Good Deal or Bad? Complex Commercial Litigation Even When You've Done Everything Right
A business swoops in and buys substantially all of the assets of a competitor in distress, but first does its due diligence and discovers the skeletons in the closet. The purchaser expressly does not assume the competitor’s liabilities or obligations. The purchaser does everything by-the-book, and…
How Much is Enough to Remove? Considerations that Shouldn't be "Smuggled into the Judicial Inquiry."
A plaintiff filed a class-action complaint in state court alleging a potential liability of $2.9 million to the class, plus fees and punitive damages. The defendant conducted its own calculation and determined that the amount in controversy in the case could plausibly top $5 million, thus crossing…
Proceeding Without Local Counsel—lawyer beware!
Arkansas law is clear that “pleadings filed on behalf of another by a person not licensed to practice law in [Arkansas] are a nullity.” DeSoto Gathering Co. v. Hill, 531 S.W.3d 396, 403 (Ark. 2017). Normally, this means that out-of-state lawyers associate with local counsel or make a motion to…
In High-Stakes Business Litigation, All-or-Nothing Approach in Complaint Leaves Directors with Nothing
In a complex business dispute between four different corporations, involving multiple lawsuits and arbitrations, top level directors of a corporation are left without coverage under their D&O insurance policy after personally being made defendants. A recent opinion by the U.S. Court of Appeals for…
Litigating Through Layers of Insurance
A business concedes that it made a mistake, but pleads for mercy with the jury and asks for a reasonable amount of damages. A jury ultimately awards $6 million. There are several insurance policies involved. Who is left holding the bag? In an opinion announced this week by the Eighth Circuit Court…