A decline in the number and size of settlements in 2011 led to a drop in aggregate and average securities class action settlement figures during the year, according to the annual study of securities suit settlements from Cornerstone Research. According to the study, entitled “Securities Class Action Settlements: 2011 Review and Analysis” (here)
The Benefit Corporation Concept and Related Director and Officer Liability Issues
A fundamental tenet of corporate law is that a business corporation is organized and carried on for the benefit of its stockholders. In recent times, an increasing number of for-profit organizations have formed in order to pursue social and environmental goals. There is a growing investor movement toward the financial support of organizations that have
How Far Can the Plaintiffs Really Go With the Cases Against U.S.-Listed Chinese Companies?
During 2011, plaintiffs filed a wave of securities class action lawsuits against U.S.-listed Chinese companies. There were 39 of these lawsuits filed in 2011 (out of 218 total securities class action lawsuit filings in 2011), as discussed here. Often the complaints in these lawsuits consisted of little more than a repetition of the allegations
Is the FDIC Ramping Up Its Failed Bank Litigation?
Though the current bank failure wave has been rolling for several years now and though there have been over 425 bank closures during that period, the much anticipated FDIC failed bank litigation has been slower to gain momentum – that is, perhaps, at least until now. Through the end of 2011, the FDIC had
Towers Watson Releases 2011 D&O Liability Insurance Survey
On March 7, 2012, Towers Watson released the report of its 2011 Directors and Officers Liability Survey. This report, which summarizes the results of the firm’s annual survey, reflects the survey respondents’ D&O insurance arrangements and purchasing patterns. The annual Towers Watson report is much-anticipated for its insights into the practices of corporate insurance buyers
Class Actions in Australia and Mexico
In this post, I review two recent law firm memos examining the state of class action litigation in Australia and Mexico, respectively. I first review class actions in Australia, and then examine class actions in Mexico below.
AUSTRALIA
Class actions, which have been available as a procedural alternative in Australia since 1992 are “now
The Second Circuit Takes a Whack at Morrison’s Second Prong
In its June 2010 decision in the Morrison v. National Australia Bank, the U.S. Supreme Court enunciated a "transactions" test to determine the applicability of the U.S. securities laws. The Court said that the U.S. securities laws apply only to "transactions in securities listed on domestic exchanges and domestic transactoins in other securities." Subsequent courts
Guest Post: Internal Investigation Costs: How Investigations Coverage May Fail
One of the perennial D&O insurance issues is the question of coverage for investigative costs. Several recent cases have taken a close look at these recurring issues. In the following guest post, my good friend Kara Altenbaumer-Price (pictured) examines recent developments in this area and the important factors that can affect the analysis. Kara is
FDIC: Problem Institutions Decline, But Concerns Remain
The FDIC’s latest Quarterly Banking Profile for the period ending December 31, 2011, released February 28, 2012 (here), reflects a generally improving banking landscape and a continuing reduction in the number of problem institutions. But though the industry is showing improvement, the number of problem banks, though down from immediately prior periods, still
Failed Bank Litigation Questions: Standard of Liability and Affirmative Defenses
During the current bank failure wave more banks have failed in Georgia than in any other state. For that reason, the recent dismissal motion ruling in the first failed bank case the FDIC filed involving a failed Georgia bank takes on a heightened level of significance. Northern District of Georgia Judge Steve C. Jones’s February