First Admitted: 1988, Florida

Professional Webpage: https://www.sonnlaw.com/attorneys/jeffrey-r-sonn/

Bar / Professional Activity:

Public Investors Advocate Bar Association Foundation Committee, 2023
Public Investors Advocate Bar Association, Annual Meeting Committee, 2023
Public Investors Advocate Bar Association, Amicus Committee, 2023
ABA Securities Litigation Committee, 2023
ABA Securities Litigation Committee, 2022
Director, Public Investors Advocate Bar Association, 2022
Director, Public Investors Advocate Bar Association, 2022
Executive Committee, Public Investors Advocate Bar Association, 2020
Annual Meeting Committee, Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association, 2020
Amicus Committee, Public Investors Advocate Bar Association, 2020
Director, Public Investors Advocate Bar Committee, 2019
Arbitration Committee, Public Investors Advocate Bar Association., 2019
Director, Public Investors Arbitrator Bar Association, 2018
Boca Raton Chapter of the University of Miami Citizens Advisory Board, Former Director
Secretary, Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association, 2011
AIPAC, Former Member
Public Investors Arbitrator Bar Association, Chair, Subcommittee on Dodd Frank Law, Product Issues In Arbitration
Public Investors Arbitrator Bar Association, Former Member, Technology Committee

Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results):

$26 million recovery in class action for investors in a Ponzi Scheme known as MJ Capital. Served on Executive committee for Lead Plaintiff., 2023
$1.8 million recovery for owner of premium financed life insurance policy over allegations of fraud. , 2023
$6,100,000 recovery for an investor in a leveraged securities account that was mismanaged., 2022
$12,100,000 recovery for an investor in a mismanaged discretionary account involving leveraged securities., 2022
$4,150,000 million recovery for an institutional investor in Puerto Rico Bonds and Bond Funds, 2022
$4 million verdict, Lacey Winston Keath vs. JP Morgan Securities, 2022
$54 million settlement in class action case for aiding and abetting fraud, In re: Woodbridge Investments Litigation, served on Plaintiff's executive committee., 2022
$1,800.000 for three investors in Puerto Rico Bonds and Bond Funds, 2020
$2,000,000 settlement for a group of investors in a Ponzi scheme., 2020
$737,500 settlement for investors in business litigation in state court alleging bad faith against an insurance company following an award of over $2 million and the insolvency of the insured., 2020
$1.6 million settlement in an elder abuse case., 2020
$4.1 million in settlements in a securities fraud case for a group of investors., 2019
$3,600,000 for a group of investors in a managed bond account, including allegations of theft and forgery, 2019
$2,000,000 recovery for an unsophisticated investor in Puerto Rico Bonds and Bond Funds, 2019
$3.2 million settlement for investors in a ponzi scheme., 2019
$2,875,000 settlement for investors in a ponzi scheme., 2019
$1,912,500 class action settlement in a Ponzi Scheme, 2019
$159,000 verdict in arbitration for an investor alleging securities fraud. a 100% recovery., 2019
Verdict, $300,000 Verdict for an investor in Puerto Rico closed end bond funds., 2018
$50 Million Judgement against Ponzi Scheme Operators Katz v. MRT Holdings, LLC ., et al. , 07-cv-61438 (S.D. Fla.).
$1,395,000.00 recovery in a federal court action against a public company in a securities contract action
Regas v. Painewebber (a $2.2 million dollar verdict)
$900,000.00 recovery for a group of investors in a purported guaranteed-investment scheme
$525.000.00 recovery for a retired construction supervisor for failure to protect a large stock position and annuity fraud
$850,000 recovery in a securities fraud case
$450,000.00 for a investor in a churning case
$3,900,000.00 recovery for a retiree in a securities fraud case
2016
$420,000.00 recovery for an investor in an options trading case
$16,000,000.00 verdict on appeal in a contract/securities action
$600,000.00 recovery in an arbitration action alleging fraud
$2,000,000.00 recovery for a hedge fund in a institutional fund mismanagement case
First Union vs. the FDIC and Hollywood Associates (a $16 million dollar verdict)
$900,000.00 recovery in a securities fraud case
$525,000.00 recovery for a clothing manufacturer in an abuse of margin case
$850,000.00 recovery following an NASD arbitration trial in an options case
$475,000.00 recovery for a retired college professor in a options fraud case
$50,000,000 settlement in a Ponzi scheme
2013
$425,000.00 recovery for a brain injured client in a financial suicide case
$5,700,000.00 recovery in a securities fraud case
$650,000.00 recovery in a securities case alleging negligent financial advice for a disabled physician/retiree
$400,000.00 recovery for an NFL star in an annuity fraud case
$2,206,000.00 verdict in an NASD arbitration case for a retiree
$575,000.00 recovery in an insurance contract bad faith case for an NFL star
$1,250,000.00 recovery in a securities fraud case
Tartell v. Krieger Financial ($1.7 million dollar verdict)
$850,000.00 NASD arbitration verdict against Morgan Stanley, including $250,000.00 in punitive damages, where the net out of pocket losses were $370,000.00
$525,000.00 recovery for a retired ditch digger for failure to protect a large stock position and annuity fraud
$70,000,000 Settlement, Medical Capital Securities Litigation. Mr. Sonn was a member of a three lawyer steering committee that successfully negotiated a $70 Million settlement for investors who were the victims of the Medical Capital Ponzi Scheme. The settlement was approved by a federal court in Dallas in September, 2011
$750,000.00 recovery for an investor in a restricted stock dispute
$430,000.00 recovery for a grocery store owner in an excessive stock trading (churning) case
$11.1 million verdict in a securities fraud case, 2013
$750,000.00 recovery for a former MTV personality in an accident case
$415,000.00 verdict in an NASD arbitration where the client lost just $109,000
$3.1 million recovery in a fraud case
$590,000.00 recovery for a retiree in an stock analyst fraud case

Videos:

What Investors Need to Know About Non-Traded REITs
Is FINRA Fair to Investors?
What Investors Need to Know About Promissory Notes
What Should Investors Do If They Believe They Are a Victim of Investment Abuse?
What Investors Need to Know About Private Placements
What Tactics Do Advisors Use to Discourage Investors from Filing Complaints?
What Legal Duties Do Financial Advisors Owe Their Customers?
How Can Investors Protect Against Broker Fraud or Misconduct?
Appearance on CNBC, debating nationalization of banks, as a Wall Street fraud expert for CNBC show, "On the Money"., CNBC's "On the Money", 2009

Representative Clients:

Represented former NBA Player Carl Landry in a business dispute., 2023
Antonio Brown, former NFL Player, 2018

Pro bono / Community Service:

Advisory Board, American Friends of Magen David Adom, Israel's Blood Bank and First Responders, 2023
PIABA Foundation Committee, 2023
Director, Public Investors Advocate Bar Associatoin, 2022
Advisory Board, Magen David Adom, Blood Bank and First Responders, 2022
Director, Public Investors Advocate Bar Association, 2021
Advisory Board, Magen David Adom, Blook Bank, 2021
Magen David Adom, Israel Blood Bank, member of local board., 2020
Volunteer, Miami Midnight Basketball League
Volunteer, National Psoraisis Foundation
Volunteer Foster Pet Care, NMB National Humane Society
Volunteer, Department of Transportation Family Driving Program
Tiger Team fundraising, Volunteer
University of Miami Citizens, Advisory Board
Volunteer, WNMB, North Miami Beach High School TV Station
PIABA Foundation volunteer for public service videos on financial fraud awareness for investors., 2017
Volunteer, VA Boone Middle School
Executive Vice President, Beth Torah Adath Yeshuran
Director, Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association
Instructor on Financial Fraud at the Miami Police College., 2016
Camillus House for the Homeless, Volunteer
Volunteer, Broward County Bar Association Pro Bono Project
Volunteer, ATM High School Baseball Booster Club

Honors:

AV Rating, Martindale Hubbel, Martindale Hubbel, 2020
Law Dragon Top 500 Financial Attorneys, Law Dragon, 2023
Superlawyers, Superlawyers, 2019
Superlawyers, Superlawyers, 2018
Multi Million Dollar Advocates Forum, 2017
Florida Super Lawyers 2017 - Present
Special Counsel to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Receiver Michael Goldberg, 2008
Distinguished Justice Advocates Forum, 2017
Top 100 Civil Lawyer, National Trial Lawyers, 2017
AV rated by Martindale Hubbell

Educational Background:

Univ. of Miami, 1988
B.A., University of Florida, 1984

Scholarly Lectures / Writings:

Financial Advisor theft is a constant problem in the securities industry. This article examines cases and remedies when facing a theft case., Author, Lecturer, Broker Theft, PIABA, Securities, 2021
Associate Editor, University of Miami InterAmerican Law Review
Review of recent Ethics decisions., Moderator, Speaker, Author, Ethics in Arbitration, Public Investors Advocate Bar Association, 2019
2008 "An Overview of Ponzi Schemes"
2007, "The ABC's of Mortgage Backed Securities"
2006 "Group Arbitration Techniques"
2003 "Survey of Arbitrator Misconduct"
2001 "How CPA's Can Detect Stockbroker Fraud (Part I)"
2002 " How CPA's Can Detect Stockbroker fraud (Part II)"
Author, Best Practices In A Final Hearing, piaba.org, 2016
Author, Vacating Arbitration Awards, Still a Tough Prospect, PIABA.org, 2012
Author, Elder Abuse Issues and the Securities Industry, 2013
Author, Ten Mistakes to Avoid in an Arbitration Hearing, PIABA.ORG, 2014
Moderated a seminar on Ethics in Arbitration, including issues on conflicts of interest, a lawyer serving as a witness, aggregate settlements, and other ethical issues arising in arbitration., Moderator, Ethics in Arbitration, PIABA.org, 2017
Author, Ethics in Arbitration, PIABA.org, 2017
Lecturer, Miami Police College "How to Choose a Financial Advisor"
The Broker Went Bankrupt-Now What?, PIABA
The ABCs of Mortgage Backed Securities, PIABA
Group Arbitration Techniques, PIABA
How CPAs Can Detect Securities Fraud, PIABA
Survey of Arbitrator Misconduct, PIABA

Other Outstanding Achievements:

Regas vs. Painewebber, NASD Case No.93-02503, 1996 WL 1353684, One of the largest arbitration awards at the NASD, Jeff Sonn was the lead trial lawyer where his client won a $2.2 million dollar verdict against Painewebber.The case was covered in the book "Who's Who and What's What on Wall Street" Published by Ballantine Books, 1998

Industry Groups:

FINANCIAL ADVISOR NEGLIGENCE
FINRA Arbitration
Investment Fraud

Jeffrey R. Sonn