Securities class action trends

Commentary January 06, 2009 at 07:00 PM
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  • 37%: Percent increase in securities class action filings from 2007 to 2008.
  • 43%: Percentage of filings since Dec. 14, 2008 that are related to the credit crisis.
  • 50%: Percentage of class action filings related to the credit crisis in 2008, compared to 20 percent in 2007.
  • $7.5 million: Median amount of a settlement in 2008, compared to $9.4 million in 2007.
  • 50%: Approximate percentage of filings that name a financial services company as the defendant.
  • 25.3%: Percentage of suits brought for accounting-related issues.
  • 41.5%: Percentage of suits brought for defects in products.
  • 2: Number of suits that actually went to trial in 2007; 21 suits have gone to trial since 1996.

Source: NERA Economic Consulting