The number of class-action securities settlements dropped last year to the lowest number in more than ten years. But hold off on popping the champagne. The median settlement amounts continue to increase, according to a recent survey detailing trends in securities class-action activity. And worse, the number of settlements is likely to rise in coming years.

Jaclyn Jaeger is a freelance contributor to Compliance Week after working for the company for 15 years. She writes on a wide variety of topics, including ethics and compliance, risk management, legal,...