Joseph A. Dougherty and Team Deliver Another Victory to Client Stifel Nicolaus in Wells Fargo Appeal; Dougherty Quoted on Win

A team of Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney attorneys, led by Trade Secrets and Restrictive Covenant Practice Group Chair Joseph A. Dougherty, delivered another victory to firm client Stifel Nicolaus & Co Inc., most recently defeating Wells Fargo Advisors LLC's appeal of an earlier Financial Industry Regulatory Authority award. Joining Dougherty in Stifel's defense were Buchanan litigators Anne E. Kozul, Elizabeth Luening Long and Andrew Shapren.

The team defended Stifel in its original December 2009 FINRA arbitration, which stemmed from Stifel's hiring of former A.G. Edwards financial advisors in Grass Valley, Ca. Wells Fargo, which acquired A.G. Edwards, had wrongfully claimed that Stifel misappropriated trade secrets, interfered with contractual relations and was liable for unfair competition and “raiding.” Wells Fargo first appealed the FINRA decision to the San Francisco Superior Court, which upheld the arbitration ruling.

In an October 10, 2011, Investment News article, Dougherty weighed in on the second appeal victory, handed down by the Superior Court of California.

"The arbitrators in this case got it right and delivered a strong message," he said. "Now, two courts have agreed that the arbitrators' rulings should not be disturbed."

The case was also noted on Leagle.com.