The company is also acting as a licensing agent for its artists, negotiating commissions like the design of a Las Vegas hotel, now under discussion.

Mr. Whittington, for example, negotiates commissions over the phone, but only briefly.

The Weld campaign, they said, had violated the agreement first by negotiating lower commissions.

The company is currently negotiating rates and commissions for flights to Asia.

Many large customers, including Merrill's, are able to negotiate commissions below the rates posted by the firm.

Institutions do not use discounters because they have the leverage to negotiate very low commissions with full-service brokers.

"If you're just executing a trade, you can sometimes negotiate low commissions with a full-service broker," he said, especially when a block of stock is involved.

Often time's facilities are able to negotiate commissions on the phone contracts.

According to the suits, the conspiracy robbed sellers and buyers of the ability to negotiate better commissions with either house.

Moreover, brokers eager to acquire additional listings were more willing to negotiate lower commissions.