Suitability Expert Witnesses

Riverside, California

Insurance, Financial - Life Insurance, Annuity, Annuities, Suitability, Lapse, Life Settlement, agent, Conversion, Estate Planning, Disability Insurance, Long Term Care Insurance, Bad Faith, Beneficiary, trusts, STOLI, TOLI, Standard of Care, Expiration, Misrepresentation, Life/Disability Analyst

Expert in Permanent and Term Life Insurance, Disability, Long-Term Care Insurance as well as variable and fixed annuities. 40+ years’ experience as a high-producing agent with a Fortune 500 insurer. Past Life & Qualifying Member of Million Dollar Round Table – a trade group of top insurance producers. Chartered Life Underwriter. Chartered Financial Consultant. Licensed Life and Disability Analyst. Has reviewed and analyzed hundreds of insurance policies for issues such as suitability, expiration, beneficiaries, conversion, termination, reinstatement, value, and health of the insurer.

San Ramon, California

Securities & Investments, Insurance - Due Diligence, Suitability, Supervision, Standards of Care, Breach of Fiduciary Duty, Variable and Fixed Index Annuities, TIC's, Non-Traded REIT'S, Broker Dealer Compliance, Portfolio Analysis, Private Placements, Elder Abuse, Damages, Misrepresentation, Material Omission and Fraud

I am celebrating 5 decades in the securities Industry. I am both a FINRA Arbitrator and the designated securities expert witness for the CA State Bar. I am a consulting expert in litigation and arbitration having testified in 25 states involving securities, insurance and annuities. Since 1991, I have been retained over 1000 times and have testified in 365 arbitrations before NASD, FINRA, JAMS, PSE, AAA and PSE along with attending and testifying in over 100 mediations. In addition, I have qualified and testified before the L.A. Federal Court along with State Courts in L.A., Orange, Fresno and San Diego. My case track record stands at 328 wins and 37 losses. From a long-standing banking background in corporate finance to underwriting and investment banking and real estate experience, I bring a strong knowledge of modern portfolio theory through the teaching of hundreds of retirement financial planning seminars at the corporate level. It is my goal to bring a refres...

San Francisco, California

Securities & Investments, Business Damages - Materiality of Information, Damages, Fiduciary Duty, Fraud, Hedge Funds, Insider Trading, Stock Options, Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution Pension Plans, Ponzi Scheme, Short Selling, Suitability, Business Valuation

Marty Dirks has more than 30 years of institutional investment experience with expertise in hedge fund management, valuation and analysis of securities, analysis of corporate accounting fraud, and other complex investment-related issues. As an analyst and short selling hedge fund manager from 1989 through 2010, he has special expertise in the analysis of fraud and misrepresentation by publicly-traded companies. Mr. Dirks is a Senior Adjunct Professor of Finance at Golden Gate University (2006-present). He was the director of research at McCullough, a value equity manager, from 2010-2012. He was a board member for the San José pension plan from 2011-2019. From his roles as an Adjunct Professor and Investment Consultant he has proven his ability as a confident public speaker with the ability to convey technical concepts to diverse audiences. His corporate industry experience includes working at Cooper Industries (1987-1989), a Fortune 100 manufacturing company, and at Texas Instrume...

San Diego, California

Legal, Securities & Investments - securities, corporations, antitrust, partnerships, limited liability companies, corporate governance, fiduciary duties, private offering, Rule 10(b)-5, Rule 506, brokers, suitability, know your customer, arbitration, freeze outs, oppression

A highly regarded legal consultant and expert witness, Professor Mark R. Lee is an expert in Securities Regulation, Corporations, Unincorporated Business Organizations, and Antitrust. He has provided consulting or expert witness services in connection with a wide variety of matters ranging from Rule 10(b)-5 liability, exemptions from registration, and compliance with SEC Rule 506 to fiduciary duties, corporate governance, “freeze outs,” and hostile takeovers to distributor terminations and revocation of hospital privileges. Professor Lee has taught at ten law schools in the United States, four in Europe. Currently, he is Professor-in-Residence and J. Lawrence Irving Senior Distinguished Teaching Fellow at the University of San Diego School of Law. He is the author of Organizing Corporate and other Business Enterprises, 6th ed. (LEXIS, 2000) (with L. Gross) [textually updated annually], Antitrust Law and Local Government (Greenwood Press 1985), and articles in academic journals. ...

Denver, Colorado

Securities & Investments - Fiduciary duties, trusts and estates, Uniform Prudent Investor Act, trustees, trust beneficiaries, suitability, modern portfolio theory, prudent investment practices, ERISA, damage calculations, investment advisers, diversification

Professional certifications and credentials - Certified Public Accountant, attorney (inactive), Accredited Investment Fiduciary Analyst, Registered Fiduciary • Principal and Senior Investment Consultant with Innovest Portfolio Solutions LLC, an SEC registered investment adviser firm that provides investment consulting services on a fee-only basis to over $21 billion of individual, retirement plan and foundation investment portfolios pursuant to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (1996 to present) • Expert witness focus - Fiduciary duties and responsibilities associated with the management of investment portfolios in trusts and estates, retirement plans, individual investor portfolios and foundations • Experience includes expert reports, damage calculations and testimony with respect to trustees of private trusts (including bank trust departments), beneficiaries of private trusts, retirement plan participants, retirement plan fiduciaries, investment advisers and individual investor...

Las Vegas, Nevada

Financial, Real Estate - Mortgage, Skilled Nursing, Assisted Living, HUD FHA, Multifamily, Commercial Real Estate, Seniors Housing, Partnerships, Suitability, Valuation, GSA, EB5, LIHTC

Expert on issues related to commercial mortgage banking, real estate partnerships and investment suitability, Valuation of closely held businesses and partnerships. Seniors Housing including Independent Living, Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing Facilities, Continuing Care Retirement Communities, HUD FHA Multifamily, Healthcare, Public and Section 8 Housing, EB5 Investments, residential Cooperatives,. Expert Witness experience includes financial and document analysis, report preparation, deposition, assistance in deposition and cross examination of opposing witnesses, and Federal and State Supreme Court testimony . Mr. Vaughn served as Director of the Office of Residential Care Facilities, part of the Office of Healthcare Programs in the Office of Housing in the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Mr. Vaughn was directly responsible for origination and asset management activities related to the $20 billion portfolio of Section 232 Insured Mortgages on Skilled Nursing and As...

Fremont, New Hampshire

Securities & Investments, Insurance - Mutual Funds, Annuities, Financial Planning, Life Insurance, Long Term Care Insurance, FINRA, Misrepresentation, Asset Allocation, Retirement Plans, Unauthorized Trading, Suitability, churning, Supervision, Employment, U-5, Variable Annuities, Alternative Investments, CFP, Fiduciary Duty, IRAs

Alan J. Besnoff, CFP, ChFC, CLU is the founder of Securities Expert Witness & Litigation Support, LLC, and provides litigation consulting services and expert testimony for matters involving customer disputes and employment issues within the financial services industry. Mr. Besnoff’s expert engagements typically involve sales practices and violations of rules and industry standards in the areas of securities, life insurance and annuities, supervisory, and U-5/employment matters. Mr. Besnoff has been engaged as an expert in more than 130 cases and has testified approximately 30 times. Alan Besnoff has 30+ years of experience within the industry, primarily in supervisory and leadership positions. Mr. Besnoff has passed FINRA registration examinations for Series 6, 63, 65, 7, 26, and 24, as well as state licensing examinations for Life Insurance & Annuities, Disability Insurance, Long Term Care Insurance, Variable Life Insurance and Variable Annuities. Professional designations...

Avon by the Sea, New Jersey

Securities & Investments, Banking - Securities Litigation, Compliance Violations, Supervision, Suitability, FINRA, SEC, Churning, Equities, Options, Derivatives, Structured Products, Microcap, Regulatory Investigations, Hedge Fund, Sales, Compliance, Penny Stocks, Leverage, Disclosures, Margin

Mike is a seasoned financial compliance executive, regulator, and entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience leading global financial institutions, including Goldman Sachs, Lehman Brothers, and BNP Paribas. He has served as Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) for three broker-dealers, two Futures Commission Merchants (FCMs), the New York bank branch of BNP Paribas, and as Global Head of Financial Markets Compliance in Paris and London for four years. Mike’s comprehensive expertise spans compliance, risk management, and overseeing regulatory functions across multiple jurisdictions, product areas, and high-profile regulatory investigations. He now specializes in securities litigation support, arbitration disputes, expert testimony, and expert reports for issues such as suitability claims, failure to disclose risks, regulatory compliance violations, market misconduct, and improper supervision. He has appeared before FINRA, SEC, CFTC, OFAC, and the Department of Justice (DoJ), and is rec...

New York

Securities & Investments, Banking - Securities Litigation, Compliance Violations, Supervision, Suitability, FINRA, SEC, Churning, Equities, Options, Derivatives, Structured Products, Microcap, Regulatory Investigations, Hedge Fund, Sales, Compliance, Penny Stocks, Leverage, Disclosures, Margin

Mike is a seasoned financial compliance executive, regulator, and entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience leading global financial institutions, including Goldman Sachs, Lehman Brothers, and BNP Paribas. He has served as Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) for three broker-dealers, two Futures Commission Merchants (FCMs), the New York bank branch of BNP Paribas, and as Global Head of Financial Markets Compliance in Paris and London for four years. Mike’s comprehensive expertise spans compliance, risk management, and overseeing regulatory functions across multiple jurisdictions, product areas, and high-profile regulatory investigations. He now specializes in securities litigation support, arbitration disputes, expert testimony, and expert reports for issues such as suitability claims, failure to disclose risks, regulatory compliance violations, market misconduct, and improper supervision. He has appeared before FINRA, SEC, CFTC, OFAC, and the Department of Justice (DoJ), and is rec...

New York

Financial, Real Estate - Mortgage, Skilled Nursing, Assisted Living, HUD FHA, Multifamily, Commercial Real Estate, Seniors Housing, Partnerships, Suitability, Valuation, GSA, EB5, LIHTC

Expert on issues related to commercial mortgage banking, real estate partnerships and investment suitability, Valuation of closely held businesses and partnerships. Seniors Housing including Independent Living, Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing Facilities, Continuing Care Retirement Communities, HUD FHA Multifamily, Healthcare, Public and Section 8 Housing, EB5 Investments, residential Cooperatives,. Expert Witness experience includes financial and document analysis, report preparation, deposition, assistance in deposition and cross examination of opposing witnesses, and Federal and State Supreme Court testimony . Mr. Vaughn served as Director of the Office of Residential Care Facilities, part of the Office of Healthcare Programs in the Office of Housing in the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Mr. Vaughn was directly responsible for origination and asset management activities related to the $20 billion portfolio of Section 232 Insured Mortgages on Skilled Nursing and As...