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Lead Plaintiff's Memorandum of Law in Opposition to Defendants'

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Offer<strong>in</strong>g, HGK purchased over fifty percent <strong>of</strong> its Notes <strong>in</strong> the May 2000 and May 2001 Offer<strong>in</strong>gs,<br />

and FCERA purchased over $3 million <strong>of</strong> its Notes <strong>in</strong> the May 2001 Offer<strong>in</strong>g, there can be no dispute<br />

that each <strong>of</strong> the Named Pla<strong>in</strong>tiffs has stand<strong>in</strong>g <strong>to</strong> assert claims aris<strong>in</strong>g under Section 11 and Section<br />

12(a)(2). See, e.g., In re Ultrafem Sec. Litig., 91 F. Supp. 2d 678, 694 (S.D.N.Y. 2000) (pla<strong>in</strong>tiffs<br />

who purchased shares <strong>in</strong> the Offer<strong>in</strong>g have stand<strong>in</strong>g pursuant <strong>to</strong> Section 12(a)(2). 14<br />

2. Named Pla<strong>in</strong>tiffs Have Stand<strong>in</strong>g <strong>to</strong> Assert Section 11 Claims on Behalf <strong>of</strong><br />

After-Market Purchasers<br />

The Underwriter Defendants’ argument that secondary market purchasers have no stand<strong>in</strong>g <strong>to</strong><br />

sue under Section 11 fares no better.<br />

The Underwriter Defendants rely on a s<strong>in</strong>gle decision from this Circuit, In re WRT Energy Sec.<br />

Litig., Nos. 96 Civ. 3610 (JFK), 96 Civ 3611 (JFK), 1997 WL 576023 (S.D.N.Y. Sep. 15, 1997)<br />

(Keenan, J.), appeal pend<strong>in</strong>g, No. 02-7829 (2d Cir., filed Sep. 25, 2002), and several district court<br />

cases from other jurisdictions. Underwriters Br. at 17. S<strong>in</strong>ce WRT was decided, however, every<br />

judge <strong>in</strong> this District who has considered this issue has held that secondary market purchasers have<br />

stand<strong>in</strong>g <strong>to</strong> assert Section 11 claims. 15<br />

14<br />

The fact that FCERA and HGK also acquired Notes <strong>in</strong> the secondary market does not<br />

deprive them <strong>of</strong> stand<strong>in</strong>g <strong>to</strong> assert claims aris<strong>in</strong>g under the Securities Act. See In re Ultrafem Sec.<br />

Litig., 91 F. Supp. 2d at 694 (pla<strong>in</strong>tiffs who alleged that they purchased Ultrafem shares “pursuant <strong>to</strong><br />

the Offer<strong>in</strong>g and <strong>in</strong> the after-market dur<strong>in</strong>g the Class Period” have stand<strong>in</strong>g under Section 12(a)(2)<br />

because they purchased shares <strong>in</strong> the <strong>of</strong>fer<strong>in</strong>g); see also In re Am. Bank Note Holographics Sec. Litig.,<br />

93 F. Supp. 2d 424, 436 (S.D.N.Y. 2000) (McMahon, J.) (“Because the co-lead Pla<strong>in</strong>tiffs group<br />

<strong>in</strong>cludes those who purchased their shares directly <strong>in</strong> the IPO, the class has Section 11 stand<strong>in</strong>g as well<br />

as Section 12(a)(2) stand<strong>in</strong>g. It is therefore unnecessary <strong>to</strong> decide here whether those Pla<strong>in</strong>tiffs who<br />

can ‘trace’ their purchases <strong>to</strong> the IPO have stand<strong>in</strong>g under Section 11.”).<br />

15<br />

See In re Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetler, A.S. Sec. Litig., 209 F.R.D. 353, 358 (S.D.N.Y.<br />

2002) (Buchwald, J.); In re AMF Bowl<strong>in</strong>g Sec. Litig., 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4949 (S.D.N.Y. 2002)<br />

(Ch<strong>in</strong>, J.); In re Sterl<strong>in</strong>g Foster & Co. Sec. Litig., 222 F. Supp. 2d 216, 246 (S.D.N.Y. 2002) (Spatt,<br />

J.); Dorchester Inves<strong>to</strong>rs v. Peak Trends Trust, 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3067, at *19 (S.D.N.Y. Feb.<br />

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