One of the most distinctive recent securities litigation trends has been the surge of litigation involving U.S.-listed Chinese companies. As a result of the litigation threat, as well as beaten-down market valuations, many Chinese companies are now taking steps to de-list from the U.S. exchanges. However, this step could entail its own set of litigation
Securities Suit Filings Continue Apace in Year’s First Half
The number of securities class action lawsuit filings came in slightly above historical averages during the first half of 2012, with filings against natural resources companies, life sciences companies, and foreign issuers leading the way. Filings related to mergers and acquisitions transactions continued to be an important factor in the number of filings, although not as significant of
NERA Projects FDIC Failed Bank Litigation Could Ultimately Total 86 Lawsuits
In a May 31, 2012 study of the FDIC failed bank litigation that contains a number of interesting observations and projections, NERA Economic Consulting projects at the current filing rate, the FDIC’s failed bank litigation ultimately could total 86 lawsuits, or much as 20% of all banks that have failed as part of the current
Cornerstone Research Releases Study of Accounting Class Action Securities Cases
On the eve of the tenth anniversary of the enactment of The Sarbanes Oxley Act, Cornerstone Research has released a study of the filing trends and settlements of securities class action lawsuits involving accounting allegations. The May 2012 report entitled “Accounting Class Action Filings and Settlements: 2011 Review and Analysis” can be found here. A
The FDIC’s Failed Bank Litigation, So Far
The number of bank failures has been winding down for a while now, but at same time the FDIC’s failed bank litigation has been ramping up. Through April 20, 2012, the FDIC has filed a total of 29 lawsuits against former directors and officers of failed banks, involving 28 different institutions. In a May 4
The Other Kind of Merger-Related Litigation
Much has been written recently (including on this blog) about the growing prevalence of M&A related litigation. These lawsuits, typically launched by the target company shareholders, are filed shortly after a merger announcement and usually object to some aspect of the proposed merger or of the merger-related disclosure. But the merger objection lawsuit is not
Cornerstone Research Releases Updated Study of M&A Litigation
On April 25, 2012, Cornerstone Research released a report written by Stanford Business School Professor Robert Daines and Cornerstone Research Principal Olga Koumrian entitled “Recent Developments in Shareholder Litigation Involving Mergers and Acquisitions – March 2012 Update” (here). This memorandum is the latest in a series of recent papers documenting the growth in
PwC Releases 2011 Securities Litigation Study
On April 11, 2012, PricewaterhouseCoopers released its 2011 Securities Litigation Study, entitled “The Ever-Changing Landscape of Litigation Comes Full Circle” (here). According to the study, “we’ll remember 2011 as the year that plaintiffs’ attorneys’ renewed their focus on mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and foreign issues (FIs), specifically those based in China.” PwC’s April
Litigation Funding: A U.S. Growth Industry?
Litigation funding has long been a significant part of commercial litigation landscape outside the U.S. For example, in Australia, observers have attributed the growth in securities litigation to the availability of litigation funding. Litigation funding arrangements have also recently been approved in connection with securities class action litigation in Canada. Litigation funding has been available
Cornerstone Research Releases 2011 Securities Lawsuit Settlement Study
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)