By the time you read this blog post, you undoubtedly will have seen one of the stories in the mainstream media reporting on the February 25, 2013 decision of Southern District Court Jed Rakoff ordering former Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta to repay most of the legal fees the company incurred in connection with the
Will Cybersecurity Issues Drive the Next Big Securities Litigation Wave?
I am sure many readers were disturbed as I was by the February 19, 2013 New York Times article reporting that a Chinese army unit apparently has been executing a concentrated cyber-hacking program targeting U.S. companies and critical U.S. infrastructure. (The report of consulting firm Mandiant that was the basis of the Times article can be
Big Doings in Big Cases: Merck Settle Securities Suits for $688 Million, Facebook IPO Derivative Suits Dismissed
In what may be the largest settlement ever in securities class action litigation involving a pharmaceutical company, Merck has agreed to a combined settlement of $688 million to settle two related securities class action cases. The company’s February 14, 2013 press release announcing the settlements can be found here.
The lawsuits relate to
NERA Releases 2012 Canadian Securities Class Action Update
Securities class action filings in Canada were down in 2012 compared to 2011’s record number of filings and compared to recent annual averages, according to a February 13, 2013 report from NERA Economic Consulting. The report, which is entitled “Trends in Canadian Securities Class Actions: 2012 Update,” can be found here. NERA’s press release
Takeover Litigation in 2012
Litigation related to M&A activity continued at an “extremely high rate” in 2012, according to the latest research update from Ohio State law professor Steven Davidoff and Notre Dame business professor Matthew Cain. According to the professors’ analysis, presented in their February 1, 2013 paper entitled “Takeover Litigation in 2012” (here), 91.7% of
Damning E-mails: Can We Talk?
It is nothing new for seemingly outrageous emails to trigger attention-grabbing claims of wrongdoing. But revelations this past week arguably represent some type of high-water mark, as a cluster of serious allegations were accompanied by a trove of embarrassing excerpts from emails and instant messages. While the latest disclosures provide yet another reminder of the
Has the “Litigation Funding Moment” Arrived?
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
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
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