The securities law disclosure framework has evolved to encourage; companies acting in good faith to disseminate relevant projections pertaining to their businesses to the general public "without fear of open-ended liability."...more
Highlight the Third Circuit’s adoption of the de novo standard of review in evaluating appeals of derivative litigation demand-futility decisions; Explore the Sixth Circuit’s recognition of the applicability of the...more
The number of securities class action settlements declined 21% relative to 2022, following the 15-year high set in 2022, according to a new report released today by Cornerstone Research. Despite the decline in settlement...more
On January 24, 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted the final rules intended to augment investor protections in initial public offerings by special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) and in subsequent...more
By vote of 3 to 2, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC or Commission) on Jan. 24, 2024, adopted new rules and amendments (SPAC Rules) pertaining to special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs), with the stated...more
On January 24, 2024, the SEC adopted new rules that apply to SPAC transactions and the adopted rules largely track the agency’s proposals with some notable exceptions. The new rules will become effective 125 days after...more
On January 24, 2024, the SEC adopted rules and guidance to impose a variety of new requirements on SPACs. The effective date of the rules is 125 days after publication in the Federal Register, an unpredictable process that...more
On January 24, 2024, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) approved final rules relating to special purpose acquisition companies (“SPACs”). The final rules follow the SEC’s issuance of proposed rules on March...more
A recent decision by the First Department of the New York Appellate Division held that the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act's automatic stay of discovery applies in state court, but not during the pendency of an...more
On February 21, 2023, the United States Supreme Court formally dismissed the appeal of a case in which a settlement had been announced after certiorari was granted to review a decision by a California state court allowing...more
On April 28, 2022, the California Court of Appeals became the first appellate court outside of Delaware to uphold a federal forum provision (“FFP”) in governing corporate documents. The appellate decision was issued in the...more
On March 30, 2022, the commissioners of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) approved much-anticipated proposed rules relating to special purpose acquisition companies (“SPACs”). ...more
Rule proposals, if adopted, would more closely align de-SPAC mergers with traditional IPOs with respect to disclosure requirements, marketing practices, and gatekeeper obligations. Proposed Rules would significantly...more
In this post, Holland & Knight's Corporate, M&A and Securities Team unpacks the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) recent rule proposal covering enhanced disclosures for SPACs and de-SPAC transactions. Next week,...more
On March 30, 2022, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission” or “SEC”) proposed new rules and amendments regarding special purpose acquisition companies (“SPACs”), shell companies, and disclosure related...more
On December 14, 2021, Judge Beth Labson Freeman of the Northern District of California granted a motion to dismiss claims brought under Sections 11 and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933 (“the Securities Act”) against a...more
One of the most significant differences between bringing a securities lawsuit in state versus federal court is the application of the mandatory discovery stay set forth in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act (the...more
In This Issue. President Joe Biden issued a sweeping executive order aimed at cracking down on anticompetitive practices and reducing consolidation across multiple industry sectors, including financial services; the Federal...more
SCOTUS Grants Certiorari to Decide Whether Automatic Discovery Stay Applies to Securities Act Cases in State Court; Delaware Court of Chancery Dismisses Stockholder Suit Against FedEx for Failure to Make Pre-Litigation...more
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether the automatic discovery stay established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 applies to cases under the Securities Act of 1933 when they are brought in...more
Three years ago, the United States Supreme Court confirmed in Cyan, Inc. v. Beaver County Employees Retirement Fund, 138 S. Ct. 1061 (2018) that claims brought under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) are...more
On July 2, 2021, the US Supreme Court granted the Petition for a Writ of Certiorari filed in Pivotal Software, to address one of the many questions stemming from the Court’s decision in Cyan, which permitted state courts to...more
On July 2, 2021, the Supreme Court granted the petition for writ of certiorari in Pivotal Software v. Tran, a case with significant implications for litigation brought under the Securities Act of 1933. The issue in Pivotal...more
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court granted the petition for a writ of certiorari in Pivotal Software v. Tran, a case that could have significant implications for Securities Act of 1933 (Securities Act) cases brought in state...more
Updates from recent U.S. House Committee on Financial Services hearing and proposed legislation - In light of recent Congressional hearings and proposed legislation, market participants should remain vigilant and prepared...more