Stephen Nugent

Stephen R. Nugent is a Bates Consulting and Testifying Expert with more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry, including over a decade leading wealth management programs within banks and credit unions. A FINRA-registered professional since 1999, Stephen has extensive experience supervising financial advisors, developing supervisory frameworks, implementing compliance and suitability standards, and evaluating advisor conduct and sales practices. His expertise includes wealth management program design, Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI), advisor supervision, compensation structures, investment management, suitability, and FINRA-related disputes.

Throughout his leadership career, Stephen has held senior positions with M&T Securities, TIAA, and LPL Financial's Institution Services division, where he led the strategy, development, and execution of wealth management programs serving financial institutions nationwide. He directed supervisory policies, principal review processes, operational design, technology implementation, and advisor engagement while helping banks and credit unions strengthen their investment programs. His experience designing advisor compensation models and supervisory systems provides a practical foundation for evaluating incentive conflicts, supervisory effectiveness, and whether firms-maintained policies and practices reasonably designed to meet regulatory obligations. He also has extensive experience assessing investment recommendations, portfolio construction, asset allocation, and the appropriateness of investment products relative to clients' objectives, risk tolerance, and financial circumstances.

Stephen currently serves as Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of AdviseLink, where he develops technology solutions that help financial institutions drive organic growth while supporting consultative client relationships. Drawing on decades of hands-on leadership, he assists clients and legal counsel in evaluating securities industry practices, supervisory systems, client suitability, sales practices, compensation structures, and wrongful termination matters. His combination of executive leadership, supervisory experience, and investment expertise enables him to provide practical, well-supported opinions in consulting and testifying engagements involving FINRA and securities industry disputes.