Owing to a number of larger settlements, the average securities class action settlement amount in 2013 rose, while at the same time the media settlement amount declined, according to a study of the securities suit settlements from Cornerstone Research. The study also reports that the number of settlements and the aggregate dollar value of all
Guest Post: The Real and Ugly Facts of Litigation Funding
As I have previously noted on this blog, one of the more noteworthy recent litigation developments has been the rise in litigation financing in the U.S. The presence and effect of litigation financing remains controversial, at least in certain quarters. In the following guest post, Lisa Rickard, the President of U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal
Securities Suit Filing Trends: More About IPOs and Investigative Follow-On Actions
Two securities suit filing trends that emerged during 2013 were the filing of securities class action lawsuits against companies that had recently completed IPOs (about which refer here) and the filing of securities suits in the wake of investigative or regulatory actions (as discussed here). Based on the recent filings, it appears that
Guest Post: Inside Litigation Financing
One of the most interesting and noteworthy litigation developments recently has been the rise of litigation finance in the United States. The nascent litigation finance industry has attracted a number of new entrants, and many of the latest entrants are attempting to establish their own particular niche. In the guest post below, my good
NERA: Canadian Securities Class Action Filings Steady in 2013
There were ten securities class action lawsuits filed in Canada in 2013, the same number as were filed in 2012 and only slightly below the annual average number of 11. 6 filings during the period 2006-2012, according to a February 19, 2014 report from NERA Economic Consulting entitled “Trends in Canadian Securities Class Actions: 2013
A Closer Look at the EEOC’s 2013 Enforcement and Litigation Statistics
During the 2013 fiscal year (ended September 30, 2013), the number of charges filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was down 5.7% compared with the previous fiscal year, but the EEOC’s FY 2013 monetary recoveries of $372.1 million through administrative processes were the highest ever in any single fiscal year. The EEOC’s February
Advisen Releases 2013 Corporate and Securities Litigation Report
Even though (as have been well-documented by other observers) securities class action litigation filings increased in 2013, overall corporate and securities litigation filings during 2013 declined for the second year in a row, according to a February 4, 2014 report from the insurance information firm, Advisen. Though the corporate and securities filing activity in
Cornerstone Research: Securities Suit Filings Increase in 2013, Filing Rate Above Historical Averages
Considered on an absolute basis, securities class action lawsuit filings were up about nine percent in 2013 compared to 2012, although the number of 2013 lawsuits was about 13 percent below annual filings averages for the years 1996-2012, according to a new report from Cornerstone Research and the Stanford Law School Securities Class Action Clearinghouse.
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
More About Follow-On Securities Litigation After Overseas Investigative Actions
In my year-end survey of corporate and securities litigation, one of the trends I noted regarding the litigation that had been filed in 2013 was the rise in lawsuit filings following in the wake of governmental investigations and regulatory actions, particularly with respect to investigations and regulatory actions outside the United States. If two