Alex Schmidt
  • Securities Law, Arbitration & Mediation, Criminal Law
  • New Jersey, New York
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Legal Knowledge
5.0/5.0
Legal Analysis
5.0/5.0
Communication Skills
5.0/5.0
Ethics and Professionalism
5.0/5.0
Rating: 10 Lawyer Rating - 10 out of 10
Alex is a rising star in the areas of Securities Litigation and FINRA arbitration. He is a zealous advocate and meticulous in his preparation.
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Biography

Alex Schmidt worked in finance prior to attending to Fordham Law School. He obtained the Series 7 and 66 securities licenses and operated as a financial advisor specializing in asset allocation strategies with a focus on fixed income securities. Mr. Schmidt leveraged this experience in law school working in house at Oppenheimer as well as the law firm Bressler, Amery and Ross. While at Fordham in addition to serving as a Reservist in the US Army Military Police, Mr. Schmidt was also a member of the Fordham Law Securities Arbitration Clinic.

He presently specializes in securities and broker dealer law for both individual brokers and institutions, as well as individual customers. Mr. Schmidt's experiences in the securities industry as a broker and investment advisor have provided him with a unique insider perspective on essential aspects of customer disputes and investment fraud claims against broker dealers. His past work enables him to quickly ascertain whether a violation of FINRA rules or State or Federal Law has occurred. Mr. Schmidt also handles regulatory work for brokers and broker dealers. His regulatory practice includes brokers seeking U4/U5 reformation, expungement of their CRD's, as well as regulatory inquiries against brokers by securities regulatory agencies.

Practice Areas
Securities Law
Arbitration & Mediation
Criminal Law
Fees
  • Free Consultation
  • Credit Cards Accepted
  • Contingent Fees
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
New Jersey
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New York
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Languages
  • English: Spoken, Written
Education
Fordham University School of Law
J.D.
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Lafayette College
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Professional Associations
Hudson County Bar Association
- Current
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New Jersey State Bar
- Current
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Union County Bar Association
- Current
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SIFMA
- Current
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Certifications
Series 7
FINRA
Series 66
FINRA
Legal Answers
11 Questions Answered
Q. My broker disappeared after I discovered fraudulent misrepresentations associated with my account. Who do I sue if I
A: You may be able to file a claim against the broker dealer your broker was employed with. If your broker worked at a licensed broker dealer then certain claims you have against the broker can also be leveled against the brokerage firm in a FINRA arbitration. The brokerage firm may be responsible to pay the damages or investment losses in your account caused by the fraudulent activity if a panel of arbitrators concludes that fraudulent misrepresentation did in fact occur. If your broker was operating under his own auspices as an independent registered investment advisor things can become more problematic. Much will depend on whether the advisor was acting as anyone's agent when committing the fraud in your investment account. If your broker was operating completely independent under his own auspices you can still sue your missing broker but recovery of your lost assets will depend on a number of factors. To provide the best response more information is needed concerning your broker. ... Read More
Q. I recently learned my stockbroker has been sued in the past and he never disclosed this. When I confronted him, he told
A: Whether a financial advisor registered with FINRA must report to his broker dealer or disclose on his brokercheck when they have” been sued” depends on 2 things:

1. The total settlement amount and whether the registered person was involved in an alleged sales practice violation

2. What the nature of your stockbrokers lawsuit consisted of?

Much will depend on what the broker was being sued for. Whether named in the caption of the lawsuit or not, the registered person must report an arbitration or civil lawsuit on his or her Form U4 if the action pertained to violation of FINRA rules or “sales practice violations”. The Form U4 is the Uniform Application for Securities Industry Registration and has 15 different sections including information about brokers or registered representatives including disclosures about certain past lawsuits. Many other disclosures must be made that can be associated with lawsuits or being sued such as any judgment liens or filing for bankruptcy. In short more information will be needed concerning the nature of your financial advisors lawsuit in order to determine whether a disclosure should have been made. ... Read More
Q. What does 'churning' mean in the context of investment fraud?
A: Churning in connection with investment fraud is simply when a customers investment advisor generates a high amount of trading activity in the customers investment account in order to collect more commissions. Churning is most commonly measured by checking the turnover ratio of the investment account. This formula measures the amount of trades in the investment account in a given time period relative to the total amount of assets being managed by the investment advisor. Churning is a violation of a FINRA and SEC rules as they pertain to the management of customer investment accounts. Churning violates FINRA Rule 2111 as a broker must believe an investment is suitable to a customers investment profile in order to enter a trade. Executing trades simply to obtain more commissions from a customer does not qualify as something suitable to an investors financial profile. ... Read More
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Contact & Map
Cranford, NJ, USA
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