Robert J. Girard II is a Partner in our Los Angeles office. As part of our Litigation Team, Mr. Girard’s practice includes representing plaintiffs and defendants in securities, commodities, business, employment and general civil litigation matters before state and federal courts and various alternative dispute resolution tribunals, including the American Arbitration Association (AAA), the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the National Futures Association (NFA).

Mr. Girard has developed an expertise in securities-related litigation, representing members of the industry as well as investors. His very successful employment law practice includes the representation of high-level securities industry professionals, such as brokers, wholesalers, financial consultants, compliance personnel, hedge fund executives, branch managers and investment bankers. These complex matters typically involve claims for breach of contract, wrongful discharge/termination, constructive discharge, failure to hire/promote, unfair competition, unfair business practices and protected-class discrimination. In addition, Mr. Girard frequently represents securities industry employees in broker U-5 expungement and defamation claims before FINRA, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other agency tribunals. With extensive experience as counsel for both plaintiffs (claimants) and defendants (respondents), he has successfully resolved a number of multi-million dollar claims to the benefit of his clients.

As counsel for individual and institutional investors in disputes against broker-dealers for securities-related losses, Mr. Girard’s extensive experience has involved claims and defenses for breach of fiduciary duty, negligence, churning, unauthorized trading, unsuitability, material omissions, misrepresentation, failure to supervise, blue-sky violations and fraud, among others. His representation of these customer dispute matters is nationwide and involves such investment products as stocks, bonds, options, auction rate securities, mutual funds, annuities, hedge funds and principal protected notes. Regularly appearing before FINRA, NFA, AAA, JAMS and state and federal courts, Mr. Girard has recovered millions of dollars on behalf of investors from most of the major Wall Street brokerage firms.

EDUCATION

Seton Hall University School of Law (J.D. 2001) Cum Laude,
- Executive Board, Rodino Law Society, 2001
- Director, Appellate Advocacy Moot Court Board, 2001

University of Maryland at College Park (B.A. Political Science, 1996)

ADMISSIONS/QUALIFICATIONS

State Bar of California, 2001
U.S. District Court, Central District, Ninth Circuit of California

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND AFFILIATIONS

Member, State Bar of California
Member, Business Litigation Section of LACBA
Member, Italian American Lawyers Association of Los Angeles
Member, Beverly Hills Bar Association

ARTICLES, SPEECHES AND SEMINARS

“Guilty Until Proven Innocent – What You Need to Know About FINRA Arbitration,” Panel Member, National Association of Independent Broker-Dealers (NAIBD) Webinar, September 9, 2009
"Equity-Indexed Annuities," National Association of Independent Broker-Dealers (NAIBD), Del Mar, CA, 2006