RJ and Makay

A securities arbitration panel has ruled that a former Merrill Lynch advisor from Yardley Pennsylvania can keep the $3.3 million signing bonus that Merrill used to lure him to its Yardley branch office.

Robert Connell, 63, a nationally ranked top producer at Smith Barney before accepting Merrill’s offer, was essentially fired a year after signing on.  Connell was also awarded $476,500 for work performed during his employment period with the world’s largest brokerage, and Merrill was ordered to pay $310,000 for Connell’s legal fees, plus the cost of the hearing.