The mission of the Investor Advocacy Clinic is to represent and educate investors while providing a quality educational experience to Georgia State University law students. The clinic is made possible by a grant from the FINRA Investor Education Foundation and the College of Law.
The clinic represents investors who have suffered losses resulting from broker misconduct but cannot afford or find private legal representation because of the size of their claim. The clinic will provide legal assistance and advice to eligible investors who may have claims involving misrepresentation, unsuitability, unauthorized trading, excessive trading ("churning") and failure to supervise.
Under the supervision of experienced faculty, trained law students will handle most aspects of representation, including client in-take, interviewing, claim evaluation, complaint preparation, settlement negotiations and advocacy in mediation and arbitration before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
Under the terms of the standard agreement between brokers and their customers, investors are bound to arbitrate most claims before FINRA. In addition, students will educate investors on ways to avoid broker disputes.
