About Banks Law Office

Robert S.Banks, Jr. - NASD Arbitration and Investment Fraud Attorney

Representing Investors Only

Robert Banks began his legal career in 1982.  He decided to focus his law practice on representing investors in investment fraud cases early on.  Since 1985, at least 75 percent of his practice has involved NASD arbitration and court litigation against stockbrokers, financial advisors, and salespeople.  He has also brought many cases against attorneys, accountants and other professionals who become involved in unlawful securities offerings.  Mr. Banks has represented clients throughout the United States in courts and arbitration forums. He represents individuals and groups of investors and has acted as counsel for plaintiffs in class action cases involving investment fraud.  The Banks Law Office does not defend any broker, salesperson or investment professional in a case brought by an investor.

    Banks is the current President of the Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association (PIABA), a national association of more than 600 attorneys who represent investors in securities arbitration. He was elected by the membership to PIABA's Board of Directors in 2000 and has served as chair of several PIABA committees.  Banks is a former chair of the Business Litigation Section of the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association and is a past president of the Oregon Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. He is past chair of the Securities Regulation Section of the Oregon State Bar. He also serves on the Oregon State Bar Uniform Securities Act Task Force. He is a member of the state bars of Oregon, Wisconsin and Massachusetts, and several federal courts.

    Robert Banks was appointed by the NASD Board of Directors in 2001 to serve a three year term on NASD's National Arbitration and Mediation Committee (NAMC). The NAMC is an advisory group of eight public and eight securities industry representatives who advise NASD Executives and the NASD Board on current arbitration and mediation issues, rule changes and problem areas. NASD extended his appointment to a fourth year, which expires in December 2005.

    Banks is a frequent speaker and writer on securities arbitration and litigation issues. He donates a considerable amount of time every year to training other lawyers in the field. He has published numerous articles and has been an invited speaker by the Northwest Securities Institute, Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, PIABA Annual Meeting, PIABA California Section Annual Meeting, Oregon State Bar Securities Regulation Section, New York City Bar Association, and Practicing Law Institute in New York.  He has been a guest columnist for Registered Representative Magazine's ethics column. Numerous financial periodicals, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Investment News, and various trade publications have reported on Banks' cases and quoted his views.

    He also regularly serves as an arbitrator in several forums, including the NASD.    He has been featured in educational programs for NASD arbitrators. 

    Mr. Banks has held the highest lawyer rating, AV, by Martindale Hubbell for more than 15 years.  Since it began ranking lawyers in the United States, Chambers and Partners of the United Kingdom has ranked Banks among the best lawyers in the United States. 

    Banks is a graduate of Reed College (1977) and the University of Wisconsin Law School (1982). While at law school, he was on the Dean's List and taught in the legal writing program for two years. He worked with law firms in Portland and Boston from 1982 to 1987 before starting his own firm. Banks grew up in New York and New Jersey but has lived in Portland for most of his adult life. He is an avid runner and cyclist.