Legal issues related to hiring—and firing—advisors are becoming more commonplace, says RIA counselor Brian Hamburger. As the independent registered investment advisor channel continues to grow, firms are getting larger; many RIAs now have national aspirations, acquiring firms and, increasingly, recruiting new advisors from established companies. “With that comes some burdens that we can’t overlook,” said Brian Hamburger, president and CEO of MarketCounsel, speaking at the DeVoe & Company G2 Forum this week. “Not only does the potential for client-related issues and disputes increase, but employment-related challenges are to be expected.” “As those challenges emerge, the founding advisors are likely to encounter human resource issues and conflicts as diverse as violations of the firm’s own policies and procedures, issues like sexual harassment or discrimination and similar claims, consistent supervision of staff and effective implementation of client related policies and procedures, and management risks surrounding staff termination and recruiting all are essential components as firms continue to grow.”