Securities Law | Expert Legal Commentary

September 19, 2008

Teamsters Local 445 v. Dynex: “Corporate Scienter” Possible Without Naming Names

Teamsters Local 445 Freight Div. Pension Fund v. Dynex Capital Inc.

By Joel B. Ginsberg

In its highly anticipated opinion in Teamsters Local 445 Freight Div. Pension Fund v. Dynex Capital Inc., 531 F.3d 190 (2nd Cir. 2008), the Second Circuit affirmed that a securities fraud plaintiff can plead corporate scienter without specifically identifying the culpable corporate officer or director whose individual scienter could be imputed to the corporation. The plaintiff need only plead facts sufficient to establish a “strong inference” that someone in the corporation whose acts could be imputed to the corporation acted with the requisite scienter. However, the court warns that the standard for making such a pleading is very high, requiring heightened specificity.

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Companies Mentioned

Dynex Capital Inc.

Merit Securities Corp.

Teamsters Local 445 Freight Division Pension Fund

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Companies Mentioned

Securities Law

The following companies are mentioned in Securities Law Updates:

Securities and Exchange Commission

Harris Associates, L.P.

Citicorp USA, Inc.

Banc of America Securities LLC

Barclays Capital Inc.

Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.

The Public Employees’ Retirement System of Mississippi

Morgan Stanley & Co., Inc.

Jan Charles Finance S.A.

Park East, Inc.

CIBC World Markets Corp.

Citigroup Inc.

Metal Management, Inc.

European Metal Recycling, Ltd.

Salomon Smith Barney Inc. n.k.a. Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.

Calyon Securities (USA), Inc. f.k.a. Credit Lyonnais Securities (USA) Inc.

Salomon Smith Barney, Inc.

Calyon New York Branch (successor by operation of law to Credit Lyonnais New York Branch)

Dynex Capital Inc.

Citigroup, Inc.

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Merit Securities Corp.

JPMorgan Securities Inc.

Teamsters Local 445 Freight Division Pension Fund

Aetna, Inc.

Scotia Capital (USA), Inc.,

Cowen & Co., LLC f.k.a. SG Cowen Securities Corp.

Societe Generale

SunTrust Bank

TD Securities (USA), Inc.

BMO Nesbitt Burns Corp. n.k.a. Harris Nesbitt Burns Corp.

Consolidated Leasing Hugoton Joint Venture #2

Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney Professional Corporation

Consolidated Leasing Anadarko Joint Venture

W. R. Huff Asset Management Co., LLC

Guardian Capital Management

ABN AMRO Bank N.V.

Vesta Insurance Group, Inc.

Free Enterprise Fund

Banc of America, N.A.

Beckstead and Watts, LLP

Barclays Bank PLC

Torchmark Corp.

Public Company Accounting Oversight Board

BNY Capital Markets, Inc.

KPMG Peat Marwick, LLP

Deloitte & Touche LLP

Credit Lyonnais Securities (USA) Inc.

Florida State Board of Administration

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

Additional Resources

Securities Law