Circuits Split on Pleading Loss Causation: In a December 16, 2014 opinion written by Judge Milan D. Smith, Jr. for a unanimous three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit, the appellate court affirmed the dismissal of the securities class action lawsuit that had been filed against Apollo Group and certain of its directors and officers. In
In Latest Jumbo Merger Suit Settlement, Duke Energy Agrees to Pay $146 Million to Settle Suit Over “Boardroom Coup” Following Progress Energy Merger
One of the hot topics in the world of corporate and securities litigation in recent years has been the rise of M&A-related litigation. Among the many themes that are part of the discussion of this topic has been the fact that the M&A lawsuits often settle for the defendant company’s agreement to additional disclosures about the merger, with no cash payment to shareholders. The disclosure-only settlements continue to be a concern, but at the same time there recently have been a number of merger-related lawsuit settlements in which there has been very significant cash components.
Continue Reading In Latest Jumbo Merger Suit Settlement, Duke Energy Agrees to Pay $146 Million to Settle Suit Over “Boardroom Coup” Following Progress Energy Merger
Navigating Circuit Split, District Court Finds Omission of Item 303 Disclosure Actionable Under Section 10(b)
One of the more interesting issues that has emerged recently in the securities litigation arena is the question of whether or not the alleged failure to make a disclosure required by Item 303 of Reg. S-K is an actionable omission under Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5. The Ninth Circuit, in its October 2014 decision in
Guest Post: Despite SLUSA, Plaintiffs File IPO Lawsuits in State Court
In a recent post, I noted the curious phenomenon of plaintiffs filing IPO-related securities class lawsuits in state court. Plaintiffs have this option under the concurrent jurisdiction provisions of the ’33 Act, but I still wondered why a plaintiff would chose to proceed in state court. I also noted that there is a split
Thinking About Bondholder Securities Class Actions
When the topic is securities class action litigation, what is usually considered are lawsuits brought under the federal securities laws by shareholders. By way of illustration, when considering the extent of a company’s potential exposure to a future securities class action lawsuit, the starting point is usually the company’s market capitalization (that is, the number
Politics and SEC Enforcement
A number of factors might be supposed to affect the SEC’s exercise of its judgment in deciding which firms to investigate. Some possibilities that immediately come to mind are the nature and seriousness of the suspected problem; the way the problem came to the agency’s attention; and the availability of resources to investigate the problem.
Chinese Internet Giant Alibaba Gets Hit with IPO-Related U.S. Securities Class Action Lawsuit
Advisen Releases 2014 Corporate and Securities Litigation Report
New corporate and securities lawsuit filings and enforcement actions were down for the third consecutive year in 2014, according to the latest annual report from the insurance information firm, Advisen. According to the report, which is entitled “D&O Claims Trends: 2014 End of Year Wrap-Up,” and which can be found here, the decrease in
NERA Securities Litigation Report: Filings Flat, Number and Value of Settlements Plunge
The number of securities class action filings in 2014 was level with recent years’ filings but the number and dollar value of settlements during the year plunged, according to the latest annual report from NERA Economic Consulting. This year’s report is quite detailed and contains a number of new analyses of lawsuit filings and case
Second Circuit Splits With Ninth Circuit, Holds Item 303 Omissions Can Be Actionable in Section 10(b) Claims
On January 12, 2015, the Second Circuit ruled, “as a matter of first impression” for the appellate court, that a failure to make a disclosure required by Item 303 of Reg. S-K is an omission that can serve as a basis for a Section 10(b) securities fraud claim, but only if the other requirements to