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Securities
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September 04, 2024
Feds Say Litigation Funding Co. Was A $10M Ponzi Scheme
A purported investment company's owner faces criminal charges and a suit from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission after she allegedly made false claims to investors that she would lend their money to personal injury attorneys but instead used the money for a Ponzi-like scheme and personal expenses.
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September 04, 2024
Brazilian Oil Bribery Case Jury Warned Of 'Liar' Witness
Attorneys for a Connecticut trader accused of bribing Brazilian oil officials urged a jury on Wednesday not to trust an alleged co-conspirator scheduled to testify for the government, calling that man a "skilled and adept liar" who would "substantially assist" prosecutors in possible return for a favorable family immigration decision.
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September 11, 2024
Hausfeld Snaps Up Litigation Pro From Covington In London
Hausfeld LLP has hired a partner from Covington & Burling LLP in London to boost its profile in commercial disputes, after its office in the U.K. capital recently underwent changes in leadership.
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September 04, 2024
J&J Hit With $1B Damages In Del. Merger Milestone Fight
Johnson & Johnson owes more than $1 billion to a medical robotics developer and entrepreneur caught up in a multibillion-dollar post-acquisition dispute, a Delaware vice chancellor ruled Wednesday.
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September 04, 2024
CFTC Fines Uniswap Over Bitcoin, Ether Liquidity Pools
Decentralized finance platform Uniswap Labs has agreed to pay the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission $175,000 to settle allegations that it illegally offered access to liquidity pools underpinned by bitcoin and ether, the regulator said Wednesday.
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September 03, 2024
8th Circ. Again Scraps Class Cert. For TD Ameritrade Clients
The Eighth Circuit reversed Tuesday a lower court's ruling certifying a class of TD Ameritrade clients for the second time in a lawsuit alleging the stockbroker routed orders to trading venues that didn't always provide the best execution, rejecting the named plaintiff's new class-wide damages theory based on commissions.
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September 03, 2024
Teva Investors Get Go-Ahead To Resume Kickbacks Class Suit
A shareholder's certified class action against pharmaceutical company Teva can resume after being paused for two years, as the company says it is working towards a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice over related claims it used kickbacks to raise the price of its multiple sclerosis drug Copaxone, a Philadelphia federal judge has decided.
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September 03, 2024
2nd Circ. Backs Toss Of Ericsson Investors' ISIS Bribes Suit
The Second Circuit on Tuesday upheld a New York federal judge's decision to toss an investor class action against telecom giant Ericsson and several members of its top brass over claims that they hid knowledge of possible bribes to the Islamic State from U.S. investors and committed other violations of federal securities laws.
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September 03, 2024
Alphabet Beats Investor Suit Over Antitrust Issues, For Now
A California federal judge on Tuesday tossed a proposed securities fraud class action against Google and its parent company Alphabet Inc., saying investors failed to adequately allege that Google intended to deceive them when responding to a congressional query on concerns of anti-competitive ad tech practices.
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September 03, 2024
PE Firm Investors Say False SEC Filings Caused Big Losses
Private equity firm Migom Global Corp., its subsidiary bank and its CEO have been named in a proposed securities class action alleging they inflated financial statements filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to conceal their diversion of tens of millions of dollars in customer deposits to personal ventures.
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September 03, 2024
Super Micro Faces Investor Suits Over Short Seller Report
Artificial intelligence server manufacturer Super Micro Computer Inc. has been hit with at least three investor lawsuits in California federal court over claims its shares fell by about 20% after a short seller report accused it of violating its previous settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over accounting improprieties.
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September 03, 2024
SEC Fines Adviser That Lost Clients' Crypto In FTX Collapse
An investment adviser that lost client funds in the collapse of FTX found itself on the receiving end of a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission enforcement action on Tuesday, with Galois Capital Management LLC settling allegations that it failed to find a proper custodian for those crypto assets.
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September 03, 2024
5th Circ. Hesitant To Call Tornado Cash 'Entity'
A Fifth Circuit panel prodded the U.S. Department of the Treasury's argument that Tornado Cash counts as a corporation-like organization, telling the agency that its reasoning for calling the sanctioned crypto mixer an entity was "slippery" during oral arguments Tuesday.
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September 03, 2024
SEC Fines 6 Credit Rating Firms $49M Over Texting Records
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced Tuesday that six nationally recognized statistical rating organizations agreed to pay a combined $49 million for failing to preserve electronic communications, the latest wave of settlements in an ongoing crackdown that has yielded billions in fines.
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September 03, 2024
Trustee, Trader Culled From Jury In $1M Brazilian Bribery Trial
A bankruptcy trustee and a commodities trader were among the potential jurors weeded out Tuesday ahead of Wednesday's opening statements in the criminal trial of a Connecticut oil trader accused of bribing officials with Brazil's state-owned oil giant Petróleo Brasileiro SA and its U.S. subsidiaries.
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September 03, 2024
Adviser Lied About Wall Street Skyscraper Digs, SEC Says
A purported $10 million private fund investment adviser faces U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission allegations that it lied about being a public company with an office on Manhattan's Wall Street as part of a filing in which it claimed registration exemption.
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September 03, 2024
Kirkland Brings On Ex-Goldman Sachs Debt Finance Pro In NY
Kirkland & Ellis LLP said Tuesday it has added an experienced debt finance partner in New York who most recently worked as a managing director for Goldman Sachs, in the firm's latest move to bulk up its structured finance and structured private credit practice.
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September 03, 2024
$15M Class Atty Fee Sought In Microsoft-Activision Suit
Attorneys for Sweden's state pension fund manager have proposed a $15 million attorney fee for their investigation and intervention in a suit seeking Delaware Court of Chancery fixes for defects in some terms of Activision Blizzard Inc.'s $68.7 billion acquisition by Microsoft Corp. last year.
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September 03, 2024
Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court
Last week in Delaware's court of equity, an iconic rock band got a new member, former President Donald Trump's social media company escaped a contempt ruling, and litigation grew over Illumina Inc.'s $8 billion reacquisition of cancer-testing company Grail Inc. New cases touched on intellectual property, mergers, share transfers and dump trucks. In case you missed it, here's the latest from Delaware's Court of Chancery.
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September 03, 2024
$2.2M Bowling Co. Investor Settlement Gets Initial Green Light
A Maryland federal judge has preliminarily approved a nearly $2.2 million settlement ending a class action that alleged Bowl America's board of directors acted in bad faith when approving a merger with Bowlero Corp.
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August 30, 2024
Chancery Prunes $2.1M From Atty Fee Bid In Sculptor Merger
Class attorneys who helped secure a 14.4%, or $80.8 million, improvement in proceeds from Sculptor Capital Management's sale to Rithm Capital Corp. — plus a $6.5 million common fund — saw their $5.75 million fee proposal cut to $3.6 million in Delaware's Court of Chancery Friday.
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August 30, 2024
Semiconductor Co. Beats Investor Suit Over Failed $8B Merger
A California federal judge has dismissed a proposed investor class action filed over semiconductor company MaxLinear Inc.'s decision to cancel a planned $8 billion merger with Silicon Motion Technology Corp., finding investors' claims against the former can't stand because they held shares in the latter.
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August 30, 2024
5th Circ. Rejects SEC Whistleblower Award Calculation Appeal
The Fifth Circuit on Friday rejected petitions by two whistleblowers who allege that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission shortchanged them after they helped to uncover purportedly the largest fraud in Texas history, by a company that was driven into bankruptcy.
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August 30, 2024
CFTC Grants Clearing Status To Courtroom Foe Kalshi
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission has given the all clear for a division of derivatives startup Kalshi to serve as an intermediary in the swaps market, even as the pair continue to duke it out in court over the trading platform's rebuffed request to participate in the stalled elections betting market.
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August 30, 2024
Del. Judge Finds Exception To Absolute Litigation Shield
An "absolute litigation privilege" barring lawsuits targeting defamation related to court action in Delaware doesn't block involuntary LLC share repurchase demands triggered by a terminated subsidiary officer's alleged defamatory statements, a Delaware judge has ruled.
Expert Analysis
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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.
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3rd Circ. Ruling Shows Benefits Of IP Licenses In Bankruptcy
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.
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Series
A Day In The In-House Life: Block CLO Talks Problem-Solving
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.
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Analyzing Advance Notice Bylaws On 'Clear' Or 'Cloudy' Days
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.
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Navigating Antitrust Considerations In ESG Collaborations
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.