Securities

  • October 22, 2024

    Pharma Co. Verrica Faces Derivative Suit Over FDA Inspection

    Current and former officers and directors of dermatological medication maker Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc. face a shareholder derivative action alleging the company concealed a "litany of issues" with a manufacturer's facility that ultimately delayed U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for a skin treatment.

  • October 22, 2024

    Hertz Board Panel Takes Control Of Shareholder Buyback Suit

    Delaware's chancellor has granted a Hertz Global Holdings Inc. board special committee's request to investigate stockholder-filed derivative claims challenging the fairness of $4 billion in stock buybacks in 2022 that vaulted a private equity-based shareholder into a controlling position, in a ruling that also sidelined related direct damage claims.

  • October 22, 2024

    Ohio Pension Funds Say Boeing Puts Profits Over Safety

    Two Ohio pension funds joined a Virginia federal lawsuit accusing Boeing executives and board members of putting profits over safety and regulatory compliance, causing a series of catastrophes and losing millions of dollars for investors, the Ohio Attorney General's Office said Tuesday.

  • October 22, 2024

    Crypto Bills Have Lame Duck Potential, Rep. Hill Says

    The chair of the U.S. House's digital asset subcommittee said Tuesday he is "still optimistic" a market structure bill for crypto and a framework for so-called stablecoins might move forward in some way during the upcoming lame duck session of Congress.

  • October 22, 2024

    Liquidators Of Cayman Investment Firm Seek Ch. 15

    The liquidators of Cayman Islands-based investment firm Canterbury Securities have filed for Chapter 15 recognition in New York bankruptcy court on Monday, following a dispute with another firm over a $20 million share sale that Canterbury allegedly appropriated.

  • October 22, 2024

    SEC Fines 4 Cos. Over SolarWinds Breach Disclosures

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday announced penalties totaling nearly $7 million against four tech companies it accused of downplaying the impact of cybersecurity breaches tied to foreign state actors that infiltrated software sold by SolarWinds Corp. 

  • October 22, 2024

    Meta Escapes Child Protection Investor Suit For Good

    A California federal judge on Tuesday threw out a lawsuit alleging Meta Platforms misled investors about its efforts to protect children from sexual predators, holding that the social media giant's so-called "half-truths" are not actionable under securities laws.

  • October 22, 2024

    Starbucks Shareholder Sues Execs Over $890M Buyback

    A Starbucks Corp. shareholder on Monday accused the coffee giant's former CEO and current and former company directors — including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella — of misleading investors about future growth and revenues, resulting in a stock buyback program that was allegedly inflated by more than $227 million.

  • October 22, 2024

    Day Trader Seeks Early Win In Verifone Insider Trading Suit

    A day trader moved for an early win in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission insider trading case alleging the trader was tipped off by a former Francisco Partners consultant about the firm's $3.4 billion purchase of Verifone Systems Inc., arguing there is no evidence that he knew he received material nonpublic information, let alone traded on it.

  • October 22, 2024

    How Law Firms Get And Keep Elite Status

    For decades, a handful of New York-based law firms thoroughly dominated the national consciousness when it came to power, profitability and prestige. But in today's legal market, increased movement of partners and clients from one firm to the next has begun to shake things up and create opportunities for go-getters to ascend the ranks.

  • October 22, 2024

    The 2024 Prestige Leaders

    Check out our Prestige Leaders ranking, analysis and interactive graphics to see which firms stand out for their financial performance, attractiveness to attorneys and law students, ability to secure accolades and positive legal news media representation.

  • October 22, 2024

    In-House Counsel For Veeva, SingleStore Joins Stoel Rives

    Stoel Rives LLP has hired the former in-house counsel for technology companies SingleStore and Veeva Systems Inc. in Boise, Idaho, positioning the firm to better serve the increasing demand for sophisticated transactional representations in the area.

  • October 22, 2024

    MVP: Bernstein Litowitz's Jeroen van Kwawegen

    Jeroen van Kwawegen, head of Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann LLP's corporate governance practice, convinced a Delaware court to nullify Elon Musk's $55 billion Tesla compensation package and secured a historic $1 billion settlement for Wells Fargo investors, earning him a spot as one of the 2024 Law360 Securities MVPs.

  • October 22, 2024

    Real Estate Exec Guilty Of $77M WeWork Stock Fraud

    A Manhattan federal jury on Tuesday convicted the former CEO of real estate investment firm Arciterra for trying to manipulate the price of WeWork stock via a $77 million tender offer on the cusp of the office-sharing company's bankruptcy filing in late 2023.

  • October 21, 2024

    EV Charging Co. Defeats Investor Suit Over Merger Statements

    A California federal judge on Monday threw out, for good, an investor suit accusing electric-vehicle charging company Volta Inc. of making false and misleading statements around the time of its merger, finding once again that the investors failed to show how the statements were actually false and misleading.

  • October 21, 2024

    $77M WeWork Bid Was Fraud 'From Beginning To End,' Jury Told

    New York federal prosecutors made their final pitch on Monday to jurors weighing the fate of the former CEO of real estate investment firm Arciterra accused of manipulating the market through a bogus $77 million tender offer to take control of WeWork, saying it was a sophisticated fraud and not a real play for control of the company.

  • October 21, 2024

    SEC To Focus On Advisers' Investment Outsourcing In '25

    U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission examiners are poised to generally stay the course with their exam priorities in the coming year, with a particular focus on investment advisers that outsource their investment functions, according to a report released Monday.

  • October 21, 2024

    NYSE, Cboe Win SEC Approval For Bitcoin ETP Options

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has given the New York Stock Exchange and Cboe Global Markets permission to list and trade options of certain bitcoin exchange-traded products, following the long-anticipated approval of the ETPs themselves at the start of this year.

  • October 21, 2024

    WisdomTree Will Pay $4M To End SEC ESG Fund Allegations

    WisdomTree Asset Management Inc. on Monday agreed to pay $4 million to settle allegations by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that the adviser made misstatements concerning exchange-traded funds focused on environmental, social and governance causes.

  • October 21, 2024

    SEC, CFTC Chairs Talk Crypto, AI & Wall Street Texting Sweep

    The leaders of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission appeared before an audience of top financial professionals Monday to discuss the future of cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence regulations and to defend against accusations that ongoing probes of brokers' use of off-channel communications were too harsh.

  • October 21, 2024

    2nd Circ. Won't Revive $500M Plunge Suit Against Wells Fargo

    The Second Circuit on Monday refused to revive a proposed class action accusing Wells Fargo of causing a Chicago fund manager to lose at least $500 million by wrongfully forcing the liquidation of its mutual fund and other investments, finding that the district court was correct in dismissing the suit entirely.

  • October 21, 2024

    Ontrak Jury Lacked Key Compliance Instruction, Judge Told

    Counsel for convicted Ontrak founder Terren Peizer urged a California federal judge Monday to grant a new trial in the healthcare executive's novel insider trading case, saying jurors weren't properly instructed that they should acquit if Peizer's $20 million share sale was blessed by a compliance officer.

  • October 21, 2024

    MVP: Simpson Thacher's Craig S. Waldman

    Craig Waldman of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP helped secure a ruling of first impression on behalf of Bumble Inc. that enabled the company to fight off an investor suit challenging its unique voting structure, earning him a spot as one of the 2024 Law360 Securities MVPs.

  • October 18, 2024

    Law360 MVP Awards Go To Top Attys From 74 Firms

    The attorneys chosen as Law360's 2024 MVPs have distinguished themselves from their peers by securing hard-earned successes in high-stakes litigation, complex global matters and record-breaking deals.

  • October 18, 2024

    Carrier To Pay $615M Over Kidde-Fenwal Fire Foam Claims

    Carrier Global Corp. revealed in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing Friday that it will pay at least $615 million as part of a settlement in connection to its ownership of bankrupt Kidde-Fenwal Inc., which faces multidistrict litigation arising from its manufacture of firefighting foam with deadly "forever chemicals."

Expert Analysis

  • Considering Possible PR Risks Of Certain Legal Tactics

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    Disney and American Airlines recently abandoned certain litigation tactics in two lawsuits after fierce public backlash, illustrating why corporate counsel should consider the reputational implications of any legal strategy and partner with their communications teams to preempt public relations concerns, says Chris Gidez at G7 Reputation Advisory.

  • Integrating ESG Into Risk Management Programs

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    Amid increasing regulations and reporting requirements for corporate sustainability in the European Union and the U.S., companies might consider how to incorporate environmental, social and governance factors into more formalized risk management, say directors at Alvarez & Marsal.

  • What The SEC Liquidity Risk Management Amendments Entail

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    Fund managers should be cognizant of the U.S. Security and Exchange Commission's recent changes to certain reporting requirements and guidance related to open-end fund liquidity risk management programs, and update their filing systems if need be, says Rachael Schwartz at Sullivan & Worcester.

  • It's No Longer Enough For Firms To Be Trusted Advisers

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    Amid fierce competition for business, the transactional “trusted adviser” paradigm from which most firms operate is no longer sufficient — they should instead aim to become trusted partners with their most valuable clients, says Stuart Maister at Strategic Narrative.

  • Calif. Bill, NTIA Report Illustrate Open-Model AI Safety Debate

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    The National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s balanced recommendations for preventing misuse of open artificial intelligence models, contrasted with a more aggressive California bill, demonstrate an evolving regulatory debate about balancing democratic access to this powerful new technology against potential risks to the public, say Stuart Meyer and Fredrick Tsang at Fenwick.

  • 5 Lessons From Consulting Firm's Successful DOJ Disclosure

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    The Boston Consulting Group recently received a rare declination of prosecution from the U.S. Department of Justice after self-disclosing a foreign bribery scheme, and the firm’s series of savvy steps after discovering the misconduct provides useful data points for white collar defense attorneys, says Jonathan Porter at Husch Blackwell.

  • 'Greenhushing': Why Some Cos. Are Keeping Quiet On ESG

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    A wave of ESG-related litigation and regulations have led some companies to retreat altogether from any public statements about their ESG goals, a trend known as "greenhushing" that was at the center of a recent D.C. court decision involving Coca-Cola, say Gonzalo Mon and Katie Rogers at Kelley Drye.

  • 7 Takeaways For Investment Advisers From FinCEN AML Rule

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    With a new FinCEN rule that will require covered investment advisers to implement anti-money laundering programs and comply with extra recordkeeping requirements by 2026, companies should begin planning necessary updates to their policies and procedures by focusing on seven of the rule’s key requirements, identified by attorneys at Simpson Thacher.

  • Del. Dispatch: Drafting Lessons For Earnout Provisions

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    The Delaware Court of Chancery's recent decision in Medal v. Beckett Collectibles provides guidance for avoiding ambiguity in provisions relating to the acceleration of earnout payments under specified circumstances, and provisions mandating good faith negotiations before bringing earnout litigation, say attorneys at Fried Frank.

  • What VC Fund Settlement Means For DEI Grant Programs

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    An unexpected settlement in American Alliance for Equal Rights v. Fearless Fund, based on specific details of an Atlanta venture capital fund's challenged minority grant program, leaves the legal landscape wide open for organizations with similar programs supporting diversity, equity and inclusion to chart a path forward, say attorneys at Moore & Van Allen.

  • Missouri Injunction A Setback For State Anti-ESG Rules

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    A Missouri federal court’s recent order enjoining the state’s anti-ESG rules comes amid actions by state legislatures to revise or invalidate similar legislation imposing disclosure and consent requirements around environmental, social and governance investing, and could be a blueprint for future challenges, say attorneys at Paul Hastings.

  • New Lessons On Managing Earnout Provision Risks

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    Earnout provisions can be a useful tool for bridging valuation gaps in M&A, particularly in developmental-stage pharmaceutical transactions, but the Delaware Chancery Court’s recent decision in Shareholder Representative Services v. Alexion sheds new light on the inherent risks and best practices for managing them, say attorneys at Cleary.

  • Navigating A Potpourri Of Possible Transparency Act Pitfalls

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    Despite the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network's continued release of guidance for complying with the Corporate Transparency Act, its interpretation remains in flux, making it important for companies to understand potentially problematic areas of ambiguity in the practical application of the law, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • How Companies Are Approaching Insider Trading Policies

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    An analysis of insider trading policies recently disclosed by 49 S&P 500 companies under a new U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rule reveals that while specific provisions vary from company to company, certain common themes are emerging, say attorneys at Gibson Dunn.

  • Increased IPOs In '24 Shows Importance Of Strategic Planning

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    Initial public offerings, debt issuances and M&A activity so far in 2024 have shown substantial increases over comparable periods in 2023, highlighting why counsel should educate clients on market trends and financing alternatives to proactively prepare them to be ready to take advantage of opportunities, say attorneys at Skadden.

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