PRACTICE AREAS

Shareholder Class and Derivative Actions

Shareholders rely on corporate directors and officers to protect their investments but, all too often, that reliance is misplaced. Directors and officers can breach their fiduciary duties, engage in corporate waste, cover-up their misdeeds, or otherwise commit other improper behavior that causes great harm the corporation and its shareholders. Class action and shareholder derivative litigation is a powerful weapon in protecting the rights of investors. Harwood Feffer is a nationally-recognized leader in protecting investor rights. The Firm prosecutes shareholder lawsuits and derivative actions to ensure that directors and officers are held accountable to shareholders, and provide investors with the leverage and the power they need to bring about meaningful change at companies.

In state and Federal courts throughout the country, Harwood Feffer has prosecuted hundreds of class and derivative actions on behalf of shareholders, including actions that: challenge squeeze out mergers and “going private” transactions that offer inadequate consideration to shareholders, seek legal redress against corporate fiduciaries who have failed to protect – or even consider – the interests of shareholders, uncover corporate waste and self-dealing, and vindicate shareholder voting rights.

Strengthening the corporate structure can focus corporate directors and officers on maximizing investor return and curtailing corporate behavior that results in shareholder harm. These measures can include: reforming the structure of the board of directors; strengthening the role and independence of audit committees, and other measures geared to specific industries.