Financial Fraud Recovery Lawyers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Our Services
Investment Fraud
We have handled numerous cases for clients to recover investment-related losses caused by securities fraud and the wrongful conduct of brokerage firms, financial advisors, investment advisers and brokers. Through our aggressive pursuit of such claims, both in court and through FINRA arbitrations, we have recovered more than $10 million of investment-related losses for our clients.
Insurance and Annuity Fraud
Many fraud-related claims arise in the insurance industry. We have extensive experience representing clients who have been fraudulently induced to purchase complex and confusing insurance products, such as variable annuities and variable universal life (VUL) policies. These products are often ill-advised and unsuitable, particularly for senior investors.
Banking Fraud
We represent businesses and individuals in banking fraud matters, including the pursuit of losses incurred as a result of forged and counterfeit checks, fraudulent wire transfers, and fraudulent ACH transfers. We also represent businesses who have been the victims of embezzlement schemes orchestrated by officers and employees of the company.
Michael J. Betts
Michael J. Betts is the principal of the firm and has over forty four years of experience handling lawsuits and arbitrations involving securities litigation and financial fraud. Mr. Betts has extensive experience as a litigator in the federal and state courts in Western Pennsylvania and in representing investors in the pursuit of claims through the arbitration process provided by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
In representing clients in financial fraud cases, Mr. Betts draws on his experience through serving in various roles in handling litigation and arbitration cases. Mr. Betts began his career with a large law firm, Reed Smith Shaw & McClay (now Reed Smith LLP), where he became a full litigation partner, focusing on securities fraud cases and other litigation matters involving financial institutions. In other roles, Mr. Betts has managed a “boutique” litigation firm and has served as in-house litigation counsel for one of the country’s largest banks.
Mr. Betts also is an experienced alternative dispute resolution (ADR) neutral, frequently serving as a mediator and arbitrator in securities and investment-related cases as well as business disputes. Mr. Betts is on the approved roster of mediators and ADR neutrals for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. He also has been approved by the Court to serve as an E-Discovery Special Master. Mr. Betts also is on the American Arbitration Association’s national arbitrator panel for commercial and consumer cases, and he is certified by FINRA Dispute Resolution to serve as a mediator and arbitrator in connection with FINRA arbitration cases. For more information about the ADR services provided by Mr. Betts, please visit the website of Betts Dispute Resolution Services.
Mr. Betts was born and raised in Indiana, Pennsylvania. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Dickinson College in 1977, with a major in economics. Mr. Betts received his law degree in 1980 from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where he was a member of the Law Review.