Wells Fargo lands Morgan Stanley group overseeing nearly $6B in Manhattan

Wells Fargo lands Morgan Stanley group overseeing nearly $6B in Manhattan
The Taylor Group with Wells Fargo Advisors in Manhattan.
A 17-person ensemble led by top-ranking next-gen advisors, the Taylor Group's addition gives Wells Fargo Advisors one of its largest New York City recruits in recent memory.
MAY 01, 2026

Wells Fargo Advisors has recruited a 17-person advisor team overseeing nearly $6 billion in client assets from Morgan Stanley, marking one of the firm's heftiest additions in New York City in recent memory.

The Taylor Group officially joined Wells Fargo Advisors on May 1, operating out of the firm's branch at the GM Building in midtown Manhattan.

The next-gen advisor team is led by James Taylor and includes private wealth financial advisors Shane Drumm, Michaella Irvine, Marcus Briscoe, Cameron Irvine, Jamison Embury, Roger McGlynn, Hunter Embury, and Kyle Drumm, along with a support staff of nine.

At Morgan Stanley, the group managed $5.94 billion in client assets. The move adds to a stretch of high-profile recruiting for Wells Fargo Advisors, which in February brought in the Weikes Slattery Group – a $3.1 billion team also from Manhattan – from JPMorgan.

Patrick Baumann, New York City market leader for Wells Fargo Advisors, said in a statement that the team is "keen to take advantage of Wells Fargo's full balance sheet, which gives them a clear runway to serve their clients holistically."

The Taylor Group has built a notable track record on industry rankings. In 2025, James Taylor ranked fourth on the Forbes Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisors national list and held the top spot on the Forbes Best-In-State Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisors list for New York City.

Shane Drumm ranked fifth on the same Best-In-State list that year. In total, five members of the team have appeared on Forbes rankings, and the group has also made multiple appearances on Barron's national and best-in-state lists.

The team brings a range of professional credentials, including four certified financial planners, a chartered financial analyst, a certified investment management analyst, and a chartered retirement planning counselor.

The group could benefit from a more tight-knit team dynamic than most, as it features an unusual family makeup. The team includes three sets of relatives – three sisters and two sets of brothers, among them one pair of twins.

The Manhattan hire continues what has been a busy recruiting stretch for Wells Fargo Advisors over the past several months.

Late last year, the firm added Hingham Street Partners, a $6.3 billion team from UBS, followed by nearly $1.5 billion in additional assets across its employee and independent channels.

Latest News

Mesirow acquires part of flexPATH in second retirement deal of 2026
Mesirow acquires part of flexPATH in second retirement deal of 2026

Chicago-based Mesirow Fiduciary Solutions adds flexPATH's plan-level outsourced fiduciary book, boosting its retirement market reach to $164 billion.

Advisor moves: LPL lands $350M veteran advisor duo in Florida
Advisor moves: LPL lands $350M veteran advisor duo in Florida

Also, Raymond James's employee advisor channel adds breakaways from Wells Fargo and Stifel, while UBS welcomes an ex-Morgan Stanley duo in Indiana.

SEC accuses crypto firm founder of running $425 million Ponzi scheme
SEC accuses crypto firm founder of running $425 million Ponzi scheme

It promised guaranteed principal and 10% monthly returns. The SEC says it invested nothing.

MassMutual Ascend tops $2 billion in RIA annuity sales as advisors warm to income products
MassMutual Ascend tops $2 billion in RIA annuity sales as advisors warm to income products

Ten years after entering the fee-based annuity market, MassMutual Ascend says nearly half its lifetime sales came in the past two years alone – but barriers remain among fee-only advisors.

Fintech bytes: Wealth tech firms target advisor productivity with new integrations
Fintech bytes: Wealth tech firms target advisor productivity with new integrations

Amplify, WealthReach, Zeplyn and Zocks have unveiled partnerships aimed at automating portfolio management, content creation, account opening, and client communication.

SPONSORED Direct indexing webinar targets tax-loss harvesting amid market swings

Northern Trust’s Ken Lassner shows advisors how to convert volatility into after-tax portfolio gains

SPONSORED Who builds the income when the pension disappears?

Dan Biagini of American Equity says the steady decline of pensions, longer lifespans and a reset in interest rates are rewriting how advisors build retirement income