Any legal advice you receive here is free, and worth every penny you pay.

If you really want to know how your note would likely be handled by your B/D, and the risks you would face if you leave during the term of the agreement, you need to hire legal counsel. 

Others may well pitch in with their own experiences, but of course the only thing that really matters is what your likely experience will be given your circumstances, and no one here can help much with that.

Good luck, humdinger.  And great choice of user name!

I second the above, but will throw in a few "I think…“s:



I think you can plan on being held liable if you leave for the un"vested” portion of the notes. And they typically are not a "bonus, they are–as the title of your thread says–Forgivable Notes. The language usually says they can do whatever they want to you and you have to take it.



However, I think it is not unusual for firms to settle for less (sometimes much less) than the amount still owed on the note. The lawyers go back and forth and tend to settle just before the firm takes you to arbitration.



But yeah, get someone who knows what they are talking about–that is, an attorney who does this kind of thing.