Morgan Stanley Fined For Hiding Emails.
The newly-minted securities regulator, FINRA just fined Morgan Stanley $12.5 million for failing to produce emails in its possession. To make this even more heinous, Morgan Stanley hid behind the 9/11 tragedy as the reason for its failure to produce. As it turns out, this representation was just wrong and Morgan Stanley knew it.
This problem came to light in a very public way when Morgan Stanley tripped over itself, numerous times, in Palm Beach County Circuit Court litigation with Ron Perelman. Mr. Perelman's lawyers pressed and pressed the firm for emails. And, magically, emails started popping up all over. Eventually, the judge decided that Morgan Stanley couldn't be trusted and shifted the burden of proof to Morgan Stanley to prove that it wasn't liable to Perelman.
We have litigated against Morgan Stanley. In all cases but one, the company fought production of obvious items, produced incomplete documents and stated that documents didn't exist, and then produced the documents when forced. In one case, we were told no documents existed and a witness showed up at a hearing to testify with a big stack of paper that was in a file outside his office.
Litigation is a battle. But there are rules and expectations of lawyers and clients to abide by those rules. Morgan Stanley was fined for more than an oversight and it was deserved. Perhaps this will serve as a warning to other firms who play games in discovery.
That's the view from The Law Planet, Jupiter, Florida.
Brian F. LaBovick, Esq.
Esther Uria LaBovick, Esq.
Mark R. Hanson, Esq.
Joseph R. Fields Jr., Esq.
Marcie Dodson, J.D.