As a result of a spike in second half filings, the number of new securities class action lawsuits increased slightly in 2010 compared to the year before, although the 2010 filing levels remained below historical averages, according to the annual study released jointly by Cornerstone Research and the Stanford Law School Securities Class Action Clearinghouse.
litigation trends
Advisen Releases Year End 2010 Corporate and Securities Litigation Study
Though securities class action lawsuit filings were below historical averages, overall corporate and securities litigation reached "record" levels during 2010, according to a report from the insurance information firm, Advisen. The report, which was released on January 19, 2011 and is entitled "2010 a Record Year for Securities Litigation," can be found here.
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The List: The FDIC’s Civil Actions Against Former Officials of Failed Banks
As detailed in the accompanying blog post, all signs are that the FDIC will be filing increasing numbers of civil actions against former officials of banks that have been closed as part of the current round of bank failures. With this possibility in mind, it seems like it is time for The D&O Diary…
Subprime and Credit-Crisis Related Securities Cases: The Latest Status
The first subprime-related securities class action lawsuit was filed in February 2007, and so the subprime and credit crisis-related litigation wave will soon enter its fifth year. With the anniversary date just ahead, it seems like an appropriate time to step back for an updated interim status update. I have set out below a numerical…
News Updates for the New Year
The year-end vacation days are over, the holiday decorations have been taken down, and last year’s wall calendars have been replaced. We are now into the Narnia season (at least here in Cleveland), where it is always winter but never Christmas. The New Year has entered with a bang, and that means more than…
The Top Ten D&O Stories of 2010
2010 was an eventful year in the world of D&O liability. Congress passed massive financial reform legislation, the Supreme Court issued landmark decisions in important cases and numerous claims emerged as the litigation landscape continued to evolve. With so much going on, it is a challenge to narrow the year’s events down to just the ten…
A Closer Look at the 2010 Securities Lawsuit Filings
2010 was a year of transition for securities class action lawsuit filings, as a number of trends that have been dominant in recent years diminished as the year progressed, while at the same time other trends emerged. Overall, the number of filings during the year was up slightly from last year, although below long term…
Webcast: 2010 Year in Review — Securities Enforcement, Litigation & Compliance
On Wednesday December 29, 2010 at 1 p.m. EST I will be participating in a free webcast sponsored by Securities Docket, entitled "2010 Year in Review: Securities Enforcement, Litigation & Compliance."
The webcast panel, which will include Compliance Week editor Matt Kelly, Francine McKenna (re: The Auditors) , Mike Koehler (aka…
NERA Releases Year-End 2010 Securities Class Action Litigation Study
On December 14, 2010, NERA Economic Consulting released its annual year-end study of securities class action lawsuit filings and settlements. The report, entitled "Trends 2010 Year-End Update," can be found here. Among other things, the NERA study reports that class action filings "picked up substantially" in the second half of 2010, and that median…
Insights: “What to Watch Now in the World of D&O”
The astonishing pace of legislative and judicial changes – just over the last few months alone – underscores how rapidly the liability exposures in the directors and officers arena can be transformed. In the latest issue of InSights (here), I take a look at the current hot topics in the world of directors&rsquo…