PIONEER POWER SOLUTIONS, INC. 10-Q

ITEM 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS From time to time, we may become involved in lawsuits, investigations and claims that arise in the ordinary course of business. On January 11, 2016, Myers Power Products, Inc., a specialty electrical products manufacturer, filed suit with the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles, against us, PCEP and two PCEP employees who are former employees of Myers Power Products, Inc., Geo Murickan, the president of PCEP (“Murickan”), and Brett DeChellis (“DeChellis”), alleging, among other things, that Murickan wrongly used and retained confidential business information of Myers Power Products, Inc. for the benefit of us and PCEP, in breach of their confidentiality agreement and/or employment agreement entered into with Myers Power Products, Inc., and that we and PCEP knowingly received and used such confidential business information. Myers Power Products, Inc. sought injunctive relief enjoining us, PCEP and our employees from using its confidential business information and compensatory damages of an unspecified unlimited amount; however, the Company recognized approximately $1.2 million for expected costs related to this litigation in the prior two fiscal years. On October 4, 2019, the dividend that was payable by the Company was enjoined by court order of the Superior Court of California related to the foregoing case. On October 16, 2019, Myers Power Products, Inc. filed an ex parte application arguing the Company had violated, or intended to violate the modified preliminary injunction and sought an order from the court for the Company to post a bond in an amount of $30,000 or more (which was not granted). The Company cancelled the dividend as the result of this court order. There were also two related appeals in the California Court of Appeal for the Second Appellate District (“Court of Appeal”). Case no. B301494 was an appeal of the October 4, 2019 order modifying a previously issued preliminary injunction. Case no. B302943 was an appeal of the November 26, 2019 order requiring Pioneer Power Solutions, Inc. and Pioneer Custom Electrical Products Corp. to obtain and post a $12 million bond. On April 10, 2020, the Court of Appeal granted our motion to combine the two appeals. On November 20, 2020, the Company entered into a settlement and release agreement with Myers Power Products, Inc. As part of the settlement, all injunctions were dissolved, and all litigation and appeals related to the action were dismissed with prejudice. The parties executed full releases of all known and unknown claims, thereby eliminating all such restrictions on the Company. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed; however, the Company agreed to pay Myers Power Products, Inc. an amount that did not differ significantly from the $1.2 million of expected costs the Company recognized as a legal contingency during the year ended December 31, 2018. This payment was made during the fourth quarter of 2020. We can give no assurance that any other lawsuits or claims brought in the future will not have an adverse effect on our financial condition, liquidity or operating results. As of the date hereof, we are not aware of or a party to any legal proceedings to which we or any of our subsidiaries is a party or to which any of our property is subject, nor are we aware of any such threatened or pending litigation or any such proceedings known to be contemplated by governmental authorities that we believe could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or operating results. We are not aware of any material proceedings in which any of our directors, officers or affiliates or any registered or beneficial shareholder of more than 5% of our common stock is an adverse party or has a material interest adverse to our interest.