Bank of America announced it, and certain of its current and former officers and directors, have agreed, subject to court approval, to settle a class action lawsuit brought in 2009 on behalf of investors that purchased or held Bank of America securities at the time the company announced plans to acquire Merrill Lynch.

Under terms of the proposed settlement, Bank of America would pay a total of $2.43 billion and institute certain corporate governance policies.

Plaintiffs had alleged, among other claims, that Bank of America and certain of its officers made false or misleading statements about the financial health of Bank of America and Merrill Lynch. Bank of America denies the allegations and is entering into this settlement to eliminate the uncertainties, burden and expense of further protracted litigation.

“Resolving this litigation removes uncertainty and risk and is in the best interests of our shareholders,” said chief executive officer Brian Moynihan. “As we work to put these long-standing issues behind us, our primary focus is on the future and serving our customers and clients.”

The proposed settlement will be reviewed by Judge Kevin Castel in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, where the class action is pending.