As part of our beat here at The D&O Diary, we read a lot of judicial opinions. We like nothing better than to read an appellate opinion where a dissenting justice and the majority really mix thing up. For that reason alone, we read the recent insurance coverage decision out of the Montana Supreme
Class Action Litigation in Latin America: Where We Are Now, Where We Could Be Headed
Among the features of the U.S. legal system that foreign observers often single out for concern is the availability of class action litigation procedures. The fact is, however, that many countries around the world have adopted some form of class action procedure, at least for consumer-oriented litigation. According to a recent report, Latin America is
Cornerstone Research Releases Securities Litigation Report for the First Half of 2014
According to the latest report from Cornerstone Research, the number of securities class action lawsuit filings during the first half of 2014 were down compared to historical filings semiannual filing levels although slightly higher than the number of filings in the first half of 2013. The report, which is entitled Securities Class Action Filings –
A Closer Look at AIG’s $960 Million Credit Crisis-Related Securities Suit Settlement
AIG has agreed to pay $960 million to settle the consolidated securities class action lawsuit that had been filed against the company and certain of its directors and officers in the wake of the company’s near collapse at the peak of the credit crisis. The settlement, which AIG disclosed in its August 4, 2014 filing
Professional Liability Insurance: Application Misrepresentation Precludes Coverage for Legal Malpractice Claim
In a July 31, 2014 opinion (here), Central District of California Judge Fernando M. Olguin, applying California law, granted a professional liability insurer’s motion for summary judgment in a coverage lawsuit brought by the Blum Collins LLP law firm and Craig M. Collins dba the Collins Law Firm for breach Judge Olguin
Securities Suits Hit Firms Allegedly Using Stock Promoters to Boost Share Price
On July 30, 2014, when a plaintiff shareholder filed a securities class action lawsuit against the company and certain of its directors and officers, Galectin Therapeutics became the latest company to be hit with a securities suit following press reports that the company had used a stock promotion firm to try to boost its share
SEC Files Enforcement Action Over Internal Controls Reporting: A Sign of Things to Come?
One of the noteworthy features of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act was the legislation’s creation of the requirement for reporting companies to provide a certification from management regarding the company’s internal controls. This requirement has not been the focus of a great deal of attention since the legislation was enacted in 2002. However if the administrative actions
Whistleblower Bounties: A Good Idea? UK Regulators Say No
When Congress passed the Dodd-Frank Act four years ago, one of the legislation’s signature features was the creation of potentially massive bounties for whistleblowers that reported financial fraud to the SEC. The possibility of recovering a bounty, which could range from ten to thirty percent of recoveries over $1 million, seems to have encouraged whistleblowers
Second Circuit Vacates Dismissal of JinkoSolar Securities Suit
In an interesting July 31, 2014 opinion (here), the Second Circuit vacated the dismissal of the securities class action lawsuit that had been filed against JinkoSolar Holdings Co. Ltd, and certain of its directors and officers, as well as against its offering underwriters. This ruling will be of interest to many readers because
Reps and Warranties Insurance: Coverage for Diminution in Value Claims
The purchase of reps and warranties insurance is an increasingly common part of mergers and acquisitions transactions. However, a frequently recurring question with respect to this type of insurance is how it will respond if a claim arises based on an allegation that a seller has breached a financial statement warranty and the buyer is