Recruiting

Client assets will always represent a key business metric. But $1 billion in AUM doesn't always add up to success — or to happiness.

The largest annual event for Black financial advisors drew support from some of the biggest names in the industry.

Merrill had sought a temporary restraining order to prevent members of a large Atlanta-based team who left last week from soliciting former clients for their new firm.

UBS contends a group of advisors who left this month to form an RIA inherited most of their clients from retired advisors who were counting on being paid from their former books of business.

Also this week, Raymond James draws from Commonwealth again amid that firm's absorption by LPL Financial, and Osaic adds advisors with nearly $800 million in AUM.

Merrill accuses industry rivals of conspiring with a group of former employees to remove confidential client information and trade secrets for the formation of a new RIA.

Many express frustration with either real or perceived doubts about clients' concerns, but experts say they're missing an opportunity to address them up front.

More Commonwealth advisors choose Osaic over LPL Financial, while LPL picks up a pair of Edward Jones advisors.

Amid legal scrutiny, Morgan Stanley is making changes to its deferred compensation policies while adding sweeteners for asset growth and deposit growth.

In an earlier than usual announcement, UBS said it will update its 2026 compensation grid for U.S. advisors, aiming to curb departures and encourage more work with high net worth clients.

In its third suit in as many months, JPMorgan is accusing a former advisor of using its banking referrals to build a book of business and then trying to abscond with those clients to a rival firm.

Cerity Partners adds its own large RIA in New York, and Beacon Pointe acquires firms in Indiana, Washington State and New York.

Raymond James has gone from being one of the lowest payers of third-party recruiters to one of the higher. That's helped it get more "swings at the plate" with teams looking to leave rival firms.

Also this week, Wells Fargo recruits from LPL, RBC and TD Private Wealth, and Corient moves overseas in a deal that doubles its AUM.

Golden State Wealth Management is just the latest large advisory team to exit UBS following changes the wirehouse made to its compensation policies.

MML Investors Services, ONESCO and Integrity Alliance (formerly Brokers International) top the list as independent brokerages compete for financial advisors.

Also this week in Advisor Moves, Fifth Third reels in a big team from BNY Mellon, and MAI Capital Management doubles its AUM with a big acquisition deal.

The group of rapidly expanding firms includes mainstays like LPL Financial, but also smaller upstarts that are enlarging their footprints at a notable clip.

RBC executives say the firm's recent string of recruiting wins comes with temporary costs but also the promise of boosting income over the long term.

The up-and-coming IBD Arkadios recruits an entire Morgan Stanley team and a significant share of Merrill's headcount in Dothan, Alabama.