Clients & Cases

The amounts below do not include recoveries we have made for our clients at mediation proceedings or via settlements subject to confidentiality provisions.

$1,086,000
David W. Couch, Leslie L. Briley, Jr., et al. v. Wedbush Morgan Securities, et al.
NASD Case No. 00-00737
Nature of Case: Securities fraud, unsuitable recommendations, failure to diversify
Client Types Represented: A group of investors, all of whom dealt with the same broker. The group consisted of retired senior citizens, businessmen, a school teacher, a corporation, and, a lawyer, among others.    

$732,000
W.L. “Cotton” Gray, Sophie Ratkovich, et al. v. Merchant Banking Services, Inc., et al.
NASD Case No. 98-03752
Nature of Case: Securities fraud, unsuitable recommendations, failure to diversify
Client Types Represented: A group of investors, all of whom dealt with several brokers at the same brokerage firm. The group consisted of retired senior citizens, a widow, a law enforcement officer, and others.

$360,000
Herman Pettegrove v. Safeco Insurance
Superior Court for the County of Los Angeles Case No. NC051344
Nature of Case: Automobile accident, negligence
Client Type Represented: A longtime lawyer.

$311,252 (including $100,000 in punitive damages)
Dee Ann Phillips v. Lawrence S. Jay
FINRA Case No. 05-01391
Nature of Case: Securities fraud, unsuitable recommendations, failure to diversify
Client Type Represented: A single woman, who owned and ran a small business.

$130,000 (plus forum fees of $8,325 assessed against Citigroup)
Joan Jeffrey v. Citigroup Global Markets (formerly known as Salomon Smith Barney)
FINRA Case No. 06-01388
Nature of Case: Securities fraud, unsuitable recommendations, failure to diversify
Client Types Represented: A single, retired woman, including her IRA retirement account.

EXPUNGEMENT OF CUSTOMER “FORGERY” COMPLAINT FROM BROKER’S CRD (plus all forum fees of $14,000 assessed against Washington Mutual)
Flavia LoCoco v. Washington Mutual Financial Services, Inc.
FINRA Case No. 06-04695
Nature of Case: Employment (wrongful termination, unpaid wages, defamation)
Client Type Represented: A registered representative who allegedly had been wrongfully terminated and whose CRD had been allegedly defamed by her former firm.

EXPUNGEMENT FROM BROKER’S FORM U-5 (reason for termination) (plus all forum fees of $14,000 assessed against Washington Mutual)
Flavia LoCoco v. Washington Mutual Financial Services, Inc.
FINRA Case No. 06-04695
Nature of Case: Employment (wrongful termination, unpaid wages, defamation)
Client Type Represented: A registered representative who allegedly had been wrongfully terminated and whose Form U-5 had been allegedly defamed by her former firm.

$99,963 (plus forum fees of $17,400 assessed against J.P. Morgan)
Rayna Brown v. J.P. Morgan
FINRA Case No. 06-02977
Nature of Case: Securities fraud, unsuitable recommendations, failure to diversify
Client Type Represented: A former Vice President for a large Silicon Valley technology company.  Our client had a severe disease of her spine (stenosis), which we successfully argued should have precluded her brokers from unsuitably concentrating her assets in “dot com” stocks and other high risk investments.

$125,000 (plus all forum fees were assessed against the Respondent; Panel made specific finding of fraud)
Joan L. Grosse and Ronald P. Grosse v. Pacific Coast Financial Securities, Inc., et al.
FINRA Case No. 97-05051
Nature of Case: Securities fraud, unsuitable recommendations, failure to diversify
Client Type Represented: A couple who had been married for over 40 years.

$765,000 (Jury Verdict) (plus Attorney’s Fees and Costs) (plus forgiveness of $2 million debt owed to Defendant)
Stephen C. Sharpe v. McDonnell Family Trust, et al.
Superior Court for County of Orange Case No. 05CC11767
Nature of Case: Breach of contract, fraud
Twenty four (24) day jury trial (Montgomery Griffin served in an Of Counsel capacity to plaintiff’s counsel of record)
Client Type Represented: Businessman.

$457,960 (Jury Verdict)
Tru Le v. Phong Hung Tran
Superior Court for County of Orange Case No. 05CC12398
Nature of Case: Breach of contract
Eight (8) day jury trial (Montgomery Griffin served in an Of Counsel capacity to plaintiff’s counsel of record)
Client Type Represented: Entrepreneur and former government official from Vietnam.