Corporate officers owe the same fiduciary duty of oversight as directors.
Just as with directors, officers fulfill their oversight duty by acting in good faith....more
1/30/2023
/ Breach of Duty ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Corporate Officers ,
DE Supreme Court ,
Delaware ,
Directors ,
Duty of Care ,
Duty of Loyalty ,
Duty of Oversight ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Good Faith
In Morris v. Spectra Energy Partners (DE) GP, LP,1 the Delaware Supreme Court clarified the test for determining when former equityholders have standing to pursue post-merger direct claims for a controller’s alleged failure...more
This OnPoint is the first in a series that will examine important trends and developments in class action litigation under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Here, we look at the current litigation...more
11/20/2020
/ Article III ,
Breach of Duty ,
Class Action ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
ESOP ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
FIfth Third Bancorp v Dudenhoeffer ,
Intel Corp. Investment Policy Committee v. Sulyma ,
Investment Management ,
Retirement Plan ,
Standing ,
Stock Drop Litigation ,
Thole v U.S. Bank
In the first test outside of Delaware, a California court ruled that federal forum selection provisions enacted by Delaware corporations should be enforced so long as they are not unreasonable, meaning they do not alter...more
Especially in today’s economic and work environment, we find it helpful – and we therefore thought our clients would also find it helpful – to keep track of the important litigation and regulatory enforcement developments...more
6/11/2020
/ Asset Management ,
Class Action ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Dodd-Frank ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Investment ,
Proxy Materials ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Section 36(b) ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Fraud ,
Securities Litigation
Especially in today’s economic and work environment, we find it helpful – and we therefore thought our clients would also find it helpful – to keep track of the important litigation and regulatory enforcement developments...more
5/27/2020
/ Asset Management ,
CARES Act ,
Clawbacks ,
Commercial Bankruptcy ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Exchange-Traded Products ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
Fraud ,
Fraudulent Conveyance ,
Investment Management ,
Oil & Gas ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Section 36(b) ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Fraud ,
Securities Litigation ,
Shareholder Litigation
Key Takeaways -
Salzberg, et al. and Blue Apron Holdings, Inc., et al. v. Sciabacucchi, Case No. 346, 2019, 2020 WL 1280785 (Del. Mar. 18, 2020), is a landmark decision critically important to companies preparing...more
In a ruling of potential importance for investment advisers and directors/trustees of registered investment companies, a California appellate court affirmed a lower court ruling on January 23, 2020 in Garth Jensen, et al. v....more
2/19/2020
/ Appeals ,
Asset Tracing ,
Board of Directors ,
ETFs ,
False Statements ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Advisers Act of 1940 ,
Judgment on the Pleadings ,
Misleading Statements ,
Offering Statements ,
Registered Investment Companies (RICs) ,
Registration Statement ,
Retail Investors ,
Secondary Markets ,
Securities Act of 1933 ,
Securities Fraud ,
Securities Litigation ,
Standing ,
Trustees
The Second Circuit, in Edwards v. Sequoia Fund, Inc., affirmed the dismissal of a claim alleging that a mutual fund breached a contract – its Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”), which forms part of its registration...more
10/9/2019
/ Appeals ,
Breach of Contract ,
Contract Formation ,
Dismissals ,
Investment Company Act of 1940 ,
Mutual Funds ,
Prospectus ,
Registration Statement ,
Shareholder Approval ,
Shareholder Litigation ,
Shareholders ,
Statements of Additional Information (SAIs)
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, in disagreeing with the Courts of Appeals for the Third and Ninth Circuits, ruled on August 5, 2019 in Oxford University Bank v. Lansuppe Feeder, Inc. that a private right of...more
9/10/2019
/ Appeals ,
Breach of Contract ,
Equitable Relief ,
Failure to Report ,
Investment Company Act of 1940 ,
Investment Funds ,
Investors ,
Junior Lenders ,
Liquidation ,
Mutual Funds ,
Noteholders ,
Private Right of Action ,
Rescission ,
Section 47(b) ,
Senior Investors ,
Split of Authority ,
Summary Judgment ,
Trusts
The recent decision of the Delaware Court of Chancery in Akorn, Inc. v. Fresenius Kabi AG et. al is the first time a Delaware court has found a material adverse effect in the M&A context, and reinforces current Delaware law...more
10/11/2018
/ Acquisitions ,
Breach of Contract ,
Buyers ,
Contract Termination ,
Contract Terms ,
Due Diligence ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Material Adverse Effects ,
Merger Agreements ,
Mergers ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Remedies ,
Representations and Warranties ,
Sellers
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on March 15, 2018 issued an opinion (Opinion) vacating the Department of Labor (DOL) fiduciary rule and related applicable exemptions. The DOL had promulgated the rule and...more
4/18/2018
/ Appeals ,
Best Interest Standard ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Dodd-Frank ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Internal Revenue Code (IRC) ,
Investment Adviser ,
Mutual Funds ,
Petition For Rehearing ,
Retirement Funds ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Vacated
It has been a long and winding road for the amended fiduciary regulation (the "Regulation") and the related new and amended exemptions (collectively, the "Rule") of the U.S. Department of Labor (the "DOL") under the Employee...more
3/26/2018
/ Appeals ,
Arbitrary and Capricious ,
Best Interest Contract Exemptions ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Investment Adviser ,
Lack of Authority ,
Retirement Funds ,
Secretary of Labor ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Trump Administration ,
Vacated
In a complete victory for Defendants, on February 23, 2016, a federal district court dismissed with prejudice the final remaining claims in Northstar Financial Advisors, Inc. v. Schwab Investments et. al., which had been...more