Overview
The firm has experience defending securities class actions and the shareholder derivative suits that frequently accompany them, and responding to government investigations, government litigation, and private securities litigation often launched within days after a decline in the price of a publicly-traded company’s stock following the disclosure of a business or financial reversal. The firm has tried securities cases, including class actions and SEC actions, and litigated appeals that have not only resulted in judgments for our clients but also established important Eleventh Circuit precedent on such issues as the scope of the protections afforded to forward-looking statements, and loss causation. We have also successfully represented public companies against unwanted accumulations of their shares.
Our litigators work in tandem with our transactional lawyers to respond to shareholder lawsuits seeking to enjoin proposed mergers, acquisitions, or other strategic transactions typically filed immediately following the public announcement of such transactions.
Our statewide teams have handled a wide range of corporate and securities litigation. We have won judgments and appeals in private securities litigation both after trials and on motions to dismiss. We have also successfully handled expedited governance disputes in Florida courts, Delaware courts, and in arbitrations, most of which involved amounts in controversy of well over $100 million.
Range of Services
- Private and public lawsuits, including class actions, alleging violations of federal and state securities laws
- Derivative class actions alleging breaches of fiduciary duties by officers and directors
- Merger litigation, including shareholder lawsuits seeking to block mergers and acquisitions involving publicly-traded companies
- Appraisal actions, including valuing the shares of publicly-traded companies in mergers and acquisitions
- Governance disputes involving corporate and alternative entities
Notable Experience
- Won a jury verdict against the Securities and Exchange Commission after a six-week trial exonerating a bank holding company and its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer from all accusations.
- Represented one of the largest Florida-headquartered banks and certain of its officers and directors in defending against a shareholder class action alleging claims under §10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Successfully obtained judgment as a matter of law on all claims following trial. The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the judgment in favor of the defendants.
- Defended Tradestation and its principals in two jury trials in Florida circuit courts claiming securities law violations. The shareholders sought damages in excess of $50 million. Both juries returned verdicts for the defendants. The cases then settled on terms favorable to the defendants.
- Conducted a range of governmental investigations for companies and litigated related parallel or follow-on civil litigation.
