Melanie S. Cherdack
Attorney Profile
Top Rated Securities Litigation Attorney in Miami, FL
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Former Wall Street attorney Melanie S. Cherdack is the lead lawyer at InvestorFraudLaw.com which has offices throughout Florida. Nationally recognized as among the top lawyers in her field, Ms. Cherdack provides unmatched representation and support to clients throughout Florida who have legal needs involving securities litigation, broker dealer fraud , investment fraud and other consumer law matters. Ms Cherdack represents investors throughout the United States, Europe and the Caribbean.
Throughout the course of her long legal career, Ms. Cherdack has achieved considerable success representing the rights of individual and institutional investors in complex FINRA arbitrations. She is an arbitrator for the National Futures Association as well as FINRA, serving as chairperson on numerous panels. She has also handles complex regulatory matters before FINRA and the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").
A leader in her field, Ms. Cherdack has written extensively and conducted lectures and continuing legal education seminars across her region on a variety of topics related to securities arbitration, investor fraud and other similar subjects. She has also developed securities arbitration course materials for various law schools, including the University of Miami Investor Rights Clinic and the University of Florida College of Law. She is an active member of the Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association.
Honored for her outstanding professionalism and legal abilities, Ms. Cherdack holds an AV Preeminent peer review rating* from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest possible rating, along with a Top Lawyers designation from the South Florida Legal Guide. She has also received recognition from The Best Lawyers in America and U.S. News & World Report, and she has received "Superb" 10 out of 10 client ratings on Avvo.
A 1982 graduate of the University of Florida, Ms. Cherdack returned to her alma mater and obtained her Juris Doctor with honors from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 1985. She holds her license to practice in New York as well as Florida.
Outside her legal practice, Ms. Cherdack is an active volunteer for Cancer Link, sponsored by the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. She also helped establish and serves as counsel to The Heiken Children’s Vision Fund, and she received the Pro Bono Award from the Dade County Bar Association in 1992 and 1994.
*AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rating™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.
- 50%Securities Litigation
- 50%Securities & Corporate Finance
Securities Law
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2014 - 2015
Additional Sources of Information About Melanie S. Cherdack
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About Melanie S. Cherdack
Admitted: 1985, Florida
Honors/Awards
- Dade County Bar Association “Pro Bono Award” in 1992 and 1994
- South Florida Legal Guide “Top Lawyers”
- Best Lawyers in America, US News and World Report
- Ranked 10/10 on Avvo.com, Top Attorney, AVVO, 2020
- AV Preeminent Rating by Martindale-Hubbell
- University of Florida Law Review, Senior Editor. JD, with honors, 1985 Dade County Bar Association Pro Bono Award 1991 and 1993
Scholarly Lectures/Writings
- “Flavor of the Year: Mutual Fund Sales Abuses” (2004)
- Senior Editor, University of Florida Law Review
- “Auction Rate Securities: The New Frontier.”
- “Drafting A Securities Arbitration Claim: The Pen is Mightier Than the Market” (2002)
- “Should I Sue My Stock Broker? Pitfalls A Practitioner Faces When Naming The Individual Broker In An Arbitration” (2003)
- Pay or Play Offers Of Judgment: Are They Applicable To Arbitration Proceedings?” (2003)
- Author of the following publications appearing in the PLI Securities Arbitration Course Handbook and other Securities Publications: The Pen is Mightier than the Market: Drafting a Securities Arbitration Statement of Claim; Should I Sue My Stockbroker? Pitfalls a Practitioner Makes; Pay or Play: Offers of Judgment: Are they Applicable in Arbitration Proceedings?; Blame the Ugly American: Representing the International Investor; Flavour of the Year: Mutual Fund and Unit Investment Trust Sales Abuses; Auction Rate Securities: The New Frontier, Author and Lecturer, Practicing Law Institute, Practicing Law Institute , Securities Arbitration
- “Blame The Ugly American: Representing The International Investor In A Securities Arbitration” (2006)
- “Here’s How You Resonate With Us: Suggestions from an Arbitrator to Practitioners” (2007)
- PLI Securities Arbitration Handbook, “Drafting a Securities Arbitration Claim: The Pen is (Still) Mightier than the Market” (2012)
- Guest lecturer on Drafting a Securities Arbitration Statement of Claim at University of Miami Investor Rights Clinic., Lecturer, Guest Lecturer and University of Miami Investor Rights Clinic, Law School, 2019
- Guest Lecturer at University of Florida Levin College of Law FINRA Arbitration Course., Guest Lecturer and University of Florida Levin College of Law FINRA Arbitration Course., Law School, 2019
- Author, The Pen is (Still) Mightier Than The Market: Drafting a Securities Arbitration Statement of Claim, PIABA Bar Journal 2012, PIABA, 2012
Educational Background
- 1982 BS: University of Florida College of Journalism, Advertising 1985 JD: With Honors, University of Florida College of Law
Verdicts/Settlements
- Calques v. Santander Securities FINRA 12-01192 1.6 million arbitration award., 2012
- New York
- Timothy Leahy V. Charles Schwab FINRA 09-00260 1.8 million arbitration award., 2010
- Gnocchi v. UBS - FINRA 15-01896 Six figure arbitration award., 2018
Bar/Professional Activity
- Guest Lecturer and University of Florida Levin College of Law FINRA Arbitration Course., 2019
- New York
- Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association
- New York Bar, 1988
- The Florida Bar, 1985
- Securities Arbitration Association
- Florida
- Speaker at PIABA Annual Meeting on Women In Securities Arbitration , 2018
- Guest Lecturer University of Miami College of Law Investor Rights Clinic, 2020
- Editorial Board of PIABA Bar Journal, 2020
- Chair: Arbitrator Recruitment Committee for the Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association, 2012
Pro bono/Community Service
- Guest Lecturer and University of Florida Levin College of Law FINRA Arbitration Course., 2019
- Founding Board Member and Counsel, The Heiken Children’s Vision Fund, Miami Lighthouse for the Blind
- Cancer Link, University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Volunteer attorney at Americans for Immigrant Justice, 2020
- Guest Lecturer at University of Miami Investor Rights Clinic 2012. , 2012
Videos
- , How Do I Sue My Stockbroker?, Investors, 2020
- , What is a Margin Call?, Investors, 2020
Industry Groups
- Elder Fraud. securities fraud
- Individual Investors
- Institutional Investors
- Investor Fraud
- Stock Broker Fraud
- stock market fraud
Comments
- “ Extensive knowledge of the law, hardworking, obtains excellent results for her clients, willing to help other attorneys regardless of their competitive business relationship with her. Donates time to charitable causes.”
These comments were made by fellow attorneys during the annual nomination process.
Show MoreLast Updated: 6/8/2020