July 2016 – The Firm won an appeal on behalf of a financial professional in a case involving the sale of fixed indexed annuities. The Firm obtained a directed verdict in their clients’ favor before the trial court (Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois). The plaintiff appealed the decision to the Illinois Appellate Court. One of the central issues on appeal was whether the fixed indexed annuities were securities or insurance products. In a 26-page published opinion, the Illinois Appellate Court held that the fixed indexed annuities at issue were insurance products not securities. The Illinois Appellate Court affirmed the trial court’s directed verdict in Defendants’ favor. The case was led by Jim Kopecky and Daryl Schumacher.