Securities

  • April 10, 2024

    PCAOB Fines KPMG, Deloitte Units $27M For Cheating Claims

    KPMG Netherlands and two Deloitte units will pay a combined $27 million to settle allegations from the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board of widespread answer sharing in their internal training programs, with KPMG's $25 million penalty marking the largest fine PCAOB has ever imposed.

  • April 09, 2024

    Six Firms Vie To Lead NY Community Bank Losses Suit

    Six firms seek to represent a proposed class of investors in a consolidated proposed class action alleging New York Community Bank misled investors about its struggles following its 2022 acquisition of Flagstar Bank and its 2023 acquisition of certain Signature Bank assets.

  • April 09, 2024

    Crypto Booster Says $1B SEC Fraud Suit Offends Free Speech

    The crypto founder known as Richard Heart told a federal judge in Brooklyn on Tuesday that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission violated his and others' free speech rights when it brought a case accusing him of selling $1 billion worth of unregistered digital asset securities across his projects and misappropriating customer assets.

  • April 09, 2024

    Crypto Trader Says $110M Mango Markets Trades Were Legit

    An attorney for a crypto trader accused of stealing $110 million from investors on the Mango Markets exchange through a market manipulation scheme told a Manhattan federal jury on Tuesday that his client was executing a legitimate trading strategy and had no intent to defraud anyone.

  • April 09, 2024

    Calif. AG Backs Bill To Revamp 'Abysmal' Corporate Penalties

    California Attorney General Rob Bonta gave his full support Tuesday to a state bill that would increase the cap on criminal penalties for corporate malfeasance from the "abysmal penalty" of $10,000 per felony to $25 million, or twice the value of the inflicted loss, and provide all proceeds to California's crime victim services.

  • April 09, 2024

    Hawaiian Electric Brass Hit With Suit Over Wildfire Preparation

    A Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. shareholder has alleged in a derivative suit that the company's executives and directors knew that it was not prepared for last year's deadly Maui wildfire, which caused reputational and financial damage to the company.

  • April 09, 2024

    Former Pharma Exec Can't Oust Judge In Contempt Case

    A federal judge in Massachusetts on Tuesday denied what he called a "frivolous" motion to recuse himself from a criminal contempt proceeding against a former pharmaceutical executive who has acknowledged using an alias to flout an injunction banning him from working in the securities field.

  • April 09, 2024

    Nikola Investors' SPAC Fraud Suit Moves Ahead

    Board directors of electric truck maker Nikola Corp. and the blank-check company that took it public for $3.3 billion in 2020 must face shareholders' derivative claims of insider trading, securities fraud and merger-related breaches after Delaware's Court of Chancery on Tuesday denied more than half of the defense's motions to dismiss.

  • April 09, 2024

    Trump Media Co-Founders OK'd To Revise Share-Lockup Suit

    Two co-founders of Donald Trump's social media company won the go-ahead Tuesday to file a second amended, expanded complaint in the Delaware Chancery Court targeting the former president, Trump Media & Technology Group and its insiders for post-deal maneuvering to dilute and claw back their shares, among other claims.

  • April 09, 2024

    Biotech Co. Insiders Sued In Del. Over $200M PIPE Deal Gain

    Investors of clinical-stage pharmaceutical company Taysha Gene Therapies Inc. sued the company's directors and officers in Delaware Chancery Court to recover more than $200 million in damages on behalf of the company after its insiders allegedly wrongfully profited from a public equity sale.

  • April 09, 2024

    Treasury Proposes Long-Awaited Stock Buyback Tax Rules

    The U.S. Treasury Department proposed a pair of long-awaited rules Tuesday that detail the calculation and reporting of a new excise tax assessed to publicly traded corporations that recently bought back their own shares of stock on the open market.

  • April 09, 2024

    Fintech Investment Biz To Go Public Via $700M SPAC Merger

    Financial technology investment platform Linqto Inc., advised by Lowenstein Sandler LLP, on Tuesday unveiled plans to go public through a merger with blank-check company Blockchain Coinvestors Acquisition Corp. I, advised by Seward & Kissel LLP, in a deal valued at $700 million.

  • April 09, 2024

    Crypto Mining CEO's Asset Freeze Fight Axed At 11th Circ.

    An Eleventh Circuit panel has rejected a bid to lift an asset freeze by a man accused of running a crypto mining scheme, ruling U.S. financial industry regulators did not have to formally serve him before asking a court to block activity in his financial accounts.

  • April 09, 2024

    House GOP To Air Measure Rejecting SEC Climate Rule

    The U.S. House of Representatives' Financial Services Committee will hold a hearing Wednesday morning addressing the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's climate disclosure rules, where a leading Republican member of the committee is expected to put forth a resolution that would nullify the rules.

  • April 09, 2024

    $350M Google Privacy Settlement Receives Initial Approval

    A California federal judge on Tuesday gave the first green light to a $350 million settlement between Google's parent company, Alphabet, and investors over claims the company deceived them about a March 2018 software glitch that allegedly gave third-party app developers the ability to access the private profile data of 500,000 users of the Google Plus social media site.

  • April 09, 2024

    Judges Question Georgetown Staff's Standing In ERISA Row

    D.C. Circuit judges questioned the standing of Georgetown University employees suing over alleged mismanagement of their retirement accounts, with one judge repeatedly telling the plaintiffs' attorney Tuesday that he should re-read a foundational case on the issue.

  • April 09, 2024

    TD Bank Wants 'Absurd' First Horizon Merger Suit Tossed

    TD Bank has urged a New Jersey federal judge to dismiss a proposed class action from investors over the bank's failed merger with First Horizon, saying the investors can't sue because the deal never closed and the suit's asserted scienter claim "defies commonsense."

  • April 09, 2024

    Treasury Renews Call For Tools To Combat Crypto Crime

    Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo on Tuesday renewed his call to Congress for additional tools to combat cryptocurrency's use by bad actors as lawmakers floated their own priorities for a cryptocurrency regulatory regime.

  • April 09, 2024

    Macy's Sued In Del. To Block 'Dead Hand' Buyout Defense

    A Macy's Inc. pension fund stockholder has sued for a Delaware Court of Chancery order barring the retailer from holding its May 17 annual meeting or impeding a board proxy contest launched by two investor funds after a hostile response to their company takeover offer.

  • April 09, 2024

    Former Blockchain Stock Exchange CEO Sues For $1.4M Pay

    The former CEO of a defunct blockchain securities exchange claims she was denied her final year's salary, bonus and other compensation valued at nearly $1.4 million, according to a complaint filed in Massachusetts state court.

  • April 09, 2024

    Ex-Legal Tech Exec Says Co. Sued Just To Preempt Her Suit

    A former business executive at a Texas law firm and legal technology company called on a Texas federal court Monday to toss her former employer's lawsuit against her, claiming the company and its founders attempted to preempt her New York lawsuit alleging sexual harassment and unlawful termination.

  • April 09, 2024

    New Relic Shareholder Sues To Force Open Corp. Books

    Another shareholder of web analytics firm New Relic Inc. has sued in Delaware's Court of Chancery for corporate records related to the company's $6.5 billion, $87-per-share buyout by private equity firms Francisco Partners and TPG, the latest in a string of shareholder suits seeking records on the deal.

  • April 09, 2024

    Venezuelan Oil Co. Gets $2B Bond Fraud Suit Nixed In NY

    A New York federal judge has nixed VR Capital's lawsuit accusing Venezuela's state-owned oil company of fraud in connection with its issuance of some $2 billion in since-defaulted bonds, ruling that the asset manager couldn't prove that PDVSA had never intended to repay the bonds.

  • April 09, 2024

    'Entrepreneurial' Baker Botts, Cozen Trio Launch Defense Firm

    Two former Baker Botts LLP partners, including the firm's former head of litigation, have teamed up with a longtime member of Cozen O'Connor's white collar defense practice to launch a boutique law firm based in Washington, D.C.

  • April 08, 2024

    BitMEX Co-Founder Can't Escape Investors' Manipulation Suit

    A case against a co-founder of cryptocurrency trading platform BitMEX will move forward after a Manhattan federal judge found investors showed the executive was "central" to an alleged manipulation scheme that benefited the firm at the expense of its customers.

Expert Analysis

  • Lessons From Country Singer's Personal Service Saga

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    Recent reports that country singer Luke Combs won a judgment against a Florida woman who didn’t receive notice of the counterfeit suit against her should serve as a reminder for attorneys on best practices for effectuating service by electronic means, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.

  • How US Companies Can Wield The New Foreign Bribery Law

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    U.S. companies operating in high-risk markets can use the Foreign Extortion Prevention Act that passed last month to their advantage both in preventing bribe demands and in negotiating with the Justice Department to prevent prosecution or to receive cooperation credit, say attorneys at Squire Patton.

  • What To Expect From High Court In Corp. Disclosure Case

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    Oral argument in Macquarie v. Moab Partners — a case with the potential to significantly alter corporate disclosures and private securities litigation liability — suggests that the U.S. Supreme Court is focused on answering the narrow question presented, say Elizabeth Gingold Clark and Madeleine Juszynski Davidson at Alston & Bird.

  • New Tech, Old Tricks: How GCs Can Fight White Collar Crime

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    As emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency provide bad actors with new avenues to commit classic crimes, general counsel should develop a strategy to future-proof their organizations against such threats and prepare for regulatory scrutiny, say directors at FTI Consulting.

  • Unpacking PCAOB's Sanctions Against China-Based Auditors

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    Following the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board's first major enforcement actions against audit firms located in China and Hong Kong for violating quality control standards, China-based U.S. issuers should be prepared for more rigorous audits in the upcoming cycle, and for continuing strict scrutiny from the regulator, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • FERC Actions Signal Concern Over Investors' Utility Stakes

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    Two recent orders and a notice of inquiry from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on the subject of whether large investors are asserting control of public utilities signal increasing regulatory scrutiny of the investment community's influence over the electric power industry, say attorneys at Day Pitney.

  • 10 Global Antitrust Trends To Anticipate In 2024

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    Proactive navigation of the antitrust enforcement environment remains crucial this year as legal policy and tools evolve to meet intensifying global economic complexity, including geopolitical tensions, trade realignment, market volatility and inflation, say attorneys at Freshfields.

  • NY CRE Lenders Need Clarity On Foreclosure Standing

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    Recent contradictory New York case law regarding issues of standing in commercial real estate litigation creates confusion for borrowers and lenders alike, and should be addressed by courts in advance of the anticipated onslaught of commercial mortgage-backed securities foreclosures, say Christopher Gorman and John Muldoon at Rosenberg & Estis.

  • ERISA Litigation Faces New Frontiers In 2024

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    As plaintiffs firms explore novel theories for recovery and the Department of Labor attempts to broaden the definition of an investment advice fiduciary, 2024 could see new types of Employee Retirement Income Security Act litigation after just 100 class actions were filed last year, say attorneys at Groom Law.

  • Del. Ruling Guides On Advance Notice Bylaw Amendments

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    The Delaware Chancery's Court's recent denial of investment fund Paragon Technologies' injunction motion against Ocean Power Technologies underscores the importance of carefully crafting and enforcing corporate advance notice bylaw amendments, especially in light of universal proxy rules, say attorneys at Venable.

  • Series

    Baking Bread Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    After many years practicing law, and a few years baking bread, I have learned that there are a few keys to success in both endeavors, including the assembly of a nourishing and resilient culture, and the ability to learn from failure and exercise patience, says Rick Robinson at Reed Smith.

  • Federal Courts And AI Standing Orders: Safety Or Overkill?

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    Several district court judges have issued standing orders regulating the use of artificial intelligence in their courts, but courts should consider following ordinary notice and comment procedures before implementing sweeping mandates that could be unnecessarily burdensome and counterproductive, say attorneys at Curtis.

  • Series

    NY Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q4

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    New York's banking and financial sector saw a number of notable regulatory and legislative changes in the final quarter of 2023, including guidance on climate risks and heightened cybersecurity protocols issued by the New York State Department of Financial Services, as well as final revisions to virtual currency listings in the state, say attorneys at WilmerHale.

  • 4 Questions On Groundbreaking New Foreign Bribery Law

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    The recently enacted Foreign Extortion Prevention Act will significantly alter the anti-corruption landscape under U.S. law by allowing prosecutors to pursue foreign officials for soliciting or accepting bribes, but it’s not yet clear how the statute will be used and by whom, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

  • Why CFTC Whistleblowers Are Crucial To Crypto Regulation

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    The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission's whistleblower program has proven to be a key tool in the U.S.' efforts to police cryptocurrency, but a funding issue shows that it has become a victim of its own success, says Stephen Kohn at Kohn Kohn.

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