George T. Brunelle

George T. Brunelle

GEORGE BRUNELLE is a member of the firm with extensive background in securities litigation, arbitration, mediation, regulatory investigations, disciplinary proceedings, broker-dealer compliance and corporate governance. Mr. Brunelle graduated cum laude from Rutgers University, earned his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School in 1975, and is admitted to practice before the State Courts of New York and Pennsylvania, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court. Previously, Mr. Brunelle was employed by the New York Stock Exchange, managing a staff of attorneys and conducting complex investigations and enforcement proceedings before the NYSE Hearing Board, the Exchange’s Board of Directors, the SEC, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.  Upon leaving the NYSE, Mr. Brunelle became a partner of Goldstein & Brunelle, P.C., and in 1986, he founded Brunelle & Hadjikow, P.C.

SELECTED CASES AND DECISIONS

(Each case depends upon its facts and circumstances, and past results are no guarantee of a similar outcome in the future.)

  • Raiding case, for claimant.
    Secured large damage award for brokerage firm “raided” by its own personnel and a competing brokerage firm. [FINRA Arb. Award 11-00248 (2016)].
  • Raiding case, for respondent.
    Secured dismissal of raiding claim by brokerage firms against individual brokers and another firm. [FINRA Arb. Award 08-01879 (2011)].
  • Best Execution” and fiduciary duty claims.
    Obtained “Not Guilty” verdict in FINRA disciplinary proceeding against Head Trader, securing dismissal of alleged violations of fiduciary duty and “best execution” claims under SEC and FINRA Rules. [FINRA Discip. Proceeding 2012033467301 (2015)].
  • Regulation M Settlement.
    Obtained favorable settlement of SEC charges under Regulation M and SEC Rule 105. SEC Rel. No. 72520 (SEC July 2, 2014).
  • Investment adviser trading and disclosure allegations.
    Secured favorable settlement of SEC allegations against Registered Investment Adviser for trading and disclosure violations over a period of years. [SEC Advisers Act Rel. 4243 (2015)]

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

“Arbitration Forum-Selection Clauses that Do Not Include FINRA,” Securities Arbitration Commentator, Vol. 2016, No. 6 (Nov. 2016).

“Rulemaking Petition [to the SEC] Regarding Complex Securities Arbitrations,” SEC File No. 4-702 (July 19, 2016), available on the SEC’s website at https://www.sec.gov/rules/petitions/2016/petn4-702.pdf.

“Judicial Proceedings in Aid of Arbitration,” N.Y. Practicing Law Institute seminar on Securities Arbitration (1991).

“The Papilsky Rule and the Emerging Antitrust Dimension of the Securities Exchange Act,” Securities Regulation Law Journal, Spring 1981

“The Lost Tender Offer Opportunity and Section 14(e),” Securities Regulation Law Journal (Fall 1981).

“The Shores Case – Expansion of the ‘Fraud on the Market Doctrine,” Securities Regulation Law Journal (Winter 1982).

“Misappropriated Market Information and the Purchaser-Seller Doctrine,” Securities Regulation Law Journal (Summer 1982).