RIAs

Henry Robert Gleckler IV's dispute with JPMorgan over his alleged solicitation of his former clients now heads for a resolution before a FINRA arbitration panel.

Also, Cresset extends its reach in Texas, Janney recruits from Wells Fargo and Ameriprise, Merrill draws from Wells Fargo and Mercer acquires a $1B firm.

Discipline, esprit de corps and a detailed playbook for advisors provided the growth engine for the enterprise.

JPMorgan again shows it makes a sharp distinction between advisors who build their own books of business and those who amass clientele from bank referrals.

Preparation is everything: If clients are aware of the transition well in advance, experts say the risk is pretty low they'll leave the firm.

UBS chief data and analytics officer Joe Cordeira says AI won't replace advisors. But it can help them by providing little nudges to do everything from rebalancing a portfolio to wishing a client happy birthday.

One of the most consequential M&A deals in years leads this roundup of the many ways big independent firms grew in 2025 and how they plan to continue growing in 2026.

Also, Raymond James lands a $420M father-son team from Edward Jones, Cetera recruits a $350M LPL duo, and Cambridge acquires a $1B AUM dual registrant.

With the rapid growth of the RIA industry, large wealth managers are increasingly finding ways to make money by supporting independent advisory practices.