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Ex-Trader Sues TD Bank Over One-Year Non-Compete Agreement
MINTยท 2025-09-23 21:57
Core Viewpoint - A former credit trader at Toronto-Dominion Bank is suing the bank to declare his non-competition agreement unenforceable, claiming the bank breached its promises regarding his trading strategy [1][2]. Group 1: Legal Action - Matthew Austin filed a lawsuit against Toronto-Dominion's US securities arm in federal court, asserting that the bank is improperly enforcing a non-compete agreement [2]. - Austin's complaint states that he was recruited with explicit promises to implement an algorithmic trading strategy, which was later shut down by the bank [3][5]. Group 2: Employment and Strategy Issues - After launching his trading strategy in April 2025, Austin alleges that over half of the trading desk was terminated shortly thereafter [3]. - The new desk head reportedly expressed a preference against running Austin's strategy, citing a lack of team buy-in [4]. Group 3: Consequences of Termination - Following the shutdown of his strategy in July, Austin claims the bank failed to clarify his compensation and pressured him to trust management [5]. - After resigning on August 25, Austin states that the enforcement of the non-compete has led to lost income and reputational harm, as well as deterioration of his skill set in the fast-evolving field of quantitative finance [6]. Group 4: Background of the Plaintiff - Austin has a notable background, having served as a vice president in credit trading at Goldman Sachs and holding a Ph.D. in biostatistics from Harvard [6].