The firm’s client is a national full-service broker-dealer which was a Respondent in a FINRA arbitration where Claimant alleged causes of action for defamation, defamation per se, wrongful termination and tortious interference with business relationships. Claimant’s claims for defamation and defamation per se were based upon the disclosures on Claimant’s Form U5 when she was terminated. The Form U5 indicated that she was discharged for “performance”. The firm settled the wrongful termination and interference with business relationship claims but Claimant insisted on seeking expungement of the Form U5 disclosures on the basis that they were defamatory in nature. Our client denied that the disclosures were defamatory and FINRA held a full day Zoom arbitration hearing on the contested claims of defamation before the full three-person panel. Upon the conclusion of the arbitration, the Panel issued an Award denying Claimant’s claims of defamation and assessed her 50% of the FINRA forum fees and costs.
Denis Dice, the managing partner of WSSLLP’s Philadelphia office, handled the final hearing.
Allison Beatty, a partner in the WSSLLP Philadelphia office, assisted in the preparation for the hearing.
