Kessler Topaz served as co-lead counsel in class action litigation arising from Globe’s acquisition by Grupo Atlantica to form Ferroglobe.
Plaintiffs alleged that Globe’s Board breached their fiduciary duties to Globe’s public stockholders by agreeing to sell Globe for an unfair price, negotiating personal benefits for themselves at the expense of the public stockholders, failing to adequately inform themselves of material issues with Grupo Atlantica, and issuing a number of materially deficient disclosures in an attempt to mask issues with the negotiations. At oral argument on Plaintiffs’ preliminary injunction motion, the Court held that Globe stockholders likely faced irreparable harm from the Board’s conduct, but reserved ruling on the other preliminary injunction factors. Prior to the Court’s final ruling, the parties agreed to settle the action for $32.5 million and various corporate governance reforms to protect Globe stockholders’ rights in Ferroglobe.