Joel Fleming
Partner
Joel Fleming is a partner at Block & Leviton LLP, focusing on securities, corporate governance, and merger-and-acquisition litigation. In 2019, Law360 named Mr. Fleming as one of the top six securities litigators in the country under the age of 40.
Since joining Block & Leviton in 2014, Mr. Fleming has recovered over $100 million for investors in actions in which the firm was lead or co-lead counsel.
Prior to joining Block & Leviton, Mr. Fleming was an associate in the Securities Litigation group at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr, one of the nation’s most highly regarded corporate defense firms. He graduated with honors from the Harvard Law School in 2011.
Notable Cases »
In re Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation Derivative Litigation (Del. Ch.)
- $42.5 million settlement of derivative litigation arising from conflicted, related-party transaction with controlling stockholder.
In re Handy& Harman Corporation Stockholders Litigation (Del. Ch.)
- $30 million settlement of class action arising from sale of Handy & Harman to its controlling stockholder. Recovery represents a 33% premium to deal price; a near-record for merger litigation in Delaware
In re Rentrak Corporation Shareholders Litigation (Ore. Sup. Ct.)
- $19.5 million settlement of litigation arising from all-stock merger between Rentrak Corporation and comScore, Inc. The largest settlement of merger litigation in Oregon state court history.
In re Tangoe, Inc. Stockholders Litigation (Del. Ch.)
- $12.5 million settlement of litigation arising from sale of Tangoe, Inc. to affiliates of Marlin Equity Partners in take-private transaction.
Garfield v. BlackRock Mortgage Ventures, LLC, et al. (Del. Ch.)
- $6.85 million settlement of litigation arising from allegedly conflicted reorganization transaction that collapsed "Up-C" structure to simplified corporate form.
Sciabacucchi v. Liberty Broadband Corporation, et al. (Del. Ch.)
- Defeated, in substantial part, motions to dismiss in derivative action challenging related-party transactions in connection with Charter Communications’ acquisitions of Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks.
Klein v. H.I.G. Capital, LLC, et al. (Del. Ch.)
- Defeated, in substantial part, motions to dismiss in derivative action challenging related-party transactions involving Surgery Partners, Inc., its former controlling stockholder, HIG Capital, and its current controlling stockholder, Bain Capital.
Employees' Retirement System of Rhode Island v. Facebook, Inc. (Del. Ch.)
- Favorable trial verdict entered in favor of state pension plan in books-and-records action investigating allegedly unfair terms and process of regulatory settlement that shielded senior management from personal liability.
MabVax Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. v. Sichenzia Ross Ference LLP, et al. (S.D. Cal.)
- Favorable settlement of malpractice, breach of fiduciary duty, and fraud action brought on behalf of bankrupt, formerly public company against law firm alleged to have provided disloyal and incompetent advice concerning the company’s disclosure obligations under the federal securities laws.
Pro Bono Work »
Judicial Commentary »
Institutional Client Representation »
Publications & Speaking Engagements »
Professional Organizations / Awards »
- “Rising Star: Massachusetts” Super Lawyers
- Visiting Lecturer, Tufts University
- Editor, Harvard Journal of Law & Technology
Publications »
- Decision Re-Affirms Critical Role of Shareholders, Benefits and Pensions Monitor
- SEC takes hard line on ‘cyber incidents, San Francisco Daily Journal
- Meltdowns crank up muni-bond litigation, Los Angeles Daily Journal
- Lower Courts Interpret the Supreme Court’s Decision in Janus Capital Group, Inc. v. First Derivative Traders, Financial Fraud Law Report
Languages »
Clerkship »
Education
- Harvard Law School, J.D. ’11, cum laude
- Wilfrid Laurier University, B.A. with high distinction ’08
Bar Admissions
- California
- Massachusetts
- Court of Appeals for the First and Ninth Circuits
- District courts for the District of Massachusetts, Central District of California, Southern District of California, and Northern District of California
