Practice: Securities Fraud, Mergers & Acquisitions
Email: etripodi@zlk.com
Elizabeth K. Tripodi focuses her practice on shareholder protection, representing investors in litigation involving mergers, acquisitions, tender offers, and change-in-control transactions, securities fraud litigation, and corporate derivative litigation. Ms. Tripodi has been named as a Washington, D.C. “Super Lawyer” in the securities field and was selected as a “Rising Star” by Thomson Reuters for several consecutive years.
Ms. Tripodi’s trial experience includes:
- In re Tesla, Inc. Securities Litigation, No. 3:18-cv-04865-EMC (N.D. Cal.) (lead counsel in class action representing Tesla investors who were harmed by Elon Musk’s “funding secured” tweet from August 7, 2018)
Ms. Tripodi has played a lead role in obtaining monetary recoveries for shareholders in M&A litigation:
- In Reith v. Lichtenstein, et al., Case NO. 2018-0277-MTZ, on behalf of the class and derivatively on behalf of Steel Connect, Inc. recovering a $6 million fund to be distributed to common stockholders of Steel Connect, the majority of which going to the minority stockholders. The Court of Chancery approved the settlement on December 13, 2024, called the result an “excellent settlement.”
- In Karsan Value Fund v. Kostecki Brokerage Pty, Ltd. et al., Case No. C.A. No. 2021-0899-LWW (Delaware Chancery), on behalf of the class of former minority stockholders of Alloy Steel, and recovered a $9.5 million common fund – a $1.90 per share (75%) increase on top of the original merger consideration of $2.55 per share. The Court of Chancery approved the settlement on April 4, 2024, and remarked that it was “strong” and a “great settlement.”
- In re Schuff International, Inc. Stockholders Litigation, Case No. 10323-VCZ, achieving the largest recovery as a percentage of the underlying transaction consideration in Delaware Chancery Court merger class action history, obtaining an aggregate recovery of more than $22 million -- a gross increase from $31.50 to $67.45 in total consideration per share (a 114% increase) for tendering stockholders.
- In re Bluegreen Corp. S’holder Litig., Case No. 502011CA018111 (Circuit Ct. for Palm Beach Cty., FL), creation of a $36.5 million common fund settlement in the wake of a majority shareholder buyout, representing a 25% increase in total consideration to the minority stockholders
- In re Cybex International S’holder Litig, Index No. 653794/2012 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 2014), recovery of $1.8 million common fund, which represented an 8% increase in stockholder consideration in connection with management-led cash-out merger
- In re Great Wolf Resorts, Inc. S’holder Litig, C.A. No. 7328-VCN (Del. Ch. 2012), where there was a $93 million (57%) increase in merger consideration
- Minerva Group, LP v. Keane, Index No. 800621/2013 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 2013), settlement in which Defendants increased the price of an insider buyout from $8.40 to $9.25 per share
Ms. Tripodi has played a key role in obtaining injunctive relief while representing shareholders in connection with M&A litigation, including obtaining preliminary injunctions or other injunctive relief in the following actions:
- In re Portec Rail Products, Inc. S’holder Litig, G.D. 10-3547 (Ct. Com. Pleas Pa. 2010)
• In re Craftmade International, Inc. S’holder Litig, C.A. No. 6950-VCL (Del. Ch. 2011)
• Dias v. Purches, et al., C.A. No. 7199-VCG (Del. Ch. 2012)
•In re Complete Genomics, Inc. S’holder Litig, C.A. No. 7888-VCL (Del. Ch. 2012)
• In re Integrated Silicon Solution, Inc. Stockholder Litig., Lead Case No. 115CV279142 (Sup. Ct. Santa Clara, CA 2015)
Prior to joining Levi & Korsinsky, Ms. Tripodi was a member of the litigation team that served as Lead Counsel in, and was responsible for, the successful prosecution of numerous class actions, including: Rudolph v. UTStarcom (stock option backdating litigation obtaining a $9.5 million settlement); Grecian v. Meade Instruments (stock option backdating litigation obtaining a $3.5 million settlement).
Education
- American University Washington College of Law (2006), cum laude, where she served as Co-Editor in Chief of the Business Law Journal (f/k/a Business Law Brief), was a member of the National Environmental Moot Court team, and interned for Environmental Enforcement Section at the Department of Justice
- Davidson College B.A. (2000) Art History
Admissions
- Virginia (2006)
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (2006)
- District of Columbia (2008)
- United States District Court for the District of Columbia (2010)
- United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (2018)