Whistleblower's Defeat: Jury Verdict Overturned for Former UBS Strategist

Trevor Murray, a former UBS bond strategist and corporate whistleblower, faced a legal setback when a jury verdict granting him back pay was overturned. The appeals court found jury instructions flawed, requiring proof that Murray's whistleblowing directly caused his firing. The case returns to U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla.

Trevor Murray, the ex-UBS bond strategist who succeeded in persuading the U.S. Supreme Court to facilitate retaliation lawsuits by corporate whistleblowers, encountered a legal reversal as a prior jury verdict awarding him compensation was nullified.

In a 2-1 ruling, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan identified flaws in the jury instructions at Murray's 2020 trial, demanding that the whistleblowing must actively contribute to his dismissal. A mere influence is insufficient, wrote Circuit Judge Michael Park.

The judgment relieves UBS from the obligation to comply with the $903,300 jury award and additional $1.77 million in legal fees. The decision has returned the case to Judge Katherine Polk Failla, pending further proceedings.