Experience
Confidential Securities Industry Arbitration
We obtained a $13 million damages award on behalf of our client, a portfolio manager, in a dispute over cost-sharing in an investment management industry subadvisory agreement.
Hodge v. Franklin; Vigneau v. Franklin
Represented the directors of a publicly traded Real Estate Investment Trust in companion state court class actions alleging violations of securities laws and related statutes.
Clearly Canadian Beverage Corporation
We defended Clearly Canadian, a Canadian new age beverage company, in a class action suit in the United States District Court, Northern District of California regarding alleged securities fraud violations.
Financial Security Assurance Antitrust Actions
Representing Financial Security Assurance Inc. ("FSA") in a series of cases brought by various municipal bond issuers alleging that FSA and a number of other municipal bond insurer defendants illegally agreed and conspired to artificially inflate the prices of municipal bond insurance in violation of the antitrust laws. Sacramento Municipal Utility District v. Ambac Financial Group, Inc. et al.; City of Los Angeles Dept. of Water & Power v. Ambac Financial Group, Inc. et al.; and City of Sacramento v. Ambac Financial Group, Inc., et al.
Howard v. Hui (Everex Securities Litigation)
In this securities shareholder class action, we defended two Hong Kong companies accused of insider trading and "control person" liability for false financial statements. Plaintiffs sought over $300 million in damages. We secured a complete dismissal of the Third Amended Complaint, with prejudice, before discovery. The plaintiffs later dropped the appeal.
In re Avant! Securities Litigation
We represented a corporate CEO in multiple consolidated class actions.
In re Media Vision Securities Litigation
We represented the former worldwide vice president of sales for Media Vision in parallel securities class actions, an SEC investigation, and action by the U.S. Department of Justice.
McKesson HBOC Securities Litigation
We defended an officer of McKesson HBOC in one of the largest class action securities cases in U.S. history. Dozens of cases were filed and consolidated in federal court in San Jose, California. We successfully obtained dismissal of our client from the derivative suit filed in the Chancery Court in Delaware.
Pinto v. Birr Wilson & Co., et al.
We represented a party in this class action securities case arising from the failure of an $18.5 million retirement center project funded by industrial revenue funds.