Third Circuit Sizes Up Dodd-Frank’s Anti-Arbitration Provision

On October 24, 2014, in Khazin v. TD Ameritrade Holding Corp, et al., the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit heard oral argument on an issue of first impression (within that forum):  whether Dodd-Frank applies retroactively to invalidate pre-dispute arbitration agreements.  Dodd Frank expressly invalidates pre-dispute arbitration agreements of whistleblower claims brought under Section 1057,  SOX and the Commodities Exchange Act.  Notably, however, Dodd-Frank does not invalidate pre-dispute arbitration agreements of whistleblower claims under Securities Exchange Act ("SEA"), 15 U.S.C. §78u-6(h)(1)(A).  Nor does Dodd-Frank explicitly address the retroactivity of its anti-arbitration provisions.