EFTA00722096.pdf

A CERTIFIED TRUE COPY ATTEST By Tanisha Spinner on Aug 18, 200et I Fon iNE UNITED STATES JUDICIAL PANEL ON muLTUNSTRiCT LITIGATION I ciffilo i9‘3 UNITED STA UDICIAL PANF4L on MULTIDISTRICT LITIGATIO4. IN RE: THE BEAR STEARNS COMPANIES INC. SECURITIES, DERIVATIVE AND EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY ACT (ERISA) LITIGATION TRANSFER ORDER UNITED STATES JUDICIAL PANEL ON MULTIDI STRI CT LITIGATION Aug 18, 2008 FILED CLERK'S OFFICE MDL No. 1963 Before the entire Panel': Defendants The Bear Stearns Companies Inc. (Bear Stearns) and Alan D. Schwartz have moved, pursuant to 28 U.S.CJ 1407, for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings of the actions listed on schedule A in the Southern District of New York. The defendants' motion encompasses fourteen actions in the Southern District of New York and one action in the Eastern District of New York.' Plaintiffs in three Southern District of New York actions support transfer of the outlying Eastern District of New York action to the Southern District of New York, but emphasize the need for coordinated, but not consolidated, treatment of their actions. After considering all argument of counsel, we find that these fifteen actions involve common questions of fact, and that centralization under Section 1407 in the Southern District of New York will serve the convenience of the parties and witnesses and promote the just and efficient conduct of this litigation. All actions share allegations regarding, inter alia, whether Bear Stearns and certain of its current and former officers and directors knowingly made material misstatements or omissions concerning the company's financial health that misled investors and caused investor inset when the company's stock price fell in March 2008. Centralization under Section 1407 will eliminate duplicative discovery, prevent inconsistent pretrial rulings, and conserve the resources of the parties, their counsel and the judiciary. The responding plaintiffs' concerns regarding the manner and extent of coordination or consolidation of the pretrial proceedings can be presented to the transferee judge. The governing statute contemplates transfer for "coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings." 28 U.S.C. § 1407(a). Accordingly, we leave the degree of any coordination or consolidation to the discretion of the transferee Judge Heyburn took no part in the decision of this matter. ' In addition to the actions included on the motion for transfer, four other actions are pending in the Southern District of New York and one related action is pending in the Northern District of Georgia. In light of our disposition of this docket, these actions and any other related actions will be treated as potential tag-along actions. See Rules 7.4 and 7.5, R.P.J.P.M.L., 199 F.R.D. 425, 435-36 (2001). EFTA00722096 - 2 - judge. See In re Pfizer Inc. Securities, Derivative & "ERISA" Litigation, 374 F.Supp.2d 1348, 1349-50 (J.P.M.L. 2005). The Southern District of New York stands out as an appropriate transferee forum. No party has opposed centralization in the Southern District of New York, and at least eighteen actions are already pending in this district before one judge, who has significant experience presiding over multidistrict litigation. Given the location of Bear Steams headquarters within this district, relevant documents and witnesses can be expected to be found there. IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1407, the action listed on Schedule A and pending outside the Southern District of New York is transferred to the Southern District of New York and, with the consent of that court, assigned to the Honorable Robert W. Sweet for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings with the actions listed on Schedule A and pending in that district. PANEL ON MULTIDISTRICT LITIGATION .1. Frederick Motz Acting Chairman John G. Heyburn II, Chairman' Robert L. Miller, Jr. Kathryn H. Vratil David R. Hansen EFTA00722097 IN RE: THE BEAR STEARNS COMPANIES INC. SECURITIES, DERIVATIVE AND EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY ACT (ERISA) LITIGATION SCHEDULE A MDL No. 1963 Eastern District of New York Carmela Stance v. The Bear Stearns Companies, Inc., et al., C.A. No. 1:08-1178 Southern District of New York Samuel T. Cohen, et al. v. The Bear Stearns Companies, Inc., et al., C.A. No. 1:07-10453 Eastside Holding, Inc. v. The Bear Steams Companies, Inc., et aL, C.A. No. 1:08-2793 Aaron Howard, et al. v. The Bear Stearns Companies, Inc., et al., C.A. No. 1:08-2804 Razill C. Becher v. The Bear Stearns Companies, Inc., et al., C.A. No. 1:08-2866 Estelle Weber, et al. v. The Bear Stearns Companies, Inc., et al., C.A. No. 1:08-2870 Anthony Pisano, et al. v. The Bear Stearns Companies, Inc., et al., C.A. No. 1:08-3006 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Foundation, et al. v. The Bear Stearns Companies, Inc., et al., C.A. No. 1:08-3013 Hans Menos, et al. v. The Bear Steams Companies, Inc., et al., C.A. No. 1:08-3035 Ira Gewirtz, et al. v. The Bear Stearns Companies, Inc., et al., C.A. No. 1:08-3089 Drew V. Lounsbury, et al. v. The Bear Steams Companies, Inc., et al., C.A. No. 1:08-3326 Shelden Greenberg, et al. v. The Bear Stearns Companies, Inc., et al., C.A. No. 1:08-3334 Scott Wettersten v. The Bear Steams Companies, Inc., et al., C.A. No. 1:08-3351 Rita Rusin v. The Bear Stearns Companies, Inc., et al., C.A. No. 1:08-3441 Lawrence Fink v. The Bear Steams Companies, Inc., et at., C.A. No. 1:08-3602 EFTA00722098 Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation - Panel Attorney Service List Page Nickel: 1963 - IN RE: The Bear Steams Companies Inc. Securities, Derivative and Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) Litigation Status: Transferred on 08/18/2008 Transferee District: NYS Judge: Sweet, Robert W. Printed on 08/I 8/2008 ATTORNEY - FIRM REPRESENTED PARTY(S) Aguilar, George C. °Piton: Fax Email: ROBBINS UMF.DA & FINK LLP Bim (Derivatively/Behalf-Bear Steams Companies, Inc.). 610 West Ash Street Suite 1800 San Diego. CA 92101.3350 Anders, David B. wACBTELL LIPTON ROSEN & KATZ 51 West 52nd Street New Vont, NY 10019 =>Pbone: Spector. Wanes • Email Brower, David A.P. m>Phon Fax: Email BROWER P1V EN APC Cohen (Derivatively/Behalf-Bear Steams Companies, Inc.), Samuel T. 488 Madison Avenue 8th Floor New York, NY 10022 Chepiga, Michael J. =>Pbone: En: SIMPSON THACHER & BARTLETT LLP Molinaro, Jr., Samuel L.• 425 Lexington Avenue New York, NY 10017 Email Federman, William B. =>Pbone ax: Email: FEDER.MAN & SHERWOOD Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Foundation*. Keritsig George 10205 North Pennsylvania Avenue Oklahoma City. OK 73120 Goldberg. Jill SCHULTE ROTH & ZABEI. LLP 919 Third Avenue New York. NY 10022 =>Pbone: En: Email Greenberg, Alan C.• Karp, Brad S. =>Pboae: ax: Eaton PAUL WEISS RIFKIND WHARTON & GARRISON LLP Bear Steams Companies, Inc"; Canada' Trust Co. 1285 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10019-6064 Kamer. Jay B SKADDEN ARPS SLATE MEAGIIER & FLOM LLP Four Times Square New York, NY 10036 =>Plione: En: Knell Schwartz, Alan D.' levy, Lester 1.. =Atone: Ella Faulk WOLF POPPER LIP Weber (Ind/Behalf-The Bar Steams Companies. Inc.. Employee Stock Ownership Plan). Estelle': 845 Third Avenue Weber. Estelle' New York. NY 10022 Loeser, Derek W. KELLER ROHRBACK I.I.P Greenbergiii. =>Pborie: Fax Entail Note: Please refer to the report title page for complete report scope and key. EFTA00722099 (Panel AnorneySerWee Llatfor MDL 1.963 Continued) Page 2 ATTORNEY - FIRM REPRESENTED PARTY(S) 1201 Third Avenue Suite 3200 Seattle. WA 98101 Markel, Gregory A. =>Phose: Fax Email CADWALADER WICKERSHAM @ TAFT LLP Cayne, James E.; Farber, Jeffrey M.; Mayer, Jeffrey; Minikes, Michael One World Financial Center New York NY 10281 Mastro, Randy M. GIBSON DUNN & CRUTOIER LLP 200 Park Avenue New York, NY 10166-0193 Milk, Edwin J. STULL STULL & BRODY 6 East 45th Street Suite 500 New York, NY 10017 =>Phome: Fax: Email: Henry•; Glickman, Carl D.4; Goldstein, Michael'; Hanington, DonaldJ.•; Nickell- Frank T.•; Novelly. Paul A!: Salerno. Frederic V.': Tese, Vincent'; Williams,Jr., Wesley S.• =>Phone: Lotmsbury. Drew V • Rabin. L Stephen =>Phone: RABIN & PECKEL LLP Menos. Hans 275 Madison Avenue Suite 420 New York, NY 10016 Rosenfeld. David Avi =>Pboae: COUGHLIN STOIA GELLER RUDMAN & ROBBINS LIP Eastside Holding. Inc.' 58 South Service Road Suite 200 Melville, NY 11747 Fax: Email: Fat Fax: Rudman, Samuel H. =>Pbooe: Fax:- Eoai COUGHLIN STOIA GELLER RUDMAN & ROBBINS LLP Becher. Razill C. 58 South Service Road Suite 200 Melville, NY 11747 Silberstein, Milo =>Phone: Fax DEALY & SILBERSTEIN Greenberg. Sheldon; Howard. Aaron 225 Broadway Suite 1405 New York, NY 10007 Skimkk, Robert A. =>Phone: Fax: Email: MEREDITH COHEN GREF.NFOGEL & SK1RNICK PC Fink, Law7ence-, Gewirtz, Ira; Pisan, Anthony; Rusin. Rita One Liberty Pita 35th Floor New York, NY 10006 Sokoloff, Richard 3245 Route Ill Suite =>Plsone Stance. Carmela Note: Please refer to the report (tile page for complete report scope and key. EFTA00722100 (Pond AnorneySmdee List for MDL 1.963 Coninsotd) Page 3 ATTORNEY - FIRM REPRESENTED PARTY(S) Medford. NY 11763 Stone. Ralph M. =>Phone: En: Email: SIIALOV STONE BONNER & ROCCO LLP W.:neaten, Scott 485 Seventh Avenue Suite 1000 New York, NY 10018 Note: Please refer to the report title page for complete report scope and key. EFTA00722101