In a development that is in my experience absolutely unprecedented, Phillip Bennett, the former CEO of defunct futures trader Refco, after having pled guilty to criminal charges, is actively cooperating with the lead plaintiffs’ counsel in the civil securities lawsuit pending against the company and its former directors and officers. As discussed below
Securities Lawsuits: A Global Phenomenon?
Among the many consequences of an increasingly global economy is that investor interest in pursuing claims for securities wrongdoing has become a more nearly universal phenomenon. While collective-style lawsuits largely had been restricted to claims in U.S. courts under U.S. law, a growing list of countries are adopting at least some elements of U.S.-style securities
A Slew of New Subprime Lawsuits
In the past week, plaintiffs’ lawyers filed a raft of new subprime and credit crisis related securities lawsuits. The cases involve a wide variety of claimants and defendants, and a diverse array of legal theories. But while the lawsuits themselves are diverse, they do all evidence a common theme, which is that the subprime and
What Do D&O Insurers Look For?
Company managers are increasingly sophisticated about D&O liability insurance. Largely as a result of the corporate scandals from earlier in this decade, what used to be a peripheral and disfavored topic is now a top agenda item in many C-suites and boardrooms. But even as company officials have developed a deeper appreciation for the importance
The Credit Crunch Effects Yet to Come
In my preceding post, I quoted recent reassuring words from Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson about the current credit crunch. Billionaires Warren Buffett and George Soros apparently have a less sanguine view, and there is in any event substantial recent evidence to support the view that, whether or not the worst is over, the effects will
Yes, But: The Subprime Litigation Wave Rolls On
According to news reports (here), Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson has added his voice to the growing chorus declaring that the worst of the credit crisis may be past. Paulson reportedly said that “we are seeing signs of progress as capital and credit markets stabilize.” We can all hope for the sake of the
Are Options Backdating Lawsuits Settling Low?
In a very interesting May 15, 2008 paper entitled “Do Options Backdating Cases Settle for Less?” (here), NERA Economic Consulting takes a look at the options backdating-related securities class action lawsuits settlements to date, and concludes that “in the cases that have settled to date, the amounts paid to plaintiffs have been substantially
Dismissal Denied in Countrywide Financial Subprime Derivative Lawsuit
In the most in-depth review yet of a subprime-related lawsuit complaint, Judge Mariana Pfaelzer of the Federal District Court in Los Angeles, in an order dated May 14, 2008 (here), denied the defendants’ motions to dismiss the amended complaint in the consolidated derivative lawsuit filed against Countrywide Financial, as nominal defendant, and against
The CEO’s “Pay Slice”, Corporate Governance, and Corporate Performance
One of the legacies from the era of the corporate scandals is the lasting image of certain corporate leaders as “imperial CEOs” (refer here) – that is, as greedy, power hungry overlords who exploited their companies to their own enrichment and to the shareholders’ detriment. Excessive CEO pay remains a widely perceived marker for poor
Variations on the Subprime Lawsuit Theme
The subprime litigation wave has been rolling along for well over a year, so it might be expected that by now we have seen many of the likely litigation variations. I suspect there are hosts of new variations yet to come, but the most recent subprime-related lawsuits are substantially similar to prior lawsuits. Yet each