Update: Charles Schwab to Allow Customer Class Actions
Today, Charles Schwab agreed to end a long standing dispute over their customer’s right to participate in securities class action lawsuits. In a settlement reached with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Charles Schwab agreed to pay a $500,000 fine and refrain from including language in its customer agreements that would prevent customers from participating in class actions. Click here for our earlier blog post on this subject.
Brokerage firms have always included language in their customer agreements requiring all disputes to be resolved through FINRA’s securities arbitration program–with one exception: Customers were allowed to skip arbitration if a related securities class action lawsuit had been filed. Schwab’s recent settlement with FINRA preserves the status quo and maintains a customer’s right to either pursue an individual arbitration claim or join a class action.
Arbitration vs. Class Action