In re NII Holdings, Inc. Securities Litigation

311 F.R.D. 401, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 156034, 2015 WL 7283110
District Court, E.D. Virginia·Decided November 17, 2015·No. 1:14-CV-227(LMB/JFA)·Published·Cited by 10 cases

Opinion

[404]*404MEMORANDUM OPINION

Leonie M. Brinkema, United States District Judge

Lead Plaintiffs seek to certify a nationwide class pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 23(a) and 23(b)(3) composed of “[a]ll persons and entities that, during the period from February 25, 2010 through February 27, 2014, inclusive, purchased or otherwise acquired the publicly traded securities of Nil Holdings, Inc. (“Nil Holdings”) and/or Nil Capital Corp. (“Nil Capital”, [sic] together with Nil Holdings, “Nil” or the “Company”) and who were damaged thereby.” Pis.’ Mem. in Supp. of Lead Pis.’ Mot. for Class Cert, and Appoint, of Class Reps, and Class Counsel at 1 [Dkt. No. 200], Sept. 11, 2015 (“Pis.’ Mem.”). Lead Plaintiffs request that this class include all persons and entities that transacted in Nil common stock and three different Nil bonds, a 10% Note, an 8.875% Note, and a 7.625% Note. Id. Lead Plaintiffs also seek the appointment of Lead Plaintiffs as Class representatives. Id. Finally, Lead Plaintiffs seek the appointment of Labaton Sucharow LLP (“Labaton”) and Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP (“Kessler Topaz”) as Co-Class Counsel and Susan R. Podolsky as Class Liaison Counsel. Id. For the reasons that follow, this motion will be granted.

I. BACKGROUND

This action arises out of a strategic business shift undertaken by Nil Holdings, Inc., which is a telecommunications company headquartered in Virginia. Nil offered wireless voice and data services through its Nextel-branded subsidiaries in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, and Peru. Defs.’ Mem. in Opp’n to Lead Pis.’ Mot. for Class Cert, and Appoint, of Class Reps, and Counsel at 3 [Dkt. No. 210], Oct. 2, 2015 (“Defs.’ Opp’n”). Beginning in 2009, Nil started to transition its cellular networks in the above-mentioned countries from second-generation (“2G”) technology to third-generation (“3G”) technology. Pis.’ Mem. at 3.

Lead Plaintiffs, all of which are large pension funds, brought this action against Nil and three current and former Nil officers— Steven Dussek, who was Chief Executive [405]*405Officer until December 2012; Steven Shindler, who was Chief Executive Officer after December 2012; and Gokul Hemmady, who was Chief Financial Officer until October 2012 and Chief Operating Officer after June 2012, continuing in that position until the end of the class period. Id. On September 15, 2014, Nil filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York and received court approval of its bankruptcy plan in June 2015. Pis.’ Mem. at 2 n.3. Due to the bankruptcy, all claims against Nil have been extinguished, leaving only the individual Nil officers as defendants in this civil action which charges them in two counts with violations of § 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 and with “control person” liability under § 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Id. These counts are premised on allegations that defendants “engaged in a pattern of lies and half-truths concerning the progress and efficacy of Nil’s 3G transition, the quality of its customer base, and the company’s ability to generate and maintain positive subscriber growth metrics.” Pis.’ Mem. at 3-4.

II. DISCUSSION

A. STANDARD OF REVIEW

It is axiomatic that plaintiffs, as the parties seeking class certification, have the burden of proving that all class certification requirements are met. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Dukes, 564 U.S. 338, 131 S.Ct. 2541, 2551, 180 L.Ed.2d 374 (2011); see also Amchem Prods., Inc. v. Windsor, 521 U.S. 591, 614, 117 S.Ct. 2231, 138 L.Ed.2d 689 (1997). In the Fourth Circuit, plaintiffs must “establish by a preponderance of the evidence that the action complies with each part of Rule 23.” Brown v. Nucor Corp., 785 F.3d 895, 931 (4th Cir.2015). Lead Plaintiffs therefore bear the burden of demonstrating (1) that the class is so numerous that the joinder of all members would be impracticable; (2) that questions of law or feet are common to the class; (3) that their claims or defenses are typical of those of the class; and (4) that they will fairly and adequately protect the interests of the class. Fed. R. Civ. P. 23(a). Apart from these Rule 23(a) requirements, plaintiffs must also demonstrate that the requirements of Rule 23(b)(3) are met — namely, that “questions of law or fact common to the members of the class predominate over any questions affecting only individual members, and that a class action is superior to other available methods for the fair and efficient adjudication of the controversy.”

Importantly, as the Supreme Court recently reiterated, the Court must perform a “rigorous analysis” to determine whether the party seeking class certification has borne the burden of establishing that it satisfies the certification requirements. Comcast Corp. v. Behrend, — U.S.-, 133 S.Ct. 1426, 1432, 185 L.Ed.2d 515 (2013) (quoting Wal-Mart, 131 S.Ct. at 2551). The Supreme Court has further advised that “sometimes it may be necessary for [lower courts] to probe behind the pleadings before coming to rest on the certification question” because “class determination generally involves considerations that are enmeshed in the factual and legal issues comprising the plaintiffs cause of action.” Id. (quoting Wal-Mart, 131 S.Ct. at 2551 (internal quotation marks omitted)). Such an analysis is appropriate to ensure that class actions remain “an exception to the usual rule that litigation is conducted by and on behalf of the individual named parties only.” Califano v. Yamasaki, 442 U.S. 682, 700-01, 99 S.Ct. 2545, 61 L.Ed.2d 176 (1979).

B. RULE 23(A)

“In determining the propriety of a class action, the question is not whether the plaintiff or plaintiffs have stated a cause of action or will prevail on the merits, but rather whether the requirements of Rule 23 are met.” Eisen v. Carlisle & Jacquelin, 417 U.S. 156, 178, 94 S.Ct. 2140, 40 L.Ed.2d 732 (1974). Defendants do not dispute that Lead Plaintiffs have satisfied the requirements of Fed. R. Civ. P. 23(a); instead, their challenge to certification principally centers on Lead Plaintiffs’ showing of market efficiency as it relates to the finding of predominance required by Fed. R. Civ. P. 23(b)(3). Nevertheless, this Court must still undertake a “rigorous analysis” to ensure that plaintiffs have carried their burden of satisfying both Fed. R. Civ. P. 23(a) and (b) by a preponderance [406]*406of the evidence. See Comcast, 133 S.Ct. at 1432.

1. Nnmerosity

Lead Plaintiffs must show that the proposed class “is so numerous that joinder of all members is impracticable.” Fed. R. Civ. P, 23(a)(1).

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In re NII Holdings, Inc. Securities Litigation, 311 F.R.D. 401, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 156034, 2015 WL 7283110 (E.D. Va. 2015).

311 F.R.D. 401 (In re NII Holdings, Inc. Securities Litigation) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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