Illinois Securities Attorneys

The Illinois securities attorneys at Gana Weinstein LLP are investment lawyers that represent individual investors in securities arbitration through the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or FINRA. Our Illinois investment attorneys are located in Chicago and represent investors in FINRA throughout the State of Illinois. Gana Weinstein LLP’s Illinois securities attorneys represent investors in all major Illinois cities including Chicago, Aurora, Rockford, Joliet, Naperville, Springfield, Peoria, Elgin, Waukegan, and Cicero.

When clients first retain our firm, many investors are generally confused about how much money that have lost and what caused the losses. Generally, our first order of business is to conduct a forensic analysis of the client's investment accounts to better understand the losses and determine if they resulted from broker misconduct. Specifically, our Illinois securities attorneys focus on cases involving churning, broker theft, the unsuitable sale of securities by brokers and broker-dealers, broker-dealer’s failure to supervise, violation of FINRA rules and claims of selling away.

In some cases, investment advisers and broker-dealers sell investment products in order to garner large commissions for them regardless of the investor's willingness to withstand the risk of those investments. In other cases, clients contact us and have been victims of churning, unauthorized trading, or were recommended unsuitable securities. Securities fraud claims and violation of FINRA rules are the most common claims that our Illinois securities attorneys see in this field.

Investors in Illinois are protected by industry rules, statutes and laws that prohibit brokers from engaging in this activity. Here are some useful links to regulatory bodies that help protect investors in the State of Illinois.

• Illinois Securities Department regulates the sale of securities pursuant to the Illinois Securities Law of 1953. The department also registers and enforces the laws concerning securities offerings, broker-dealers, and investment advisers. The Illinois Securities Department actively participates in investor education and financial literacy programs to help investors understand claims of unsuitable trading, fraud, churning, unauthorized sale of securities and FINRA rules generally. In addition, the Illinois Securities Department conduct’s audits of broker-dealers and investment advisors in the state of Illinois. Finally, the Illinois Securities Department participates in the criminal prosecution of the unlawful conduct of bad brokers.
• The Consumer Protection Division under the Illinois Attorney General's office protects Illinois consumers and businesses victimized by fraud, deception, and unfair business practices.
• Illinois Securities Law of 1953 contains Illinois securities anti-fraud statute as well as other rules and regulations pertaining to the offer and sales of securities in the state of Illinois. The law makes it unlawful for brokers and broker-dealers to engage in any transaction which operates as a fraud or deceit on any client or prospective client, or to engage in any act, or course of business which is fraudulent, deceptive, or manipulative.
• FINRA this site allows investors to look up their brokers CRD.
• Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) creates and enforces the securities laws.

While the regulatory agencies in Illinois are important, these agencies do not tend to be particularly effective at getting our clients their money back. Studies have shown that over the course of a three-year period, of all the fines levied by the SEC, nearly 98% of the money did not get collected or returned to victims. Most victims of securities fraud in Illinois must higher a securities attorney to help them with their FINRA arbitration. The Illinois investment attorneys’ at Gana Weinstein LLP have had nearly two decades of experience representing investors in FINRA arbitrations in Illinois. If you believe you were the victim of investment fraud and want an attorney to review your securities accounts and transactions free of charge, you should call our Illinois securities attorneys.

To learn more about potential claims and securities topics please visit our Securities Arbitration & Litigation page. Our consultations are free of charge and the firm is only compensated if you recover. Our Illinois investment attorneys will walk you through every step of your potential claim and will help you determine whether you have a case and then help you get your money back.