Class Action and Shareholder Litigation Representative Experience

SHAREHOLDER LITIGATION (CLASS AND DERIVATIVE ACTIONS)

 World Acceptance Corporation

• Epstein v. World Acceptance Corporation et al (No. 6:14-cv-01606, D.S.C. 2014) (representation of finance company and executives in action filed following drop in share price on heels of disclosure of civil investigation demand)

PPDI Merger Shareholder Litigation (counsel for the Carlyle Group and Hellman & Friedman)

• In re PPDI Litigation, 11 CVS 1486 (N.C. Bus. Ct. 2011-12)

Tekelec Merger Shareholder Litigation (counsel for Siris, Convest and other sponsor defendants)

• Coyne v. Tekelec, 11 CVS 17255 (N.C. Bus. Ct. 2011-12)
• Ferguson v. Tekelec, 11 CVS 17600 (N.C. Bus. Ct. 2011-12)

Duke Energy/Progress Energy Shareholder Litigation (counsel for Duke Energy)

• In re Progress Energy Shareholder Litigation, 11-CVS-739 (N.C. Bus. Ct. 2011)
• Galaton v. Johnson, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 92125 (E.D.N.C. 2011) (Dever, J.)

Family Dollar Shareholder Litigation (counsel for Family Dollar and directors)

• Rothenberg v. Levine, 11-CVS-4914 (N.C. Bus. Ct. 2011)

Family Dollar Securities Class Action (counsel for Family Dollar)

• Pipefitters Local No. 636 Defined Benefit Pension Fund v. Family Dollar Stores, Inc., No. 3:13-cv-00116-MOC-DCK (W.D.N.C. Feb. 21, 2013) ) (securities class action against Family Dollar and three executives alleging that defendants issued false statements regarding the company’s financial results, case dismissed following motion filed by Family Dollar)

Wachovia Shareholder Derivative Litigation (counsel for Wachovia and directors)

• Browne v. Wachovia Corp., 2011 NCBC 4, 2011 NCBC LEXIS 2 (N.C. Bus. Ct. 2011), aff’d 2012 N.C. App. LEXIS 439 (N.C. Ct. App., April 3, 2012)
• Harris v. Wachovia Corp., 2011 NCBC 3 (N.C. Bus. Ct. 2011) (not appealed)
• Rivers v. Wachovia Corp., 819 F. Supp. 2d 484 (D.S.C. 2010), aff’d 665 F.3d 610 (4th Cir. 2011)
• Rice-Marko v. Wachovia Corp., 2009-CP-10-6230 (S.C. Bus. Ct. 2010), aff’d 398 S.C. 301, 728 S.E.2d 61 (Ct. App. 2012)

Blackstone/Polymer Group Merger Litigation (counsel for Blackstone Group)

• Dugdale v. Polymer, 10-CVS-20527 (N.C. Bus. Ct. 2010)

CommScope Inc. Shareholder Litigation (counsel for CommScope and directors)

• Dadachanji v. CommScope, Inc., 5:10-cv-00183 (W.D.N.C. 2010)

BB&T Shareholder Derivative Litigation (counsel for BB&T and directors)

• Borchardt v. King, 1:10-cv-261 (M.D.N.C. 2010)

Wells Fargo/Wachovia Merger & Shareholder Litigation (counsel for Wachovia and for Wells Fargo, post-merger)

• Ehrenhaus v. Wachovia Corp., 2008 NCBC 20 (N.C. Bus. Ct. 2008)
• Baker v. Citigroup (unpublished TRO barring Citigroup from interfering with merger)

Waste Industries Shareholder Litigation (counsel for special committee members)

• David Shaev Profit Sharing Account v. Waste Industries USA, Inc., 07-CVS-20453 (N.C. Bus. Ct. 2007)

aaiPharma Shareholder Litigation (counsel for aaiPharma Inc.)

• Santos v. aaiPharma, Inc., 7:04-cv-27 (E.D.N.C. 2007)

SPX Shareholder Litigation (counsel for SPX Corporation and officers and directors)

• In re SPX Corp. Securities Litigation, 3:04-cv-99 (W.D.N.C. 2007)

Jefferson Pilot/Lincoln National Merger and Derivative Litigation (counsel for Jefferson Pilot and for Lincoln National, post-merger)

• Seashore Inv. Group v. Paine, Case No. 05-CVS-10724 (N.C. Bus. Ct. 2005)
• Walter F. Rucker Family Trust v. Lincoln Nat’l. Corp., 08-cv-00419 (M.D.N.C. 2008)

SPX Derivative Litigation (counsel for SPX Corporation and directors)

• Eliasoph v. Johnson, 05-cvs-3698 (N.C. Super. 2005)

E.A. Morris Charitable Foundation Derivative Litigation (counsel for all defendants)

• Morris v. Thomas, 161 N.C. App. 680 (2003)
• Morris v. E.A. Morris Charitable Foundation, 161 N.C. App. 673 (2003)

First Union/Wachovia Merger and Shareholder Derivative Litigation (counsel for First Union and also for Wachovia, post-merger)

• First Union Corp. v. SunTrust Banks, Inc., 2001 NCBC 09 (N.C. Bus. Ct. 2001)
• In re Wachovia Shareholders Litigation, 2003 NCBC 10, rev’d, 607 S.E.2d 48 (N.C. App. 2005), rev. denied, 359 N.C. 411, 613 S.E.2d 25 (2005)
• Winters v. First Union Corporation, 2001 NCBC 08 (N.C. Bus. Ct. 2001)

RJR Nabisco Merger Litigation (counsel for Golden Eagle)

• Golden Eagle Industries v. RJR Nabisco and F. Ross Johnson, No. C-C-91-250-MU (W.D.N.C.); In re RJR Nabisco, Inc. Securities Litigation, MDL Docket No. 88 (MBM))

PCA “Going Private” Class Action Litigation (counsel for defendant)

• Harbor Finance Partners v. PCA International, et. al., 98-CVS-5734, N.C. Business Court

American Studios Class Action Litigation (counsel for defendant)

• Camilleri v. American Studios, Inc., et al. No. 93-CV-158-P (W.D.N.C.) (successfully defended company and directors in a securities fraud putative class action – obtained dismissal of complaint on Rule 12 motion)

ANTITRUST CLASS ACTION LITIGATION

NCAA Grant-in-Aid Antitrust Litigation (contested MDL petition pending) (counsel for defendant Southeastern Conference)

• Alston v. NCAA, et al. (N.D. Ca.; No. 14-CU-1011)
• Jenkins v. NCAA, et al. (D.N.J.; No. 14-CV-1678)
• Gregory-McGhee v. NCAA, et al. (N.D. Ca.; No. 14-CV-1777)

Drywall MDL Litigation (counsel for National Gypsum)

• In re: Domestic Drywall Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 2437 (E.D. Pa.)

Cast Iron Soil Pipe and Fittings MDL Litigation (counsel for Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Company)

• In re: Cast Iron Soil Pipe and Fittings Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 2508 (E.D. Tenn.)”

Antitrust State Action Immunity Appeal (Counsel for amici curia the North Carolina State Bar, the state bar of West Virginia, the Florida Bar and the North Carolina Board of Law Examiners)

• The North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners v. Federal Trade Commission, No. 13-534 (United State Supreme Court, certiorari granted 2014)

Laminates Antitrust Class Action (counsel for Panolam and Pioneer)

• Jimmy McElreath, d/b/a Asheville Woodworking Company v. Premark International, Inc., et al.; In re High Pressure Laminates Antitrust Litigation, MDL 1368, (S. D.N.Y. 2006)

Credit Card Class Action (counsel for Visa USA, Inc.)

• Timothy J. Morris, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated v. Visa USA, Inc. and Mastercard International, Inc., No. 03-CVS-2514

MDL Hydrogen Peroxide Antitrust Class Action (counsel for Chemway, Inc.)

• In Re: Hydrogen Peroxide Antitrust Litigation, Civil Action No. 05-666 (MDL Docket No. 2:05-MD-01682-SD)

Vitamins Antitrust Class Action (counsel for Chinook Group, Ltd. and Chinook Group, Inc.)

• Tina Nicholson v. F. Hoffman-LaRoche, Ltd., et al, No. 99-CVS-3592

Polyester Staple Antitrust Litigation (counsel for opt-out plaintiffs Springs Industries, Inc., Fruit of the Loom, Inc. and Russell Corporation)

• In re Polyester Staple Antitrust Litigation, Case No. 3:03-CV-00281-RLV (MDLE Docket No. 3:03-CV-1516)

OTHER CLASS AND MASS ACTION LITIGATION

Financial Institution Class Action Litigation (counsel for defendant)

• Nelson v. State Employees Credit Union (Orange Co. Sup. Ct., No. 09-CVS-664) (Represented a financial institution in suit alleging a systemic failure to include statutorily required language in forms used to create payable on death accounts. Following discovery and argument, the trial court denied class certification, accepting the financial institution’s position that individual interests predominate over class-wide interests. The total claims, if this case had remained a class action, would have been for tens or hundreds of millions of dollars.)

Family Dollar Title VII Litigation (counsel for Family Dollar)

• Scott, et al. v. Family Dollar Stores, Inc., No. 3:08-cv-00540-MOC, 2012 WL 113657 (W.D.N.C. Jan. 13, 2012) (denying class certification in putative nationwide class action alleging discrimination in pay against female store managers)

TILA Class Litigation (counsel for defendant)

• Hopkins v. World Acceptance Corp., 798 F. Supp. 2d 1339 (N.D. Ga. 2011) (represented defendant in putative multistate class action alleging violations of the federal Truth in Lending Act and other statutes; removed action from state court pursuant to the Class Action Fairness Act and successfully moved to stay and compel individual arbitration, thereby defeating class certification)

Commercial Defeasance Customer Litigation (counsel for all defendants)

• Avalon Center Investment Company v. Commercial Defeasance, LLC, 2010 U.S. Dist. Lexis 37876 (W.D.N.C. 2010) (denying plaintiffs’ motion for class certification)

Lender Liability Mass Action (counsel for bank defendant)

• In re Grandfather Vistas Litigation (Mecklenburg Sup. Ct., Nos. 08-CVS-27336 and 09-CVS-18264) (obtained dismissal on summary judgment of lender liability claims brought by more than 70 plaintiffs arising from failed real estate development in the North Carolina mountains and secured monetary damages for client on counterclaim)

Driver Class Action (counsel for CEVA)

• Foster v. CEVA Freight, LLC, No. 3:10-CV-00095-FDW, 2012 WL 3202220 (W.D.N.C. Aug. 3, 2012) (nationwide class action by independent contractor truck drivers seeking $100 million in damages; Robinson Bradshaw brought in well after case filed as new counsel and secured decertification of class)

FCRA Class Action (counsel for American Support, LLC)

• Latasha Sales  v. American Support, LLC and Insperity Peo Services, L.P., No. 1:13-CV-00418 (M.D.N.C. 2014) (defense of putative class action alleging failures to observe FCRA requirements that employees and potential employees receive pre-adverse action letters and other disclosures prior to termination based on the results of criminal background checks) 

Wachovia ERISA (“Stock Drop”) Litigation (counsel for Wachovia)

• Hansen et al. v. Wachovia Corporation, et al., (WDNC, Case No. 3:09-cv-00262)

SPX ERISA Litigation (counsel for SPX Corporation and officers and directors)

• In re SPX Corp. ERISA Litigation, 3:04-cv-192 (W.D.N.C. 2007)

aaiPharma ERISA Litigation (counsel for aaiPharma Inc. and officers and directors)

• Martin v. aaiPharma, Inc., 7:04-cv-78 (E.D.N.C. 2006)

FCRA Class Action (counsel for defendant LexisNexis)

• Brown, et al. v. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. and LexisNexis Screening Solutions, Inc., No. 5:13-cv-79-RLV-DCK (defense of class action alleging various notice and procedure violations of the FCRA)

FCRA Class Litigation (co-counsel for LendingTree LLC)

• Spinozzi v. Lendingtree LLC, 2009 WL 1259351 (W.D.N.C. May 5, 2009), affirmed sub nom. Carson v. LendingTree LLC, 456 Fed. Appx. 234 (4th Cir. 2011) (obtained order compelling arbitration of various putative class action claims after MDL consolidation)

FLSA Class Litigation (counsel for defendants)

• Plaseyed et al. v. PCA National, LLC, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, 05-60099-CIV (defense of class action under Fair Labor Standards Act)

Teller Machine Service Charges Customer Litigation (counsel for Wachovia)

• Mailly v. Wachovia Corporation, 2004 WL 601654 (M.D.N.C. 2004) (denying motion for class certification)

Duke Energy ERISA Litigation (counsel for Duke Energy and officers and directors)

• In re Duke Energy Litigation, 3:02-cv-291 (W.D.N.C. 2003) (opinion resulted in dismissal of all claims of ERISA violations and alleged improper recognition of “round trip “ trades)

Asbestos Trust Class Action (counsel for defendants)

• New National Gypsum Co. v. National Gypsum Co. Settlement Trust (In re National Gypsum Co.), 219 F.3d 478 (5th Cir. 2000), cert. denied, 121 S. Ct. 2238 (2001) (successfully defended a national building products manufacturer in an action brought in federal court by a trust representing a class of present and future asbestos bodily injury claimants seeking to impose successor liability on our client for injuries allegedly caused by the company from which our client purchased business)

Non-Filing Insurance Litigation (counsel for defendant lender)

• In re: Consolidated “Non-Filing Insurance” Fee Litigation, MDL-1130 (N.D. Alabama) (defended lender in case challenging legality of non-filing insurance; class certified and case resolved after extensive discovery)

ERISA, RICO, & Securities Class Action (counsel for defendant employer)

• Elmore v. Cone Mills Corp., 187 F.3d 442 (4th Cir. 1999) (employee class action alleging violations of federal and state securities laws, RICO and ERISA; obtained summary judgment dismissing Rule 10b-5 and RICO claims and dismissing all common law counts under ERISA preemption; secured verdict dismissing all proxy law violations)

Social Security Benefits Class Action (counsel for plaintiff class)

• Hyatt v. Apfel, 195 F.3d 188 (4th Cir. 1999) (obtained relief, on a pro bono basis, for thousands of individuals whose social security benefits were wrongfully terminated)

ERISA, RICO & Securities Class Action (counsel for defendant officer/director)

• Riley v. Murdock, 890 F. Supp. 444 (E.D.N.C. 1995) (obtained summary judgment for client in class action alleging securities fraud, RICO violations and ERISA violations)

Paw Creek Tank Farm Class Action (counsel for Phibro Energy USA)

• Sherrill v. Amerada Hess, et al., Nos. 95-CVS-15754; 97-CVS-746; 97-CVS-8731 (defeated class certification and defended mass actions filed in response to denial of certification, all of which eventually were dropped by the plaintiffs)

Tax Refund Class Actions (counsel for North Carolina Department of Revenue)

• Swanson v. State, 330 N.C. 390, 410 S.E.2d 490 (1991) & Bailey v. State, 330 N.C. 227, 412 S.E.2d 295 (1991) (won reversal in North Carolina Supreme Court of $200 million in judgments entered in class actions by retired federal and state employees challenging constitutionality of state taxation scheme)

• Swanson v. Powers, 937 F.2d 965 (4th Cir. 1991) (won appeal reversing district court’s refusal to dismiss of cabinet officer from class action alleging illegal taxation of federal pensioners and military personnel)