Slack Technologies v. Pirani
Issues
Are plaintiffs required to plead and prove that they bought securities when claiming that a registration statement is misleading under Sections 11 and 12(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933?
This case asks the Supreme Court to determine whether a plaintiff suing under Sections 11 and 12(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933 must plead and prove that they bought shares registered under the allegedly misleading registration statement. Slack Technologies argues that the text of the statute reflects congressional intent to limit liability to only those who bought shares registered under the relevant registration statement. Slack additionally argues that past judicial and regulatory precedent supports this theory. Fiyyaz Pirani counters that the text of the statute reflects congressional intent to create broad liability by including a range of securities so as to protect investors. Pirani contends that this particular issue is novel and was undecided prior to the district court decision below. The outcome of this case will determine the extent to which investors are protected by the Securities Act of 1933 and the availability of remedial measures to investors under the Act.
Questions as Framed for the Court by the Parties
Whether Sections 11 and 12(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933 require plaintiffs to plead and prove that they bought shares registered under the registration statement they claim is misleading
In 2018, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) issued a new rule allowing companies to publicly sell stock through a direct listing. Pirani v. Slack Technologies, Inc., at 6. Normally, a company issues stock to the public for the first time through an initial public offering (IPO).
Additional Resources
- Susan Hurd and Madeleine Juszynski, High Court Slack Case Not Likely to Broadly Affect Issuers, Alston & Bird (Jan. 27, 2023).
- Dan Schweitzer, Supreme Court Report: Slack Technologies, LLC v. Pirani, 22-200, National Association of Attorneys General (Dec. 19, 2022).
- Greg Stohr, Salesforce Gets Supreme Court Review of Shareholder’s Slack Suit, Bloomberg Law (Dec. 13, 2022).
- Supreme Court Grants Review to Decide Who May Sue under Sections 11 and 12(a)(2) of the Securities Act, Paul Weiss (Dec. 27, 2022).