Securities

Expert Analysis

• What To Expect Under New SEC Enforcement Director Grewal

  

  Newly appointed U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Director of Enforcement Gurbir Grewal’s record as a public servant provides insight into the SEC’s likely priorities for the coming year, and firms should expect him to work closely with Chair Gary Gensler in pursuing an aggressive enforcement agenda, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.

• Will You Be Ready If Your Class Action Goes To Trial?

  

  Despite conventional wisdom, class actions sometimes do go to trial — as TransUnion v. Ramirez, decided last month by the U.S. Supreme Court, illustrates — so attorneys must prepare by studying past class action trials, focusing on how the courts and lawyers approached procedural and evidentiary questions, says Ross Weiner at Risk Settlements.

• Responding To Fraud Charges Based On Trade Data Analytics

  

  Anthony Barkow and Charles Riely at Jenner & Block examine recent charges against a Canadian hedge fund manager to highlight how defense practitioners can appraise suspicious trading pattern evidence gleaned from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's data analytics.

• Rolling Disclosure Cap Method May Lead To Lower Damages

  

  In light of a California federal court's decision in a securities class action against Zoom, consultants at Analysis Group analyze how utilizing rolling disclosure cap methodology affects damage calculations, compared to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act's more traditional final disclosure cap.

• Law Firms, Know Who's Responsible For Your Cloud Security

  

  Lawyers generally know that files go into the cloud and that the files are then secured and protected, but it's necessary for firms to take a closer look at their cloud supply chain and then come up with a responsibility matrix that helps mitigate any potential risks or weaknesses, says Martin Ward at iManage.

• Benefits For Law Firms Venturing Into New Services

  

  By offering more services, law firms can deepen and strengthen their client relationships and truly become an extension of their clients' teams while generating new revenue streams, and while there are risks associated with expanding into consulting, they may be worth it, says Lou Ramos at Major Lindsey.

• How Anti-Corruption Push Affects US Cos. Operating Abroad

  

  A recent Biden administration memo, and an anticipated increase in enforcement related to transnational fraud, money laundering and corruption, means that U.S. companies and financial institutions with operations abroad should take concrete steps to stave off U.S. Department of Justice scrutiny, says Andrey Spektor at Bryan Cave.

• Green Investments Are Not Immune To ESG Scrutiny

  

  As investment informed and motivated by environmental, social and governance considerations accelerates, companies and investors in the green technology sector must keep in mind that regulators, consumers and communities will not grant them free passes on the full range of ESG concerns, say Michael Murphy and Kyle Guest at Gibson Dunn.

• Series

  Embracing ESG: Exelon GC Talks Diversity Initiatives

  

  Executing a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion programming, through recruitment, inclusive legal pipelines and community empowerment via pro bono efforts, can ensure a strong environmental, social and governance proposition, says Gayle Littleton at Exelon.

• How Wyoming Is Leading On Cryptocurrency

  

  This month, Wyoming became the first state to classify decentralized autonomous organizations as a new form of LLC, which could bring new liability principles and chip away at Delaware's dominance as the corporate capital of the U.S., says Emily DiBenedetto at Shaw Keller.

• Recent SPAC Settlement Signals SEC Enforcement Wave

  

  The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recent settlement with special purpose acquisition company Stable Road — and its sponsor, CEO and proposed merger target — over false representations to investors illustrates the agency's heightened focus on policing SPAC transactions and should prompt participants to ensure adequate due diligence, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

• Revamping Law Firm Marketing Lists — With Partner Buy-In

  

  Jackson Lewis’ Paige Bowser shares lessons from the firm's recent overhaul of an outdated email marketing database, including tips for getting partners on board, ensuring compliance with privacy laws and augmenting outreach strategies.

• First 2021 Corporate FCPA Case Offers Compliance Reminders

  

  Foster Wheeler's recent Foreign Corrupt Practices Act settlement — the first corporate enforcement action since President Joe Biden took office — highlights the FCPA risks related to public contracting and tenders, the use of third-party agents, successor liability following M&A activity, and the U.S. authorities' aggressive assertion of jurisdiction in international corruption cases, says Robert Johnston Jr. at Lowenstein Sandler.

• The Murky World Of Legal Rankings Gets Some Clarity In NJ

  

  New Jersey's new, stringent approach to legal rankings will make accolade advertising more transparent, benefiting both attorneys and clients and offering legal marketers a new set of best practices amid evolving standards, say Penny Paul at Lowenstein Sandler and Susan Peters at Greybridge.

• Awaiting High Court Answer On Post-Cyan Discovery Issue

  

  The U.S. Supreme Court’s forthcoming decision in Pivotal Software v. Tran next term may clarify a question begat by the court’s 2018 Cyan decision — whether the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act’s automatic discovery stay provision applies in state courts — and thereby lessen the burden on parties litigating amid the ambiguity, says Liz Cassady at Steptoe & Johnson.