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Securities
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August 15, 2024
Investing Website Isn't An Investment Adviser, Court Says
A New York federal judge ruled Thursday that an exclusion to the Investment Advisers Act applies to the investing analysis website Seeking Alpha, dismissing a proposed class action from subscribers who accused the site of serving as an unregistered investment adviser and unlawfully collecting subscription fees.
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August 15, 2024
Collin County Gets Win In Ken Paxton Prosecution Fee Fight
A Texas appeals court handed Collin County a victory Thursday in a long-running fight over how much special prosecutors should get paid for the criminal case against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, ordering the trial court to vacate its past orders awarding attorney fees to the prosecutors.
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August 15, 2024
2nd Circ. Won't Revive Platinum Investors' Ch. 7 Challenge
A New York bankruptcy court correctly refused to overturn the approval of a $2.5 million settlement in the bankruptcy of a founder of defunct hedge fund Platinum Partners, the Second Circuit ruled Thursday, finding that the approved deal was superior to an alternative offer.
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August 15, 2024
SEC Nabs $5.75M Judgment Against Unregistered Broker
A Florida man and his business have agreed to pay the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission $5.75 million to end claims they operated as unregistered broker-dealers for at least four years.
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August 15, 2024
Zymergen Investors Can't Beat Suit Over Pre-IPO Statements
Three of the largest investors of biotechnology company Zymergen cannot escape a suit accusing them of misleading shareholders ahead of the company's initial public offering by approving misstatements about the company's commercial product pipeline.
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August 15, 2024
Intel Hit With Del. Derivative Suit After Stock, Revenue Drop
An Intel Corp. stockholder has sued the chip giant for derivative damages tied to the company's more-than 27% stock drop and $7 billion production unit loss in 2023 following separation of the company's chip production and design operations, despite prior upbeat forecasts.
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August 15, 2024
Shift4 Beats Suit Over 'Questionable' Accounting Practices
A Pennsylvania federal judge has dismissed a proposed class action accusing payment processing company Shift4 Payments Inc. of engaging in questionable accounting practices to keep its stock price afloat, ruling that the plaintiffs had not proven that the company knowingly lied, among other things.
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August 15, 2024
Judge Gives Plaintiffs' Attys $1M In Fees For Derivative Row
A Massachusetts federal judge sliced 60% off a request for attorney fees in a shareholder derivative lawsuit Wednesday, awarding plaintiffs' counsel $1 million for their work on the case, which led to a noncash settlement.
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August 15, 2024
SEC Defendants Fight Ex-Latham Atty For Whistleblower Docs
A credit reporting agency at the center of a $73 million U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit is seeking to force a retired Latham & Watkins LLP partner to hand over his discussions with a pair of SEC whistleblowers, arguing that the attorney's work for the tipsters isn't privileged.
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August 15, 2024
'What Is An NFT?': 9th Circ. Mulls Novel Bored Ape TM Fight
A Ninth Circuit judge considering whether a trial court correctly found artists owe millions for ripping off trademarks on the Bored Ape Yacht Club nonfungible token collection questioned Thursday whether the NFT market is comparable to typical consumer markets, rhetorically asking, "What are we even talking about? What is an NFT?"
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August 15, 2024
No Harm In SEC Releasing More Info On Breach, Judge Told
A conservative civil liberties group questioned the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's claims that releasing additional materials related to its handling of an internal firewall breach would harm the public interest Thursday, telling a D.C. federal judge in court that so much was already out, more sunlight couldn't hurt.
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August 15, 2024
Levi & Korsinsky To Lead Hertz EV Cost Shareholder Suit
Levi & Korsinsky LLP will represent a proposed class of investors in car rental giant Hertz Global Holdings Inc. in litigation alleging it exaggerated demand for electric cars, then took a $200 million earnings hit as it worked to offload those cars.
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August 14, 2024
Synopsys Escapes Exclusivity Breach Suit At Chancery
Delaware's Chancery Court on Wednesday dismissed private equity firm Sunstone Partners' lawsuit accusing Synopsys Inc. of breaching an exclusivity provision for a potential sale of its security testing services business, saying Sunstone failed to adequately allege Synopsys solicited proposals from other potential buyers.
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August 14, 2024
SEC, CFTC To Collect $474M In Latest Texting Probe Fines
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission on Wednesday announced settlements totaling nearly $474 million with several broker-dealers, investment advisers and other registered firms over failures to maintain and preserve text messages and other electronic communications as required under federal law.
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August 14, 2024
FINRA Fines Morgan Stanley $400K Over Transaction Records
A Morgan Stanley wealth management unit will pay the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority $400,000 to settle claims it left required information off of approximately 550,000 trade confirmations for certain municipal securities.
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August 14, 2024
Temu Parent Faces Investor Suit Over Security, Labor Claims
Chinese retail company PDD Holdings Inc., the owner of online merchandiser Temu, was hit with a proposed securities class action in New York federal court alleging it concealed from investors that it actively sought to put malware on its users' phones and sold goods that were likely made by forced labor.
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August 14, 2024
Exxon Can't Beat Investor Suit Over Permian Basin Claims
A Texas federal judge kept a proposed investor class action against Exxon Mobil intact, saying in an opinion that the investors' allegations claiming Exxon overvalued its Permian Basin holdings by billions of dollars and fudged its public statements were strong enough for the case to move forward.
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August 14, 2024
Class Split Disrupts Hearing On $8.7M Sears Suit Settlement
A Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores stockholder that saw its share appraisal case tanked by the company's bankruptcy in late 2022 won Court of Chancery clearance Wednesday to intervene with a novel, alternative claim for recovery through a separate, ongoing SHOS class damages suit.
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August 14, 2024
Supply Chain Automation Co. Symbiotic Faces Investor Suit
Symbotic Inc., a supply chain automation technology company, was hit with a proposed class action Wednesday alleging it misled investors about its growth prospects after announcing a roughly $13 million earnings miss amid unanticipated costs and construction delays for certain projects.
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August 14, 2024
NC Judge OKs $15.2M Deal For Medical Device Investors
A North Carolina federal judge has given the first green light to a $15.25 million settlement that will resolve a securities class action claiming that Bioventus Inc. misled investors about its internal controls and financial health and its readiness to implement new Medicare regulations, leading to inflated stock prices.
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August 14, 2024
Del. Justices Affirm $266M Atty Fee Award In Dell Class Suit
Delaware's Supreme Court on Wednesday backed a Chancery Court decision awarding an almost record-breaking $266.7 million fee for stockholder attorneys who settled a class action against Dell Technologies Inc. for $1 billion, saying the Chancery "did not exceed its discretion in setting the fee percentage."
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August 14, 2024
Computer Equipment Co. Hid Demand Decline, Investor Says
Cloud network equipment company Extreme Networks Inc. misled investors about its financial prospects and declining client demand as its customers' buying habits changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a proposed class action filed in California federal court.
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August 14, 2024
CFTC Hits Vitol With First-Of-Its-Kind Position Limits Fine
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission issued its first-ever fine Wednesday against a trader exceeding position limits by holding the same contract across multiple exchanges, penalizing Swiss energy and commodities company Vitol SA for its positions on cattle and crude oil futures.
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August 14, 2024
Future Claim Question Clouds Chancery Trampoline Park Deal
A Chancery Court settlement that would assure founding investors in a chain of trampoline parks a fair stake in the company despite a controller's allegedly self-interested loans stopped just short of approval Wednesday, with a vice chancellor seeking assurances that the deal will pass state Supreme Court muster.
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August 14, 2024
Judge Blocks Missouri's Anti-ESG Rules, Handing SIFMA Win
A Missouri federal judge found Wednesday that the state's anti-ESG rules for brokers and advisers violate the First Amendment and are preempted by federal laws, handing the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association an early win in its suit against state officials.
Expert Analysis
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5 Insights Into FDIC's Final Rule On Big-Bank Resolution Plans
Although the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s recently finalized rule expanding resolution planning requirements for large banks was generally adopted as proposed, it includes key changes related to filing deadlines, review and feedback, and incorporates lessons learned — particularly from last year's bank failures, say attorneys at Cleary.
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Jarkesy Ruling May Redefine Jury Role In Patent Fraud
Regardless of whether the U.S. Supreme Court’s Jarkesy ruling implicates the direction of inequitable conduct, which requires showing that the patentee made material statements or omissions to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the decision has created opportunities for defendants to argue more substantively for jury trials than ever before, say attorneys at Cadwalader.
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3 Leadership Practices For A More Supportive Firm Culture
Traditional leadership styles frequently amplify the inherent pressures of legal work, but a few simple, time-neutral strategies can strengthen the skills and confidence of employees and foster a more collaborative culture, while supporting individual growth and contribution to organizational goals, says Benjamin Grimes at BKG Leadership.
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Series
After Chevron: Don't Let Loper Lead To Bank Compliance Lull
Banking organizations are staring down a period of greater uncertainty over the next few years as the banking agencies and industry navigate the post-Chevron world, but banks must continue to have effective compliance programs in place even in the face of this unpredictability, say Lee Meyerson and Amanda Allexon at Simpson Thacher.
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E-Discovery Quarterly: Rulings On Hyperlinked Documents
Recent rulings show that counsel should engage in early discussions with clients regarding the potential of hyperlinked documents in electronically stored information, which will allow for more deliberate negotiation of any agreements regarding the scope of discovery, say attorneys at Sidley.
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Loper Bright Limits Federal Agencies' Ability To Alter Course
The U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision to dismantle Chevron deference also effectively overrules its 2005 decision in National Cable & Telecommunications Association v. Brand X, greatly diminishing agencies' ability to change regulatory course from one administration to the next, says Steven Gordon at Holland & Knight.
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How 3 Recent High Court Rulings Could Shape Fintech Policy
The U.S. Supreme Court's recent decisions in Jarkesy, Loper Bright and Corner Post provide fintech companies with new legal strategies to challenge regulatory actions, but agency reactions to these rulings and inconsistent judicial interpretations could bring compliance challenges and uncertainties, says Amy Whitsel at FS Vector.
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2nd Circ. Case Reinforces Need For Advance Notice Bylaws
The Second Circuit's recent decision in Nano Dimension v. Murchinson illustrates that Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act is a square peg for a round hole, and that advance notice bylaws are far better at protecting against undisclosed coordination among activist shareholders, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.
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What Cos. Should Note In DOJ's New Whistleblower Pilot
After the U.S. Department of Justice unveiled a new whistleblower pilot program last week — continuing its efforts to incentivize individual reporting of misconduct — companies should review the eligibility criteria, update their compliance programs and consider the risks and benefits of making their own self-disclosures, say attorneys at Skadden.
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Autonomy Execs' Acquittal Highlights Good Faith Instruction
The recent acquittal of two former Autonomy executives demonstrates that a good faith jury instruction can be the cornerstone of an effective defense strategy in white collar criminal cases, in part because the concept of good faith is a human experience every juror can relate to, says Sara Kropf at Kropf Moseley.
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Series
Teaching Scuba Diving Makes Me A Better Lawyer
As a master scuba instructor, I’ve learned how to prepare for the unexpected, overcome fears and practice patience, and each of these skills – among the many others I’ve developed – has profoundly enhanced my work as a lawyer, says Ron Raether at Troutman Pepper.
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SolarWinds Ruling Offers Cyber Incident Response Takeaways
The New York federal court's dismissal of all charges related to the 2019 Sunburst cyberattack is a devastating blow to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's cybersecurity case against SolarWinds, but the well-reasoned opinion provides valuable lessons that may improve companies' defensive posture in the wake of a major cybersecurity incident, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.
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3 Ways To Lower Insider Trading Risk After First 10b5-1 Case
In light of the U.S. Department of Justice's insider trading prosecution against the former CEO of Ontrack based on alleged abuse of a Rule 10b5-1 safe harbor plan — designed to allow executives to sell their companies' securities without liability — companies and individuals should take steps to avoid enacting similar plans in bad faith, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.
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Lawyers Can Take Action To Honor The Voting Rights Act
As the Voting Rights Act reaches its 59th anniversary Tuesday, it must urgently be reinforced against recent efforts to dismantle voter protections, and lawyers can pitch in immediately by volunteering and taking on pro bono work to directly help safeguard the right to vote, says Anna Chu at We The Action.
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Evolving Regulatory Oversight For AI And Asset Management
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.