In last week’s Advisen webinar on 2012 D&O claims trends, one of the audience questions related to the growth and relevance of litigation funding in the U.S. In responding to the question I noted, among other things, the rise of litigation funding outside the U.S., particularly in Australia and Canada – a point I underscored
Have Class Actions in Canada “Reached Maturity”?
2012 was “another brisk year of class action activity” in Canada, according to a recent memorandum from the Osler Hoskin & Harcourt law firm entitled “Class Actions in Canada 2012” (here). There were a number of significant class action developments in Canada in 2012, including the “landmark” $117 million E&Y settlement in the
InSights: Top Ten D&O Stories of 2012
The past year included dramatic and important developments involving elections, tragedies and natural disasters. While there was nothing in the world of Directors and Officers Liability to match this drama, it was nevertheless an eventful year, with many significant developments. In the latest issue of InSIghts, which can be found here, I take
Advisen Releases 2012 D&O Claims Trends Study
As numerous observers (including this blog) have noted, securities class action lawsuit filings were down in 2012 compared to the previous year and historical averages. It turns out that the downturn was not limited just to securities class action litigation. New lawsuit filings for corporate and securities litigation generally declined in 2012, according
Nonprofit Board Members’ Statutory Immunity
Most states have adopted statutes providing individuals who serve as directors on nonprofit boards with limited immunity from liability. Among other issues that frequently arise is the scope of the protection provided under this statutory immunity. A recent decision from the Connecticut Appellate Court in a case involving a liability claim against the volunteer President
Following Criminal and SEC Actions, Shareholder Files Securities Suit Against Failed Bank Holding Company Directors and Officers
A shareholder of the holding company for a failed Virginia bank, the Bank of the Commonwealth, has filed a securities class action lawsuit in the Eastern District of Virginia against the holding company and certain of the company’s directors and officers. The lawsuit, filed on January 22, 2013, follows after the July 2012 indictment of
Securities Suit Against U.S.-Listed Chinese Company Dismissed
In a January 22, 2013 opinion (here), Southern District of New York Judge J. Paul Oetken has dismissed one of the many securities class action lawsuits that were filed against U.S.-listed Chinese companies in 2011. Though the primary interest in the case may be that it involves U.S. securities suit against a Chinese
Securities Suit Filings “Sharply” Down: Cornerstone Research Releases 2012 Report
Securities class action lawsuit filings were down “sharply” in 2012 compared to the prior year and to historical average, according to Cornerstone Research’s annual report. The study, published in conjunction with the Stanford Law School Securities Class Action Clearinghouse and entitled “Securities Class Action Filings: 2012 Year in Review,” can be found here. A
FDIC Files First Failed Bank D&O Lawsuit of 2013
Picking up where it left off at the end of the year, the FDIC has filed its first failed bank D&O lawsuit of 2013. The lawsuit, which the agency filed on January 17, 2013 in the District of New Mexico, names as defendants ten former directors and officers of the failed Charter Bank, New Mexico.
Supreme Court Grants Cert in Stanford Ponzi Scheme Cases to Consider SLUSA Preclusion
In a January 18, 2013 order (here), the U.S. Supreme Court granted a writ of certiorari to hear the appeals of three separate petitioners in cases arising out of the Ponzi scheme of R. Allen Stanford. The petitioners are two former law firms for the Stanford International Bank and an insurance brokerage that