Cetera Rebrands Its Independent B-Ds

Cetera Financial Group i has announced a rebranding each ofits four broker-dealers with new names that all begin with Cetera.

• Genworth Financial Investment Services, acquired earlier this year from insurer Genworth Financial, largely comprises advisors with expertise in tax and accounting. It will become Cetera Financial Specialists, eliminating confusion about any continued association with its former owner.
• Multi-Financial Securities, consisting of entrepreneurially minded advisors who, according to Brown, prefer a direct connection to the home office, is being renamed Cetera Advisors.
• PrimeVest, with advisors in banks, credits unions and other financial institutions, will become Cetera Financial Institutions.
• Financial Network, composed of advisors grouped into regional networks, will retain its regional orientation, becoming Cetera Advisor Networks.

Financial Planning has more details at their site.

How to Hire an Attorney

Whether you are running a small business, or a financial advisor managing your practice, you need an attorney. You don't need one every day, and in fact you might go months without needing him at all, but you need one. This article has some very good advice for what to look for, and what to ask, when hiring an attorney.

One mistake in the article - do not limit yourself to an attorney who is geographically nearby. While some business owners might need physical meetings on a regular basis, most do not. We do not meet in person with most of our clients, even the ones where we are in litigation. Personal meetings are fine, but they are also a waste of time. Today, with cellphones, email, fax and WebEx, the in-person meeting is less important than hiring the best attorney you can hire.

How to Hire an Attorney