Securities

  • September 17, 2024

    Top UK Banks Push Payments Infrastructure Reform Plan

    The trade body for financial institutions urged U.K. regulators and companies on Tuesday to engage with a new infrastructure for digital payments that is backed by major banks and card providers.

  • September 16, 2024

    Ex-MoviePass CEO Admits $9.95 Plan Too Good To Be True

    Former MoviePass CEO J. Mitchell Lowe pleaded guilty in Florida federal court on Monday to conspiracy to commit securities fraud, admitting that he and another executive hyped the illusion that their $9.95-a-month unlimited movie watching plan would be profitable while knowing it was merely a gimmick to defraud investors.

  • September 16, 2024

    CEO's AI Fraud Detection Tool Contract Was Fraud, Feds Say

    A former technology company CEO has pled guilty to a charge that he cooked his company's books and raised tens of millions of dollars from investors off phony claims that an artificial intelligence program his firm developed was being used to spot digital ad fraud, the Manhattan U.S. Attorney's Office said Monday.

  • September 16, 2024

    Icahn Enterprises Beats Investor Suit Over Dividend Program

    Icahn Enterprises has beaten a proposed investor class action accusing it of propping up its stock price with unsustainably high dividends in order to support founder Carl Icahn's loans and financial interests, with a Florida federal judge saying the plaintiffs hadn't shown any misstatements the company made about the "true motivation" for its dividend program.

  • September 16, 2024

    Pot Co. Execs Go To 9th Circ. In Investment Scam Case

    A California cannabis company and its co-founders on Monday appealed a federal court decision booting them from the securities industry and holding them liable for roughly $6 million tied to a medical marijuana investment scam, the same day that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission asked the court to order a third individual to pay up for his part in the alleged scam.

  • September 16, 2024

    Four Fla. Residents Charged In Insider Trading Scheme

    A Miami-based financial consultant, his father and two friends were criminally charged with securities fraud violations in connection to an insider trading scheme after they used non-public information about a proposed merger to buy stocks, then sold them at a profit when the deal went through, according to federal prosecutors.

  • September 16, 2024

    Michael Best Absorbs 6-Atty Great Plains Startup Boutique

    Michael Best & Friedrich LLP announced Monday it had expanded into the Great Plains region of the U.S. as it combines with a six-attorney Nebraska-based boutique helmed by a former Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati PC attorney.

  • September 16, 2024

    Milbank Taps SEC Chief Litigation Counsel As DC Partner

    Milbank LLP said Monday it has hired the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's chief litigation counsel as a new partner in Washington, D.C.

  • September 16, 2024

    Ex-Cadwalader Litigation Co-Head Among Duo Added By V&E

    Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft LLP's former global litigation group co-chair is one of two ex-partners in New York bringing their practices to Vinson & Elkins LLP, according to a Monday announcement.

  • September 16, 2024

    IRS Cancels Hearing On 'Basket Contract' Transactions Rule

    The Internal Revenue Service canceled a hearing on proposed rules that would flag what are known as basket option contracts as potentially abusive listed transactions, according to a notice released Monday.

  • September 13, 2024

    The 2024 Regional Powerhouses

    The law firms on Law360's list of 2024 Regional Powerhouses reflected the local peculiarities of their states while often representing clients in deals and cases that captured national attention.

  • September 13, 2024

    Wells Fargo Unit To Pay $3M Over Unsuitable Trading Claims

    The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority has ordered Wells Fargo Clearing Services to pay roughly $3 million to settle allegations that the firm failed to adequately supervise how its registered representatives were selling certain securities that are subject to potential abuse because of the concessions they pay.

  • September 13, 2024

    Bankman-Fried Lays Blame On Trial Judge In 2nd Circ. Appeal

    FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried on Friday launched an appeal of his fraud conviction over the cryptocurrency exchange's historic collapse, issuing a broadside against the judge who oversaw his trial and saying FTX's debtor counsel Sullivan & Cromwell LLP acted as an arm of the prosecution.

  • September 13, 2024

    Truth Social Founders Take Trump Fight To Fed Court

    A co-founder of Donald Trump's Truth Social website has brought the fight over taking the company public to Florida federal court after several adverse events in state court actions, including the company filing an amended complaint to incorporate securities fraud that the U.S. government alleges.  

  • September 13, 2024

    SEC Inks $100M Deal With FirstEnergy, Sues Ex-CEO

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission reached a $100 million settlement with FirstEnergy Corp. over its role in a $60 million corruption scandal Thursday, the same day the agency sued a former executive who collected tens of millions of dollars in executive perks while the wrongdoing unfolded.

  • September 13, 2024

    SEC Fines Zymergen $30M Over Misleading Pre-IPO Claims

    Now-shuttered biotechnology company Zymergen Inc. has agreed to pay a $30 million fine to settle U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission allegations that it misled investors in its initial public offering when it used "unsupported hype" about the market potential for its technology for foldable touch screens.

  • September 13, 2024

    Trio Of BigLaw Mergers Expected To Drive More Deal Talks

    After months of a relatively steady pace of law firm mergers and acquisitions, the trio of proposed BigLaw tie-ups announced in recent days will likely spur more firms toward entertaining similar deal talks, experts say. Here, Law360 offers a snapshot of the proposed deals.

  • September 13, 2024

    Emergent BioSolutions Pays $40M To Settle COVID Vax Suit

    Emergent BioSolutions has agreed to pay $40 million to settle a consolidated class action alleging it misled investors about how prepared it was to handle two high-profile deals to manufacture COVID-19 vaccines.

  • September 13, 2024

    Dentons Taps Norton Rose For 3 Disputes Pros In Hong Kong

    Dentons has recruited a team of three disputes lawyers from Norton Rose Fulbright in Hong Kong to boost its capabilities representing clients in international construction cases and other high-stakes matters.

  • September 13, 2024

    UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

    This past week in London has seen a football agent sue Chelsea FC after being cleared of allegations he threatened the club’s former director, an ongoing patent dispute between Amgen and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, and a private school in Edinburgh suing Riverstone Insurance over compensation claims tied to historical abuse allegations made by former pupils. Here, Law360 looks at these and other new claims in the U.K.

  • September 12, 2024

    8th Circ. Nixes $563M Verdict Against BMO Harris Over Ponzi

    The Eighth Circuit on Thursday struck down a $563 million verdict against BMO Harris NA over claims that a bank it acquired had aided and abetted Thomas J. Petters' multibillion dollar Ponzi scheme, ruling that the bank should have been allowed to raise a defense that would have barred the suit in the first place.

  • September 12, 2024

    Wells Fargo Ordered To Overhaul Sanctions, AML Compliance

    Wells Fargo faces fresh restrictions on launching new products and entering new markets, and must beef up its compliance and monitoring efforts around sanctions, anti-money laundering and other international business risks, under an enforcement action announced Thursday by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. 

  • September 12, 2024

    Towers Watson Can't Duck Bump-Up Exclusion, 4th Circ. Told

    Towers Watson's latest effort to get its directors and officers insurers to fund a $75 million settlement in a shareholder suit over its merger with Willis should be tossed, the insurers told the Fourth Circuit, saying the bump-up exclusion unambiguously applies to bar coverage.

  • September 12, 2024

    Crypto Wallet Co. Beats Colo. Class Action Over $100M Hack

    The developers and owners of cryptocurrency application Atomic Wallet have beaten a proposed class action over a hack last year that stole roughly $100 million in customers' assets, with a Colorado federal judge saying the suit doesn't have a strong enough connection to the Centennial State to proceed there.

  • September 12, 2024

    Del. Justices Uphold Chancery Toss Of $1.2B NCino Deal Suit

    The Delaware Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the Chancery's court's decision to throw out nCino investor claims against company directors and investment firm Insight Venture Partners challenging the financial technology company's $1.2 billion acquisition of mortgage loan platform SimpleNexus.

Expert Analysis

  • Evolving Regulatory Oversight For AI And Asset Management

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    Attorneys at K&L Gates discuss the evolving regulatory and legislative landscape for artificial intelligence in the asset management industry, as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and Congress consider how to address potential investor protection and systemic risks associated with AI.

  • 3rd Circ. Ruling Shows Benefits Of IP Licenses In Bankruptcy

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    The Third Circuit’s recent ruling in Mallinckrodt’s Chapter 11 filing, which held that Mallinckrodt could sever its obligations to pay Sanofi royalties on sales of an autoimmune disease drug, highlights the advantages of structuring transactions as nonexclusive licenses for developers of intellectual property, say Gregory Hesse and Kaleb Bailey at Hunton.

  • Series

    A Day In The In-House Life: Block CLO Talks Problem-Solving

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    Amid the busy summer months, Block Inc. Chief Legal Officer Chrysty Esperanza chronicles a typical Wednesday where she conquered everything from unexpected fintech regulatory issues and team building to Bay Area commutes and school drop-off.

  • Analyzing Advance Notice Bylaws On 'Clear' Or 'Cloudy' Days

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    In Kellner v. AIM ImmunoTech, the Delaware Supreme Court recently clarified the framework for judicial review of advance notice bylaws adopted, amended or enforced on "clear" or "cloudy" days, underscoring the responsibility of boards to ensure that their scope does not overreach or prevent the possibility of a contested election, say attorneys at Venable.

  • Navigating Antitrust Considerations In ESG Collaborations

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    The intersection of ESG goals and antitrust laws presents a complex challenge for businesses and their counsel — but by creating clear frameworks for collaboration, adhering to established guidelines and carefully considering the competitive implications of their actions, companies can work toward sustainability while mitigating legal risks, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • How To Grow Marketing, Biz Dev Teams In A Tight Market

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    Faced with fierce competition and rising operating costs, firms are feeling the pressure to build a well-oiled marketing and business development team that supports strategic priorities, but they’ll need to be flexible and creative given a tight talent market, says Ben Curle at Ambition.

  • Jarkesy's Impact On SEC Enforcement Will Be Modest

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    Though the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission v. Jarkesy decision found that fraud defendants have a constitutional right to a jury trial, the ruling will have muted impact on the agency’s enforcement because it’s already bringing most of its cases in federal court, say Jeremiah Williams and Alyssa Fixsen at Ropes & Gray.

  • Series

    Rock Climbing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Rock climbing requires problem-solving, focus, risk management and resilience, skills that are also invaluable assets in my role as a finance lawyer, says Mei Zhang at Haynes and Boone.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: Dance The Legal Standard Two-Step

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    From rookie brief writers to Chief Justice John Roberts, lawyers should master the legal standard two-step — framing the governing standard at the outset, and clarifying why they meet that standard — which has benefits for both the drafter and reader, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • Examining Chancery's Relaxed New Confidential Filing Rules

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    The Delaware Court of Chancery’s overhauled Rule 5.1, which governs confidential filings, risks permitting nonconfidential information to be shielded from public review unless and until a challenge notice is filed — but several potential solutions could help to override this issue, says Delaware attorney Daniel J. McBride.

  • Opinion

    After Jarkesy, IRS Must Course-Correct On Captive Insurance

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    The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent Securities and Exchange Commission v. Jarkesy decision has profound implications for other agencies, including the IRS, which must stop ignoring due process and curtailing congressional intent in its policing of captive insurance arrangements, says Peter Dawson at the 831(b) Institute.

  • Dissecting Treasury's Call For Input On AI In Financial Sector

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    The U.S. Department of the Treasury's request for comments on the potential benefits and challenges AI may pose to the financial services sector, which asks how stakeholders are addressing and mitigating increased fraud risks, reflects the federal government's continued interest in AI's effects across the economy, say attorneys at Hogan Lovells.

  • NYSE Delisting May Be The Cost Of FCPA Compliance

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    ABB’s recent decision to delist its U.S. depository receipts from the New York Stock Exchange, coupled with having settled three Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement actions, begs the question of whether the cost of FCPA compliance should factor into a company's decision to remain listed in the U.S., says John Joy at FTI Law.

  • CFTC Action Highlights Necessity Of Whistleblower Carveouts

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    The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission's novel settlement with a trading firm over allegations of manipulating the market and failing to create contract carveouts for employees to freely communicate with investigators serves as a beacon for further enforcement activity from the CFTC and other regulators, say attorneys at Davis Wright.

  • Series

    Being A Luthier Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    When I’m not working as an appellate lawyer, I spend my spare time building guitars — a craft known as luthiery — which has helped to enhance the discipline, patience and resilience needed to write better briefs, says Rob Carty at Nichols Brar.

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