11.   Investors sued the Burlington, North Carolina-based company in August, claiming the company refused to allow the conversion.

12.   Investors sued the government claiming breach of contract.

13.   Its chief executive and other officials then resigned after being sued by investors who allege they were misled by overly optimistic growth projections.

14.   Levitt also has said the legislation could preempt state laws that allow investors to sue corporate executives who fail to disclose information in proxy statements.

15.   Levitt said he would have preferred to go even further by making it clear in the legislation itself that investors could sue for recklessness.

16.   Other investors later sued and won judgments against Williams.

17.   Outraged investors have sued the company and its executives.

18.   Republicans will soften a bill that would make it more difficult for investors to sue companies in securities fraud cases.

19.   The five men also are being sued by investors in a class-action suit.

20.   The investors successfully sued in the Isle of Man and elsewhere to block the planned stock transfer.