George C. Miller

Partner

Location: San Diego, California
Phone: (619) 696-9500 (Ext. 105)
Direct: (619) 501-8270
Fax: (800) 868-9350
Email[email protected]

AREAS OF PRACTICE

  • Securities Arbitration & Litigation
  • Trade Secret Litigation
  • Financial Advisor Transitions
  • Employment Litigation
  • Business & Corporate Litigation
  • SEC, FINRA & Other Regulatory Investigations & Enforcement Proceedings
  • Contract Disputes
  • Real Property Disputes
  • Judgment Enforcement Proceedings

George C. Miller

George C. Miller is a partner in the Firm's San Diego office. He has been recognized as one of the top securities and business litigation attorneys in San Diego, having represented clients in multi-million-dollar disputes in arbitration forums and courts across the country. Mr. Miller's practice focuses on securities arbitration and litigation, trade secret disputes, FINRA and SEC regulatory proceedings, and other disputes in the securities and financial services industry. Mr. Miller also represents clients in business and corporate litigation, employment litigation, contractual disputes, real property litigation and judgment enforcement proceedings. He has appeared before California state and federal courts, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), JAMS, and the AAA Arbitration Forum in trials, arbitrations, and mediations in California and elsewhere. Mr. Miller also serves as a neutral arbitrator through FINRA's dispute resolution forum.

In 2023, George was named to the San Diego Super Lawyers® list, an award recognizing the top 5% of attorneys nationwide. From 2015 to 2022, George was selected as a Super Lawyers® "Rising Star," an award recognizing the top 2.5% of lawyers in California. In 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 he also was recognized as one of the "most outstanding lawyers in San Diego" by the San Diego Business Journal's "Best of the Bar" publication and was a semi-finalist for the San Diego Daily Transcript's "Top Attorneys" publication in 2013. Mr. Miller is a member of the California State and San Diego County Bar Associations, SIFMA Legal and Compliance division, the San Diego Financial Planners Association, ProVisors San Diego, and the San Diego Texas Exes alumni association.

Mr. Miller graduated with honors from the University of Texas at Austin, majoring in Government with a minor in Business. He attended Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego and graduated summa cum laude, earning many "high-grade" awards throughout law school. Mr. Miller became a member of the Thomas Jefferson Law Review based on academic achievement and served as both an articles and notes editor.

Mr. Miller's past achievements and representative cases include the following:

  • Obtained $1.8 million arbitration award on behalf of former USAA wealth managers in securities industry employment dispute - Christopher Johnson and Lee Przybyla v. USAA Financial Advisors, Inc - FINRA Case No. 17-03279.
  • Obtained $5 million arbitration award on behalf of former Morgan Stanley financial advisors in securities industry employment and recruitment dispute - Todd Vitale and John Paladino v. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, LLC, FINRA Case No. 11-01633.
  • Represented numerous financial advisors in proceedings against FINRA member firms involving claims for wrongful termination, breach of employment agreement and other, related claims.
  • Represented a large, registered investment advisor (RIA) team in multi-million dollar business divorce with former partners.
  • Represented top-producing financial advisor team in claims against prior firm involving nonpayment of deferred compensation and other benefits.
  • Represented corporations in international breach of contract disputes.
  • Represented numerous financial advisors in FINRA and SEC regulatory proceedings.
  • Represented numerous financial advisors in expungement proceedings and in negotiating U4 and U5 disclosure language.
  • Obtained pre-hearing dismissal of six-figure claim against brokerage firm client.
  • Represented large RIA firm and its principals in multi-million-dollar claim involving REIT investments.
  • Represented elderly couple defrauded by mortgage scheme and obtained favorable settlement.
  • Represented former financial advisor in wrongful termination litigation through completion of hearings, resulting in a favorable FINRA arbitration award.
  • Defended financial consultant in heavily contested litigation involving alleged professional negligence resulting in a dismissal of all claims and a subsequent favorable settlement.
  • Represented professional real estate investor in litigation involving fraud and price fixing.

Education

  • Thomas Jefferson School of Law, San Diego, California 
    • J.D., summa cum laude, 2008
    • Law Review: Thomas Jefferson Law Review, Articles & Notes Editor, 2007 – 2008
  • The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 
    • B.A., with Honors, 2004
    • Major: Government
    • Minor: Business, McCombs School of Business

Bar Admissions

  • California
  • Texas
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

Publications & Presentations

Honors & Awards

George has been recognized as one of the top securities and business litigation attorneys in San Diego. His awards and recognitions include:

  • SuperLawyers®, 2023
  • SuperLawyers® "Rising Star", 2022
  • SuperLawyers® "Rising Star", 2021
  • SuperLawyers® "Rising Star", 2020
  • SuperLawyers® "Rising Star", 2019
  • SuperLawyers® "Rising Star", 2018
  • SuperLawyers® "Rising Star", 2017
  • San Diego Business Journal's "Best of the Bar", 2017
  • SuperLawyers® "Rising Star", 2016
  • San Diego Business Journal's "Best of the Bar", 2016
  • AVVO Rating "10 of 10 - Superb"
  • San Diego Business Journal's "Best of the Bar", 2015
  • SuperLawyers® "San Diego Rising Star", 2015 (Securities Litigation)
  • San Diego Business Journal's "Best of the Bar", 2014
  • San Diego Daily Transcript's "Young Attorneys", Finalist, 2014
  • San Diego Daily Transcript's "Top Attorneys" (Labor/Employment), 2014
  • Semi-Finalist, San Diego Daily Transcript's "Top Attorneys" (Corporate Litigation), 2013
  • International – Referral "Rising Star", 2013
  • San Diego Daily Transcript's Top "Young Attorneys", 2013
  • San Diego Daily Transcript's Top "Young Attorneys", 2012