In Gordon v. Verizon Communications, Inc., No. 653084/13, 2017 WL 442871 (N.Y. App. Div. Feb. 2, 2017), the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, First Judicial Department (the “First Department”), reversed an order denying plaintiffs’ motion for final approval of a proposed non-monetary settlement in a shareholder class action litigation related to Verizon Communication Inc.’s (“Verizon”) acquisition of Vodafone Group PLC’s (“Vodafone”) stake in Verizon Wireless (“VZW”). With its decision, the New York Appellate Division breathed new life into beleaguered disclosure-only class action settlements, and modernized what it believed had become an outdated analytical framework for approving class action settlement agreements. It also appeared to accord special weight to provisions in such agreements whereby corporations promise to obtain fairness opinions in connection with future transactions in determining the overall fairness of the agreements. Thus, while non-monetary class action settlements are increasingly disfavored in other courts — most notably, in the Delaware Court of Chancery — New York courts remain receptive to their utility.
Continue Reading New York Appellate Division Revives Non-Monetary Class Action Settlement in M&A Class Action with Revised Standard of Review
New York Court of Appeals Upholds Broad Choice of New York Law Provision in Contract Even in Absence of Contacts With New York
In IRB-Brasil Resseguros, S.A. v. Inepar Investments, S.A., No. 191, 2012 WL 6571286 (N.Y. Dec. 18, 2012), the Court of Appeals of the State of New York held that a broad choice of law provision in a contract precludes any need for conflict of law analysis. This decision increases the predictability of corporate contracts containing a New York choice of law provision: New York law will apply irrespective of whether any other jurisdiction’s law could apply.
Continue Reading New York Court of Appeals Upholds Broad Choice of New York Law Provision in Contract Even in Absence of Contacts With New York