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_______________
Copyright (c) 2001
Stanford Law School


Comverse Technology, Inc.
Summary: On March 5, 2008, the plaintiffs filed a Second Consolidated Amended Complaint and later filed a revised version of the complaint on April 10, 2008. An individual defendant filed a motion to dismiss in part. On July 15, 2008, the lead plaintiffs filed a motion to certify the class. On July 18, 2008, the individual defendant’s motion to dismiss was granted and the claims against him were dismissed.

In an article dated February 26, 2008, Comverse Technology Inc., the world's largest maker of voice-mail software, lost a bid to dismiss a lawsuit filed by investors who said they were defrauded by an options-backdating scheme led by ex-Chief Executive Officer. United States District Court Judge Nicholas Garaufis, in Brooklyn, New York, denied a request by Comverse to dismiss a consolidated class-action, or group lawsuit, filed in 2006 against Comverse and other former top executives.

Plaintiffs filed a Consolidated Amended Complaint on March 23, 2007. Defendants filed their first motions to dismiss the Consolidated Amended Complaint on July 30, 2008, while one individual defendant filed his motion to dismiss on August 21, 2007.

In an article dated March 6, 2007, the federal judge overseeing a class action lawsuit against embattled telecommunications company Comverse Technology has vacated a magistrate judge's decision recommending the appointment of Lerach Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins as lead plaintiff's counsel. Finding that Lerach Coughlin's client, Plumbers and Pipefitters National Pension Fund (P&P), did not in fact have the greatest financial interest in the litigation, Eastern District Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis, in In re Comverse Technology, Inc. Securities Litigation, 06-CV-1825, last week granted a request by Pomerantz Haudek Block Grossman & Gross to serve as lead plaintiff's counsel. In appointing the firm that role under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, the judge said Pomerantz Haudek's client, the Menorah Group, purchased "the greatest number of net shares" of Comverse stock, "expanded the greatest number of net funds" and suffered "the greatest loss."

The original Complaint alleges that defendants violated federal securities laws by issuing a series of materially false statements. Specifically, defendants failed to disclose information regarding the true timing of stock option grants made to key executives. This manipulation of the grant dates permitted the individual defendants to enrich themselves, while artificially inflating net income, operating income and retained earnings. Had the timing not been manipulated, and properly accounted for, these financial measures would have been materially lower.

The complaint further alleges that on or around March 14, 2006, Comverse announced the creation of a special committee of its Board of Directors composed of outside directors to review matters relating to the company's stock option grants, the accuracy of the stated dates of option grants and whether all proper corporate procedures were followed. Then, on April 17, 2006, Comverse revealed that it would restate its financial statements for the first three quarters of fiscal 2006, for the 2001-05 fiscal years, and possibly previous periods. The adjustments are expected to be material. On this news, Comverse stock dropped from $29.15 on March 13, 2006 to $23.31 on April 17, 2006, a decline of over 20%.

Similar securities class actions against Comverse Technology, Inc. have also been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION:
SIC Code: 3661
Sector: Technology
Industry: Communications Equipment


COMPANY/ISSUER NAME: Comverse Technology, Inc.
COMPANY/ISSUER TICKER: CMVT
COMPANY WEBSITE: http://www.cmvt.com

FIRST IDENTIFIED COMPLAINT IN THE DATABASE
Anthony Caiafia, et al. v. Comverse Technology, Inc., et al.
 COURT: E.D. New York  DOCKET NUMBER: 06-CV-01825
 JUDGE NAME: Hon. Nicholas G. Garaufis
 DATE FILED: 4/19/2006  SOURCE: Notice of Filing
 CLASS PERIOD START: 4/30/2001  CLASS PERIOD END: 4/16/2006
 TYPE OF COMPLAINT: Complaint (Unamended and Unconsolidated)
 PLAINTIFF FIRMS NAMED IN COMPLAINT:
  • Abbey Spanier Rodd Abrams & Paradis, LLP
      212 East 39th Street, New York, NY, 10016
       (voice) 212-889-3700, (fax) 212-684-519, info@abbeyspanier.com
  • Hanzman & Criden, P.A.
      220 Alhambra Circle, Coral Gables, FL, 33134
       (voice) 305.357.9000, (fax) 305.357.9050, info@hanzmancriden.com
  • Klafter & Olsen LLP
      1250 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Suite 200, Washington, DC, 20036
       (voice) 202.261.3553, (fax) 202.261.3533, info@klafterolsen.com
  • Labaton Sucharow & Rudoff LLP
      100 Park Avenue, 12th Floor, New York, NY, 10017
       (voice) 212.907.0700 , (fax) 212.818.0477 , info@labaton.com
  • Lerach Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins LLP (Melville)
      58 South Service Road, Suite 200, Melville, NY, 11747
       (voice) 631.367.7100, (fax) 631.367.1173,
  • Lockridge, Grindal, Nauen P.L.L.P.
      Suite 301, 660 Pennsylvania Avenue Southeast, Washington, DC, 20003-4335
       (voice) 202.544.9840, (fax) 202.544.9850,
  • Paskowitz & Associates
      60 East 42nd Street, 46th Floor, New York, NY, 10165
       (voice) 212.685.0969, (fax) 212.685.2306, classattorney@aol.com
  • Pomerantz Haudek Block Grossman & Gross LLP (New York)
      100 Park Avenue, 26th Floor, New York, NY, 10017-5516ven
       (voice) 212.661.1100, (fax) 212.661.8665, info@pomerantzlaw.com/
  • The Nygaard Law Firm
      4501 College Blvd. Suite 260, Leawood, KS, 66211
       (voice) 1-888-469-5544, (fax) (913) 469-1561,
  • Wolf Popper, LLP
      845 Third Avenue, New York, NY, 10022-6689Ave
       (voice) 877.370.7703, (fax) 212.486.2093, IRRep@wolfpopper.com
    _____________________________________________
     TOTAL NUMBER OF PLAINTIFF FIRMS:  10

  •  DOCUMENTS FOR THE FIRST IDENTIFIED COMPLAINT
    Class Action Complaint - Jury Trial Demanded
    Type: Complaint Date on the document: 04/19/2006
    Order
    Type: Order of Consolidation Date on the document: 8/16/2006
    Memorandum & Order
    Type: Order Appointing LP/LC Date on the document: 9/27/2006
    US District Court Civil Docket
    Type: Docket Date on the document: 11/29/2006
    Memorandum and Order
    Type: Order Appointing LP/LC Date on the document: 3/2/2007

    REFERENCE COMPLAINT
    In Re Comverse Technology, Inc. Securities Litigation
     COURT: E.D. New York  DOCKET NUMBER: 06-CV-01825
     JUDGE NAME: Hon. Nicholas G. Garaufis
     DATE FILED: 4/10/2008  SOURCE: Docket
     CLASS PERIOD START: 4/30/2001  CLASS PERIOD END: 11/14/2006
     TYPE OF COMPLAINT: Second Amended and Consolidated
     PLAINTIFF FIRMS NAMED IN COMPLAINT:
  • Lerach Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins LLP (Melville)
      58 South Service Road, Suite 200, Melville, NY, 11747
       (voice) 631.367.7100, (fax) 631.367.1173,
  • Pomerantz Haudek Block Grossman & Gross LLP (Chicago)
       1 North LaSalle Street, Chicago, IL, 60602
       (voice) 312.377.1181, (fax) 312.377.1184, info@pomerantzlaw.com/
  • Pomerantz Haudek Block Grossman & Gross LLP (New York)
      100 Park Avenue, 26th Floor, New York, NY, 10017-5516ven
       (voice) 212.661.1100, (fax) 212.661.8665, info@pomerantzlaw.com/
    _____________________________________________
     TOTAL NUMBER OF PLAINTIFF FIRMS:  3

  •  DOCUMENTS FOR THE REFERENCE COMPLAINT
    Consolidated Amended Complaint For Violations Of Federal Securities Laws
    Type: Complaint Date on the document: 3/23/2007
    Report & Recommendation
    Type: Other Date on the document: 10/31/2007
    Memorandum and Order
    Type: Order Date on the document: 2/19/2008
    U.S. District Court Civil Docket
    Type: Docket Date on the document: 8/6/2008

     OTHER DOCUMENTS
    Class Action Complaint for Violation of Federal Securities Laws - Demand for Jury Trial
    Case Name and/or Number: Tully Nadel, et al. v. Comverse Technology, Inc., et al.
    Type: Complaint Date on the document: 04/25/2006
    Verified Shareholder's Derivative Complaint
    Case Name and/or Number: Braverman, et al. v. Comverse Technology, Inc., et al.
    Type: Complaint Date on the document: 05/01/2006
    Class Action Complaint for Violations of Federal Securities Laws - Demand for Jury Trial
    Case Name and/or Number: Thomas, et al. v. Comverse Technology, Inc., et al.
    Type: Complaint Date on the document: 05/04/2006
    Class Action Complaint - Jury Trial Demanded
    Case Name and/or Number: Gorman, et al. v. Comverse Technology, Inc., et al.
    Type: Complaint Date on the document: 06/01/2006
    Class Action Complaint for Violation of the Federal Securities Laws - Jury Trial Demanded
    Case Name and/or Number: Moore, et al. v. Comverse Technology, Inc., et al.
    Type: Complaint Date on the document: 06/12/2006
    U.S. District Court Civil Docket
    Case Name and/or Number: Thomas, et al. v. Comverse Technology, Inc., et al.
    Type: Docket Date on the document: 08/08/2006
    U.S. District Court Civil Docket
    Case Name and/or Number: Moore, et al. v. Comverse Technology, Inc., et al.
    Type: Docket Date on the document: 08/28/2006
    U.S. District Court Civil Docket
    Case Name and/or Number: Nadel, et al. v. Comverse Technology, Inc., et al.
    Type: Docket Date on the document: 08/28/2006
    U.S. District Court Civil Docket
    Case Name and/or Number: Gorman, et al. v. Comverse Technology, Inc., et al.
    Type: Docket Date on the document: 09/28/2006

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