Brundle v. Wilmington Trust N.A. (I)
Court finds ESOP trustee liable for allowing overpayment for company shares; trustee rushed transaction and failed to scrutinize financial advisor’s valuation ignoring red flags related to projections, use of control premium, beta, rounding up of values.
ESOP trustee’s failure to vet valuation causes significant overpayment
Inadequate trustee performance was at the center of a recent case, featuring a nontraditional ESOP structure. The court found that, if the trustee had engaged with the underlying valuation, it would have discovered numerous weaknesses and prevented the ESOP from overpaying for the company stock.
Court in Brundle case sticks to earlier ESOP liability and damages rulings
Three months after ruling the ESOP trustee was liable for causing the plan to overpay, the court had a chance to revisit its decision in the context of the trustee’s motion for reconsideration.
Inadequate ESOP valuation vetting gets trustee into hot water
ESOP trustees have a duty to be engaged in the valuation process.
DOL backs judgment against trustee in Brundle ESOP litigation
In the fiercely litigated Brundle v. Wilmington Trust ESOP case, in which the district court concluded the ESOP trustee had caused the plan to overpay by almost $29.8 million, the trustee has appealed and outside interests have started to weigh in.
ASA vigorously supports trustee and appraiser in Brundle ESOP litigation
Readers may remember the 2017 Brundle v. Wilmington Trust case in which the district court concluded the ESOP trustee had caused the plan to overpay by almost $28 million.
4th Circuit upholds Brundle ESOP valuation and damages findings
The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals just affirmed the district court’s ruling against the trustee in the intensely contested Brundle v. Wilmington Trust ESOP case, including the district court’s valuation and damages findings.
Another wrinkle in the Brundle ESOP case
Although the district and appellate courts in the landmark Brundle ESOP case ruled years ago against the trustee, Wilmington Trust, litigation related to the case is not over.
Trustee Liable for Inadequate ESOP Valuation Vetting
Court finds ESOP trustee liable for allowing overpayment for company shares; trustee rushed transaction and failed to scrutinize financial advisor’s valuation ignoring red flags related to projections, use of control premium, beta, rounding up of values.
Recent ESOP Ruling Changes the Game
Recently, a district court in Hawaii has ruled in favor of the trustees and sponsors in a case that is getting a lot of attention, Walsh v. Bowers, 2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 177184. The Department of Labor sued the defendants, which included two individual owners. read on to dive a little deeper into the details of this fascinating case!
Court Stands Behind Earlier ESOP Liability and Damages Rulings
Notwithstanding errors related to the court’s liability and damages determinations, the court rejects trustee’s motion for reconsideration as an inappropriate effort to introduce new legal theories and a late attempt to present a competing damages methodo ...
2017’s Top Business Valuation and Damages Cases
BVLaw’s selection of the most educational cases of 2017.
BVLaw Case Update: A One-Hour Briefing
In BVR's second legal briefing, BVR Legal Editor Sylvia Golden and expert appraiser Jim Alerding team up to once again provide appraisers with the most pressing court decisions presented in BVLaw™ and Business Valuation Update™. From the vast and growing compilation of case law procured throughout the United States, Golden and Alerding examine the legal decisions that carry the most weight for appraisers and appraisals, as well as the lessons taught by each decision.
2017 Most Notable Business Valuation Damages Cases
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Valuation and damages issues are integral to civil suits, and, with litigation booming, 2017 offered its share of cases that appraisers and damages experts must or should know. Here is BVLaw’s selection of the most educational cases of 2017. Digests and full court opinions for each of these cases are available in BVLaw.
BV News and Trends August 2021
A monthly roundup of key developments of interest to business valuation experts.
Court Defends Earlier ESOP Liability and Damages Rulings
Notwithstanding errors related to the court’s liability and damages determinations, the court rejects trustee’s motion for reconsideration as an inappropriate effort to introduce new legal theories and a late attempt to present a competing damages methodo ...
Trustee Liable for Inadequate ESOP Valuation Vetting
Court finds ESOP trustee liable for allowing overpayment for company shares; trustee rushed transaction and failed to scrutinize financial advisor’s valuation ignoring red flags related to projections, use of control premium, beta, rounding up of values.