceal their fraud and exercise complete control over his accounts, by investing in options and risky triple leveraged ETFs, on margin, and relentlessly churning his accounts for the sole purpose of generating $1,604,814 in commissions, interest and fees. They accomplished this by making more than $341 million in trades, on margin, for an annual turnover rate of 13.2 and an average cost to equity ratio of 12.4%. Respondents at all times acted with a willful intent to defraud Claimant, breached their fiduciary duties to him, and violated FINRA Rule 2111 (Suitability), SEC Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI), and FINRA Rule 3010 (Supervision).

After considering the pleadings, testimony and evidence presented at the hearing, the FINRA Arbitration Panel rejected Respondents' defenses and unanimously awarded Claimant $2.6 million, which includes 100% of his fraudulent churning damages totaling $1,604,814, plus $577,610.25 in accrued interest, $420,000 in attorneys' fees, $5,285.83 in discovery sanctions, and post-award interest. To view this Award, click here.

To discuss this FINRA arbitration award, please contact Barry Lax or Sandra Lahens at (212) 696-1999.

★★★★★

The Lax & Neville team were total professionals in handling our case. They've clearly had quite a bit of experience handling complex legal matters in many jurisdictions and courts. I was impressed with their professionalism coupled with persistence in arguing a very complete and well-structured case. I highly recommend their services. Anonymous

I am very, very happy with the outcome of my case and my experience with Lax Neville could not have been better. The entire team of attorneys and staff are real professionals, they always had time to answer my many questions about my case. I was treated with compassion and respect. I am so grateful I chose to work with Lax Neville. Anonymous

This is an official " thank you" for all your hard work. It really was a pleasure to have you represent me, and I enjoyed seeing you, Rush and Sandra in action. I think Lax and Neville epitomizes the phrase "quality vs quantity". I think I told you before that I spent a lot of time researching firms; in this case things worked out, I picked the best firm. I hope I never need your services in the future, but if I do I know I found the best attorneys for these types of legal issues. Anonymous

What transpired at the [redacted] was nothing less than a truly masterful and exceptional experience regarding your intelligence, professionalism, preparedness for my case, teamwork and erudite knowledge pertaining to Securities Law, FINRA and the SEC. The facility and ease of how the case was handled, the systematic questioning of all the witnesses to obtain the facts necessary to prove our case, the preparation of the critically conclusive information and documents, the commanding coup de gras closing argument and your tireless consideration and respect for the Panel and [redacted] was, is and will continue to epitomize my feelings and conclusion that what transpired over those long three days was nothing less than raw and unabashed brilliance. Anonymous

Submit a Law Firm Client Review