Ed has over twenty years of experience defending and counseling individuals and institutions in the financial services business.  He represents broker-dealers, registered representatives, registered investment advisors, insurance agents, and insurance brokers in FINRA arbitrations, federal and state court, and before state regulators and the SEC.  His experience representing broker-dealers and brokers ranges from offering guidance and defending clients in “bet-the-company” cases to pre-dispute risk management and conflict avoidance.  He is a resource for his clients to help anticipate and avoid problems with regulators and customers.  His experience representing insurance agents includes complex litigation concerning 412(i) plans and insurance purchased for estate planning purposes, as well as claims involving negligence and fraud on the part of an insurance agent or broker in procuring insurance.  Ed also litigates real estate matters, partnership dissolutions, employment, employment transition, trade secret and general business disputes and has defended real estate brokers, accountants, actuaries, and third party pension plan administrators in professional liability claims.  He also has handled cases involving unique issues relating to arbitration, consumer law, privacy, trade secrets and ERISA and has represented clients in appeals before the Supreme Courts of California and Montana, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the intermediate appellate courts of California.