Each fall for the last three years I have taken a look at the current trends and hot topics in the world of D&O. There are of course the perennial topics that always remain important. However, this overview is intended to address the most significant concerns of current interest for D&O insurance professionals and their
Rating Agencies’ First Amendment Defense Rejected in Subprime Suit
Among the causes many cite for the subprime meltdown is the willingness of the rating agencies to assign investment grade rating to securities backed by subprime mortgages. For that reason, in many of the lawsuits filed as part of the subprime litigation wave, plaintiffs have named rating agencies as defendants, seeking to hold them
Eighth Circuit Affirms NovaStar Financial Subprime Securities Suit Dismissal
In the first appellate court decision related to the subprime and credit crisis litigation wave, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit on September 1, 2009 affirmed the dismissal of the NovaStar Financial subprime related securities class action lawsuit. A copy of the Eighth Circuit’s opinion can be found here. The
More About the Securities Lawsuit Filing Decline the First Half of 2009.
After a year of heightened securities litigation activity during 2008, the number of securities lawsuit filings declined in the first-half of 2009, largely due to a drop in filings during the second quarter. In this latest issue of InSights (here), I take a detailed look at the 2009 securities lawsuit filings and explain
D&O Insurers Fund $118 Million Partial Settlement of Broadcom Options Backdating Derivative Suit
In what is one of the largest ever shareholders’ derivative lawsuit settlements, the parties to the consolidated federal options backdating related derivative lawsuit involving Broadcom Corp. have agreed to settle the case for $118 million, to be funded entirely by the company’s D&O insurance carriers. The settlement does not include the company’s co-founders, Henry Samuels