The Securities Class Action Landscape:A Look Back at 2018 & What’s Ahead in 2019

2018 was a watershed year in the securities litigation marketplace. In addition to the record number of newly-filed cases, there was significant growth in the dollar value of settlements, both in the U.S. and across the world. During calendar year 2018, 441 new cases were filed in U.S. federal courts, plus dozens more in state courts and in countries such as Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. The value of settlements included significant sums in the U.S., including Petrobras ($3 billion) and Wells Fargo ($480 million), plus more than a dozen non-U.S. settlements led by Ageas (f/k/a Fortis - €1.3 billion). As we enter the new year, 2019 will likely see similarly robust activity. Already, dozens of newly filed cases are in the court system and the amount of pending litigation is substantial, with a total of more than $1 trillion in Investor Losses (NERA’s measure of case size). Additionally, a few noteworthy settlements were finalized in early 2019, including Wal-Mart ($160 million) and Cobalt International ($146 million). This webinar will be valuable to all financial and legal professionals practicing in this area. Attendees will benefit from ISS and NERA's timely insights into the complex and rapidly-growing securities litigation environment. Hosting the event will be ISS Securities Class Action Services and NERA Economic Consulting. Speakers will include Jeff Lubitz, Executive Director at ISS, and Stefan Boettrich, Senior Consultant at NERA. Attendees will gain additional insight as Mr. Lubitz will discuss ISS Securities Class Action Services’ latest report, “The Top 100 U.S. Class Action Settlements of All-Time,” while Mr. Boettrich will highlight data from NERA’s “Recent Trends in Securities Class Action Litigation: 2018 Full-Year Review.”