Recognized in the Industry
Badge - AV Preeminent 2020
Badge - Best Attorneys of America
Super Lawyers
Badge - Badge - Avvo Rating 10.0 Top Attorney
Martindale-Hubbell Client Reviewed
Expertise - Best Employment Lawyers in New York City
Avvo Reviews
NYC Bar Association

Mississippi Investment Loss Recovery Lawyers

Ole Miss, the birthplace of blues music, and the southern comforts of home, Mississippi seniors love their home state for its retirement communities and the state’s tax-friendly benefits. More than ever, Mississippi investors and retirees are faced with many choices of where to invest their retirement funds. Senior investors disproportionally rely on financial advisors for investment advice compared to today’s younger generation, who have a greater tendency to manage investments on their own with a few taps on their mobile phone. Both have risks, however, those managing their own accounts are less likely to encounter privately traded securities, which are alternative investment products typically offered through the recommendations of one’s financial adviser. These alternative products come in many forms, such as non-traded Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) or non-traded Business Development Companies (BDCs). They usually have additional fees and risk features that are not readily evident to the typical retail investor, and, therefore, can mislead seniors and prospective retirees to believe that their future retirement funds are safe, when actually they are not. These securities are not suitable for everyone, and they typically should make up only a small portion of one’s retirement portfolio.

Retirees who have lost money due to being over concentrated in these alternative products from unsuitable recommendations by their financial adviser, and where the associated fees and risks went undisclosed or not properly explained, may have some legal recourse to recover their losses. Malecki Law is a national investment loss recovery law firm that can provide legal representation to Mississippi investors, as the firm has recovered tens of millions of dollars for retirees and other senior investors who have lost money due to fraudulent misrepresentations and omissions, negligence, and financial firm failures to properly supervise their financial representatives when recommending alternative financial products.

In 2018, the Securities Division of the Mississippi Secretary of State’s issued an Administrative Consent Order settlement with the brokerage firm LPL Financial LLC, sanctioning the firm for misrepresenting to investors that certain alternative products were ordinary, publicly-traded equities. The regulator stated that these misrepresentations had occurred since at least 2012, where “LPL was aware” that certain non-traded real estate investment trusts and non-traded business development companies were misclassified as equities on customer account statements. Monthly account statements are considered by regulators to be “communications with the public” under state and federal securities laws, and therefore, misclassifying alternative products as regular equities had the potential to mislead investors that their funds were safe.

According to a 2015 Investor Bulletin by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), alternative products like non-traded REITs have risks different than investments that are publicly traded, and investors should consider these risks before investing, including:

  • Lack of liquidity: “Non-traded REITs are illiquid investments, which mean that they cannot be sold readily in the market. Instead, investors generally must wait until the non-traded REIT lists its shares on an exchange or liquidates its assets to achieve liquidity. These liquidity events, however, might not occur until more than 10 years after your investment.”

Malecki Law’s experienced investment loss recovery lawyers recognize that retirees and seniors do not typically have a time horizon of ten years for their investments to mature. Younger investors may be able to afford the wait, but not retirees who are not working and, therefore, need liquidity and to be able to access their money for daily living and the increased medical expenses typical with aging.

Moreover, the SEC warns of additional risks that a firm and its financial advisors should fully disclose, especially concerning the high costs of these alternative products:

  • High fees: “Non-traded REITs typically charge high upfront fees to compensate a firm or individual selling the investment and to lower their offering and organizational costs. These fees can represent up to 15 percent of the offering price, which lowers the value and return of your investment and leaves less money for the REIT to invest. In addition to the high upfront fees, non-traded REITs may have significant transaction costs, such as property acquisition fees and asset management fees.”

Malecki Law’s investment loss recovery attorneys understand that the above is material information that should be relevant to most investors, not just seniors, since allocating 15% to just fees alone means that an investment would need to return a gain of 15% to break even, and 16% to make a profit of even 1%. That is a highly speculative risk for any investor to take on.

There are other risks associated with non-traded REITs (whose risks are common to non-traded BDCs and numerous other non-traded products) concerning their lack of transparency. For background, a real estate investment trust, or REIT, is a legal entity owning income-producing real estate, such as office buildings, shopping malls, hotels, and apartments. A publicly traded REIT lists its shares on a securities exchange and the market establishes a fair value for the shares. In contrast, a non-traded REIT is opaque because it does not list its shares on any exchange and the true value of its shares may be obscured or misstated. Dividends are not guaranteed because the distributions may be funded entirely or in part by new investor cash or borrowed funds – leveraged money that can place the REIT at greater risk of default and devaluation, including loss of the entire principal investment. Because non-traded REIT shares do not trade on national securities exchanges, they cannot be easily priced or sold. Unsophisticated investors have often been startled to discover that they cannot exit their investments when they need to and that few willing buyers will be available to purchase their shares.

If you are a Mississippi retiree or investor who has suffered investment losses in your retirement account and believe you have been sold non-traded REITs or other alternative, non-traded investment products without proper disclosures of the risks, then you should contact an investment loss recovery law firm like Malecki Law for a free initial consultation. Many of our customers choose a contingency arrangement instead of being billed hourly, meaning we do not get paid unless we make a financial recovery for you first.

Attorney Advertisement. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Testimonials From Former Clients
★★★★★
I highly recommend Jenice and her team at Malecki Law. I had a challenging, and lengthly case. Jenice was professional, very knowledgeable, and a pleasure to work with. She managed to make the process far less stressful during a very difficult time. They care about their clients, and it definitely shows. Mario
★★★★★
Jenice is truly a miracle worker and one of the top securities lawyers. She handled a very difficult case for us, displaying her legal knowledge, intelligence, and savviness throughout the process. I cannot recommend her enough. The quality of work from her team rivals that of corporate law firms. She was always available, extremely professional, and made sure to know all the details of the case. We were very fortunate to have been referred to Jenice and highly recommend her for any securities related legal issues. Nathan A.
★★★★★
An excellent professional who represented us in trial regarding a bank fraud, an unexpected and difficult time. A professional that worked hard, persevering and who stood toe to toe against firms that had a team of excellent lawyers backing them up. Her unflinching determination really stands out, it makes you feel you have someone who really cares about trying to recover what you lost from the people that wronged you. Salomon Levi
★★★★★
It is difficult to thank you in words when gratitude comes from the heart, so I will try to link feelings with writing. It is essential for us to mention your excellence as a professional, your aptitude on legal fields, and your unavoidable persistence. All of these virtues that elevate the profession you exercise in such an admirable way, go hand in hand with your sense of ethics, your human warmth and the transparency in your actions. To sum up, thank you for being a listening ear and for having the right word while transmitting information about the legal process. Having you as our representative during such an adverse situation was a privilege and enough reason for our eternal gratitude. Angeles Aparain
★★★★★
To say that my securities litigation was complex would be a severe understatement. With multiple parties involved and spanning many years, trying to understand the issues was daunting to say the least. Jenice and her team broke down the transactions by segment and by party uncovering every hidden expense. In the end, I was more than happy and could not thank Jenice and her team enough. I would not hesitate to recommend Jenice to anyone. She is highly professional, incredibly knowledgeable, well connected to industry experts, has a tireless work ethic and is so pleasant and easy to communicate with. Five stars for sure! Andrew Loughrane
★★★★★
Jenice was also special in giving us all the personal attention we needed, plus the tireless support of her crack team, over the course of ~18 mos. She talked us through every step of the way, and was open to discussing specific negotiation tactics, not glossing over anything. Dave Bliss
★★★★★
I recently worked with Jenice to negotiate a business buyout, and I couldn't be more pleased with the experience. From the start, Jenice was incredibly helpful and deeply invested in achieving the best possible outcome for me. Her expertise and dedication were evident in every step of the process. David
★★★★★
I can’t say enough about Jenice and her team- they set the standard. As an Army veteran, I deeply respect the values they reinforce while operating at a level of tenacity that is unmatched. They handled the entire process with empathy and kindness- yet were firm and honest regarding expectations and outcomes. Communication was clear and swift. Their breadth of knowledge and experience provided comfort during a stressful time and was impressive to watch unfold. I’m very happy with the outcome. Thank you Jenice and team for making giants seem extremely small. Sharron Todd
★★★★★
My experience with jenice was incredible. You want a lawyer who is advocate for you and fights for you with passion. She came along a time in my life that I needed an advocate who truly cared about me and my case. Highly recommend. Pat Brown
★★★★★
I had the privilege of working with Malecki Law, and I must say it was an outstanding experience. Jenice, Jacqueline, and Adam consistently demonstrated remarkable responsiveness, offering excellent advice that reflects their diligence and precision. Their bold and intelligent approach, combined with an excellent attitude, truly sets them apart. I highly recommend Malecki Law to anyone seeking top-notch legal assistance. Mohsen Chitsaz
★★★★★
Jenice Malecki, is one of the most helpful individuals Ive had the pleasure of speaking with. She is super knowledgeable. She helped me navigate the ever changing world of securities law. You will find her understanding of complex matters helpful and insightful. She is straightforward and candid. She makes your options easy to understand. I would recommend her without any hesitation. 10/5 stars! Enrique Tiburcio