AGGRESSIVE ADVOCACY. UNPARALLELED SERVICE.

Robert J. Girard II

Robert J. Girard II, a founding partner of Girard Bengali, APC, has more than 19 years of experience in the areas of securities litigation, securities arbitration and employment disputes. He represents clients in Los Angeles, California, and throughout the state.

Before law school, Mr. Girard first completed his undergraduate education at the University of Maryland, College Park, in 1996. He then went on to attend the Seton Hall University School of Law, from where he graduated cum laude with his Juris Doctor in 2001. He was admitted to practice law in California in 2001. Following law school, Mr. Girard worked at two different major law firms in Los Angeles, specializing in securities arbitration and litigation. His skill and determination have allowed him to build a reputation as a dedicated and fierce representative of his clients’ interests.

Mr. Girard advocates for institutional and individual investors in their legal disputes. He has recovered millions of dollars on behalf of his clients from a majority of the biggest Wall Street brokerages. In July 2017, Mr. Girard secured an award of $1.8 million for an elderly couple who were victims of elder financial abuse, with over $1 million of the award representing punitive damages. He also represents securities professionals in their employment disputes with broker-dealer firms. In one such case, Mr. Girard secured a $3.7 million arbitration award against a FINRA member in California on behalf of individual brokers. In another case, Mr. Girard secured a highly favorable settlement for an individual broker who had been wrongfully discharged and obtained an award for expungement of his Form U-5 after proving the language was incorrect and defamatory in nature.

Dedicated to his profession, Mr. Girard is actively involved in multiple legal organizations. His memberships include the Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association (PIABA), Los Angeles County Bar Association, the Italian American Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, the Beverly Hills Bar Association and the National Association of Independent Brokers-Dealers, Inc.

A man in a suit and tie posing for a photo.

About

Areas of Practice

  • Securities Industry Investor/Customer Disputes
  • Employment Litigation/Consultation

Bar Admissions

  • California, 2001
  • California State Courts and Courts of Appeal
  • U.S. District Court Central District of California
  • 9th Circuit Court of Appeals

Education

  • Seton Hall University School of Law, Newark, New Jersey
    • Juris Doctor cum laude – 2001
    • Honors: Executive Board, Rodino Law Society
    • Honors: Director, Appellate Advocacy Moot Court Board
  • University of Maryland, College Park
    • Bachelor of Arts – 1996

Presentations

  • “Guilty Until Proven Innocent – What You Need to Know About FINRA Arbitration,”, Panel Member, National Association of Independent Broker-Dealers (NAIBD) Webinar, September 2009
  • “Equity-Indexed Annuities,”, National Association of Independent Broker-Dealers (NAIBD), January 2006
  • “Financial Advisors Seminar: Safeguard Your Career”, March 2015
  • “Fighting the Bullies of Wall Street” August 2017, Fortune & Bloomberg Businessweek
  • “Customer Cases in Securities Litigation/FINRA Cases: What to Look for and How to Help Your Clients,” Presentation, PDM Certified Public Accountants, “Lunch and Learn” Series, January 2018
  • “The Broker Protocol: The founding of the Protocol, how it impacted the industry and how its downfall will affect advisors and clients for years to come,” Moderator, Piaba Presentation, January 2018
  • “Small Law Firm Spotlight – Girard Bengali, APC “Be Upfront with Clients About Pricing,” October 2018, Forum Magazine
  • “Preparing Your Client for Mediation,” Speaker, 27th Annual PIABA Meeting, October 2018
  • “Preparing a Client for Direct/Cross-Examination at Hearing,” Speaker, 27th Annual PIABA Meeting, October 2018

Honors and Awards

  • Southern California Super Lawyers, 2015 – 2023
  • Southern California Rising Stars list by Super Lawyers Magazine, 2012 – 2014

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • State Bar of California, Member
  • Beverly Hills Bar Association, Member
  • Italian American Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, Member
  • Business Litigation Section of LACBA, Member
  • PIABA, Board of Directors