Turnberry

SunTrust Avoids FINRA Arbitration Concerning The Sale of RMBS

On May 16, Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York granted a permanent injunction against hedge fund Turnberry Capital Management LP (Turnberry) in its attempt to compel a FINRA proceeding against SunTrust Banks Inc. (SunTrust).  Judge Buchwald held that because Turnberry did not purchase the RMBS at issue from SunTrust, it was not a customer of the SunTrust unit that underwrote the securities and therefore could not compel SunTrust to arbitrate.  Turnberry had purchased the securities at issue from the brokerage firm Raymond James & Associates, Inc.  Decision.