StoneX Financial, Inc. v. Hargreaves

District Court, N.D. Illinois·Decided August 4, 2023·No. 1:23-cv-02498·Unknown

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS EASTERN DIVISION

STONEX FINANCIAL, INC. ) f/k/a INTL FCSTONE FINANCIAL, INC., ) ) Petitioner, ) v. ) Case No. 23-cv-02498 ) JOHN A. HARGREAVES, ) Assigned Judge: TANVEER AHMAD, and ) Hon. John F. Kness BARRY FIALK, ) ) Designated Magistrate Judge: Respondents, ) Hon. Jeffrey T. Gilbert

PETITIONER STONEX FINANCIAL, INC.’S PETITION FOR ATTORNEYS’ FEES, COSTS AND EXPENSES AND ENTRY OF FINAL JUDGMENT Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 54(d) and this Court’s Order dated July 25, 2023 (ECF No. 15), Petitioner, StoneX Financial, Inc. f/k/a INTL FCStone Financial, Inc. (“StoneX”) petitions this Court for an award of attorneys’ fees, costs, and expenses, and entry of final judgment. In support of its Petition, StoneX states as follows: 1. Pursuant to written commodities futures account agreements with StoneX, Respondents John A. Hargreaves (“Hargreaves”), Tanveer Ahmad (“Ahmad”) and Barry Fialk (“Fialk”) (collectively, “Respondents”)1 each contractually agreed to pay StoneX’s attorneys’ fees, costs and expenses incurred in connection with this judicial proceeding, which StoneX instituted to confirm National Futures Association (“NFA”) arbitration awards that awarded StoneX the amount of unpaid debit balances which Respondents refused to pay. 2. The attorneys’ fees, costs and expenses that StoneX seeks were necessary to the confirmation; the time expenditures by StoneX’s attorneys are reasonable and consistent with the

1 On May 17, 2023, StoneX filed a notice of voluntary dismissal of Respondent Donald Chin, who paid the NFA award entered in favor of StoneX and against Respondent Donald Chin. See ECF No. 10. rates for local attorneys with expertise in litigation and arbitration related to financial markets, including commodities futures and options on commodities futures. 3. StoneX requests that: a. its Petition for Attorneys’ Fees, Costs and Expenses and Entry of Final Judgment be granted; b. that StoneX be awarded $23,611.00 in attorneys’ fees and $1,856.54 in costs and expenses; c. that the attorneys’ fees, costs and expenses awarded be allocated evenly between Respondents and entered as part of individual judgments on the NFA arbitration awards in favor of StoneX and against Respondents Hargreaves, Ahmad and Fialk;2 and d. that the Court enter judgments in favor of StoneX and against Respondents Hargreaves, Fialk and Ahmad on the respective NFA Awards, including post- award, pre-judgment interest, attorneys’ fees, and costs in the following amounts:

• Respondent Hargreaves: $601,826.26 ($593,337.25 + $8,489.01) • Respondent Ahmad: $47,193.80 ($38,704.79 + $8,489.01) • Respondent Fialk: $1,123,228.84 ($1,114,739.83 + $8,489.01) BACKGROUND 4. The underlying arbitration arose out of disputes involving Respondents’ non- discretionary commodities futures trading accounts maintained at StoneX, which only acted as a clearing firm. Each Respondents signed a future account agreement prior to opening those accounts. ECF No. 1 at ¶¶ 12-19; Exhibits F, G, I (the “Futures Trading Account Agreements”). 5. In the Futures Trading Account Agreements each Respondent agreed, among other things, to pay to StoneX any debit balances and deficiencies in each of the Respondent’s respective commodities futures trading account at StoneX within 24 hours of a demand by StoneX:

2 Ryan v. Kontrick, 304 Ill.App.3d 852 (Ill.App.Ct. 1st Dist. 1999) (Vacating award of punitive damages as, under Illinois law, punitive damages may be awarded by an arbitrator only where there is an express provision authorizing such relief in the arbitration agreement and awarding post-award prejudgment interest at the rate of 9% per annum pursuant to 735 ILCS 5/2-1303(a)); see also Bargenquast v. Nakano Foods, Inc., 243 F.Supp.2d 772, 777 (N.D. Ill. 2002) (Awarding post-award prejudgment interest at a rate of nine percent per annum in accordance with 735 ILCS 5/2–1303 and finding that this statute applies to arbitration awards). Customer agrees to pay, and authorizes FCM to debit its account for, (i) the amount of any trading loss, debit balance or deficiency in any of Customer’s accounts; all FCM commissions and other charges in effect from time to time, …. Customer agrees that all demands for debits owing FCM shall be met within twenty-four (24) hours following either of (i) Customer’s receipt of FCM’s oral request for payment or (ii) FCM’s delivery to Customer of FCM’s written request for payment…. ECF No. 1, Exs. F and G at § 9, see also Ex. I at §§ 5 and 9. 6. Pursuant to the Futures Trading Account Agreements executed by Respondents, each of the Respondents also agreed to pay StoneX’s attorneys’ fees, costs, and expenses in connection with: (a) the enforcement of any provision of the Futures Trading Account Agreement; or (b) any action to collect a debit balance in Respondent’s commodities futures trading account: 7. Indemnification.: Customer agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless FCM and its directors, officers, employees, and agents from and against any Losses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) caused directly or indirectly by (a) Customer’s failure, breach of, or failure to perform any provision of this agreement or refusal to fully and timely comply with any provision of this Agreement or applicable law; … Customer additionally agrees to pay promptly to FCM all reasonable attorney’s fees incurred by FCM (i) in the enforcement of any of the provisions of this Agreement…. 9. Debit Balances, Commissions and Other Costs. If, after such 24-hour period [following StoneX’s demand for debit payment] the amount in Customer’s account is not sufficient to pay outstanding fees and FCM deems it necessary to take collection action, Customer shall hold FCM harmless for all Losses incurred in connection with such collection and shall reimburse FCM for the debit and all costs incurred, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, in connection with such collection actions. 18. Liquidation of Accounts. In the event … Customer fails to deposit or maintain required margin or, fails to pay required premiums or fails to make any other payments required hereunder or otherwise in respect of any Commodity Interest,” StoneX may take action. “In all cases Customer shall be liable to pay any deficiency remaining in each account after any such action is taken, together with interest thereon and all costs relating to liquidation and collection including reasonable attorneys’ fees. ECF No. 1, Exs. F, G at §§ 7, 9, 18 (Bold in the originals); see also Ex. I, §§ 5, 7, 14. 7. StoneX initiated the underlying arbitration proceedings to collect debit balances that Respondents had refused to pay after receiving a demand from StoneX. Respondents engaged attorneys who appeared on their behalf in the arbitration; signed NFA claim forms in which each agreed to arbitrate the commodities trading account disputes in accordance with NFA arbitration rules; and responded to the claims asserted by StoneX. ECF No. 1 at ¶¶ 38-46. 8. On January 12, 2023, NFA issued and served Respondents and StoneX with the NFA arbitration awards. In short, the Panel ruled unanimously in favor of StoneX and against

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StoneX Financial, Inc. v. Hargreaves, (N.D. Ill. 2023).

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