International Institutional Investor "Arms Race" - Update

Regular readers may recall that several months ago this humble blog pointed to the increasing efforts being undertaken by American class action firms to solidify "their relationships with foreign institutional investors and outside counsel for those investors."

Yesterday, Schiffrin & Barroway, LLP and the German law firm, Winheller Attorneys at Law, announced "a formal cooperation" agreement to provide "Class Action Services for Institutional Investors."

Of note in the press release, Stefan Winheller, founding partner of the firm, suggests:

that possible clients include banks, mutual fund managers, corporate investors, insurance companies, and pension and other support funds.

It is an interesting turn of phrase, perhaps best likened to the "passive voice" press releases I write about so frequently.

Winheller goes on to say:

We aim to help institutional investors successfully seek compensation for the fraudulent misuse of their investments. The strategic partnership with S&B will give investors from Germany, Austria and Switzerland the great chance to carry out their fiduciary duties to their clients on a convenient contingency fee basis.

American securities class action law firms have also signed on in droves to sponsor international pension fund summits - six have signed on as sponsors of the UK & Irish Pension Summit and four (out of only six sponsors!) have signed on as sponsors of the European Pension Investment Forum.