Securities Attorney Pennsylvania

A drop in your account balance doesn't automatically mean someone did anything wrong. But when losses follow questionable recommendations, unexplained trading, or advice that never matched your goals, it may be time to take a closer look.

At Scott Hirsch Law Group, PLLC, we represent investors in Pennsylvania and across the country in securities disputes. We can help you determine whether misconduct contributed to your losses and whether a path to recovery exists. If you have questions about how your money was handled, contact us to schedule a free virtual consultation and discuss what happened and whether you may have a claim. 

Did Misconduct Contribute to Your Losses?

Our review starts with the circumstances behind the loss. We look for conduct that may support a claim against a broker, brokerage firm, financial advisor, or another responsible party. Because market declines happen even in well-managed accounts, the key question is why the loss occurred. 

We handle claims involving investment fraud, misrepresentations and omissions, unauthorized trades, unsuitable recommendations, churning or excessive trading, and the improper use of margin. In some cases, a single recommendation is at the center of the dispute. In others, the problem is a pattern that developed over months or years. 

We evaluate that conduct against the investor’s financial situation, objectives, and the duties owed by the professionals involved. This helps separate ordinary investment risk from losses that may justify legal action. 

What the Account Records Show

An account’s paper trail often tells how a strategy took shape and whether it reflected what the investor was told. We gather and review the records that can reconstruct that history. 

Depending on the claim, relevant evidence may include account statements, trade confirmations, new account forms, emails and other communications with the advisor, marketing or offering materials, and notes from meetings. No one-size-fits-all checklist exists; the records that matter depend on what went wrong. 

By tying those records to the losses at issue, we build a factual foundation to identify who may be responsible and how the claim should proceed. 

Resolving Disputes With Brokerage Firms

Many disputes between investors and their brokerage firms are resolved through FINRA arbitration rather than in court. We determine whether an arbitration agreement or FINRA rules apply and represent investors through the process when they do. 

FINRA arbitration follows its own procedures for filing claims, exchanging information, and presenting evidence. Our representation includes preparing the investor’s case for that forum and responding to the firm’s answer to the allegations. 

Even so, the forum is only part of the picture. A successful claim still depends on showing misconduct, establishing responsibility, and connecting that conduct to the investor’s losses. 

Measuring the Financial Harm

Recovery begins with understanding how the alleged misconduct affected the investor’s finances. We analyze account activity and losses in light of the specific conduct involved, rather than treating every decline in value as recoverable. 

The legal theories available can also vary from case to case. The Pennsylvania Securities Act of 1972, for example, creates civil liability for certain unlawful securities sales and for certain sales made through untrue statements or misleading omissions of material fact.

However, liability under the Act may be limited, so other claims, such as fraud, negligence, or breach of fiduciary duty, may better fit some disputes. 

We identify the claims and remedies that match the facts before deciding how to pursue recovery. This keeps the case focused on the actual investment relationship and the losses we can support. 

Timing Matters

We address deadlines at the outset because different claims and forums can carry different time limits. Depending on the facts, a securities dispute may involve state statutes of limitations, FINRA eligibility rules, or other filing periods. 

For claims under the Pennsylvania Securities Act’s civil liability provisions, an action generally must be brought within one year after the investor knew or reasonably should have known of the facts constituting the violation, and in any event within five years after the transaction, whichever period ends first. Claims brought in FINRA arbitration may be subject to separate eligibility requirements. 

Instead of assuming a single deadline governs the entire matter, we determine which limits apply to each potential claim. Acting early also allows us to preserve account records and communications before details become harder to piece together. 

Responding to the Firm’s Defenses

Brokerage firms and advisors often contest what caused an investor’s losses or deny the allegations altogether. We prepare each case with those anticipated defenses in mind. 

A firm may point to market volatility, the investor’s stated objectives, signed account documents, risk disclosures, or the investor’s own decisions. We test those arguments against the full account record and the conduct at the heart of the claim. 

That work continues throughout the dispute. Whether the case resolves through arbitration, litigation, or negotiation, we advocate for the investor using the evidence drawn from the investment relationship itself. 

Discuss Your Pennsylvania Securities Claim With Scott Hirsch Law Group, PLLC

Securities disputes are a core focus at our firm. Our attorney, Scott Hirsch, brings more than 17 years of experience representing investors nationwide in securities arbitration and litigation and has represented thousands in FINRA proceedings. 

We represent Pennsylvania investors as part of our nationwide securities practice. We handle disputes involving brokerage firms and financial advisors, taking a hands-on approach to building claims around each investor’s account history and losses.

If you suspect misconduct contributed to your investment losses, contact us to review your account and the circumstances surrounding the loss. We can help you determine whether the facts support a claim.