October 2011

Bernstein Liebhard LLP is proud to announce that it has been named to The National Law Journal’s “Plaintiffs’ Hot List” for the ninth consecutive year. This year, The National Law Journal selected twenty firms “at the cutting edge of plaintiffs’ work – and that are giving defense players a run for their money.” Of the firms named to the Hot List this year, Bernstein Liebhard is one of only two named for nine straight years.

The Hot List features plaintiffs’ firms that obtained either substantial settlements or jury verdicts in the past year. To be considered, firms needed at least one significant win and an impressive track record within the previous three to five years. The National Law Journal featured three of the firm’s recent successes:

  • a partial settlement in excess of $100 million in In re Tremont Securities Law, State Law and Insurance Litigation, No. 08-CV-11117 (TPG) (S.D.N.Y.), in which the Firm, as sole lead counsel in the Securities Actions, represents investors in the Rye Select and Tremont investment funds, which were “feeder funds” into the now-infamous multi-billion dollar Ponzi scheme orchestrated by Bernard L. Madoff. (Partner Jeffrey M. Haber is leading the case, assisted by Senior Counsel Stephanie M. Beige and Associate Jeffrey D. Lerner);
  • In re Atlas Energy, Inc. Shareholders Litigation, No. C.A. 5990-VCL (Del. Ch.), in which the Firm obtained $7.45 million in additional merger consideration for Atlas Energy shareholders following the Atlas Energy Board’s attempt to sell the company to the Chevron Corp. Plaintiffs alleged that in pursuing the merger, the Atlas Board breached its fiduciary duties by failing to fulfill its Revlon duties to maximize value and failed to disclose material information to shareholders. (Partner U. Seth Ottensoser led the case, assisted by Associate Jeffrey D. Lerner and Staff Attorney Joseph R. Beige);
  • In re Mutual Funds Investment Litigation [Federated Sub-Track], No. C.A. 04-MD-15861 (CCB) (D. Md. 2010), in which the Firm served as lead counsel representing investors in Federated mutual funds that had been subjected to improper market timing and late trading. The Firm recovered $3.4 million as well as corporate governance reforms. The settlement compensates investors over and above what they received as part of a $72 million fair fund established as result of the settlement of related regulatory investigations. (Senior Partner Sandy A. Liebhard oversaw the action, led by Partner U. Seth Ottensoser, assisted by Senior Counsel Stephanie M. Beige).