In the following guest post, Christopher Laursen, Senior Vice President and Chair, Financial Institutions and Bank Practice at NERA Economic Consulting, takes a look at the current enforcement trends involving the Bank Secrecy Act and the Anti-Money Laundering regulations. I welcome guest submissions from responsible persons on topics of interest to readers of this
Cornerstone Research Releases 2013 M&A Litigation Study
Mergers and acquisition activity continued to attract litigation in connection with virtually every transaction during 2013, and for the first time during 2013 the litigation filing rates for smaller transactions was as great as for larger transactions, according to a study recently released by Cornerstone Research. The study, entitled “Shareholder Litigation Involving Mergers and Acquisitions:
Thinking About the Dewey & LeBeouf Criminal Indictment and Law Firm Management Liability Insurance
The indictment last week of the top officials from the collapsed Dewey & LeBouef law firm is merely the latest development in the long-running sequence of events following the law firm’s demise. The indictment (and the accompanying SEC enforcement action) paints a vivid picture of the desperate efforts of the law firm’s top officials to
Growing Global Threats of Economic Crime
More companies – both inside the U.S. and globally – are experiencing economic crimes, and as companies expand their international operations and their reliance on the Internet and mobile technologies, economic crime increasingly has become a “borderless threat,” according to PricewaterhouseCoopers’ recent survey of global companies. The survey report, entitled “Global Economic Crime Survey 2014,”
Target Directors and Officers Hit with Derivative Suits Based on Data Breach
I have frequently noted that among the many exposures a company experiencing a data breach could encounter is the possibility of a shareholder suit alleging that the company’s board breached their fiduciary duties by failing to take sufficient steps to protect the company from a breach and its consequences. This possibility has now been
Guest Post: The Business Judgment Rule Under Attack
In many jurisdictions, corporate officials sued for their actions undertaken in their corporate capacity may be able to defend themselves in reliance on the “business judgment rule.” This rule is designed to prevent courts from second-guessing the decisions of directors and officers. The defense has become particularly important in connection with the extensive litigation the
Guest Post: Here We Go Again? Financial Institutions Face Heightened Regulatory Scrutiny Over Forex and Other Unregulated Rates
The global financial services industry is still reeling from the regulatory investigations surrounding the Libor scandal. Nevertheless, it seems that yet another scandal may be about to envelop the industry. In the following guest blog post Eric C. Scheiner and Jennifer Quinn Broda1]of the Sedgwick law firm take a look at what looks
Top Ten D&O Stories of 2013
The world of directors and officers liability has long been characterized by rapid change. But even given these well-established dynamics, 2013 was a particularly eventful year, with several different developments that could impact the D&O arena for years to come. The list of the Top Ten D&O Stories of 2013 is set out below with
To Whom Are Directors’ Duties Owed?
It is generally understood that corporate directors act in a fiduciary role in performing their board duties. But to whom do directors owe their fiduciary duties? That was the question asked in a November 8, 2013 decision from the North Carolina Supreme Court, in which the Court reversed a trial verdict and post trial motion
CEOs’ Personal Lives and Corporate Risk
It is not news that the choices CEOs make can significantly impact the companies they lead. But at least according to a recent academic study, CEOs’ ability to affect their companies is not limited just to the decisions they make in their corporate posts, but also includes decisions they make in their personal lives. According to