An experienced commercial litigator, Amanda MacDonald co-chairs Williams & Connolly’s Securities Litigation and Enforcement practice groups and is a leader in the firm’s investigations practice.  Amanda has defended Fortune 100 issuers, underwriters, Big 4 accounting firms, and corporate officers in securities litigation, class actions, and investigations and enforcement actions by the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission.  

In 2024, Chambers USA recognized Amanda as a Band 2 “Litigation: Securities” specialist in the District of Columbia, describing her as a “well-regarded securities litigator who excels in shareholder derivative actions and securities class actions.” Chambers noted that she is “an outstanding writer and strategist,” and is “extremely knowledgeable, effective and a subject matter expert for all things securities.”  The National Law Journal named Amanda a Litigation “Trailblazer” in 2021 in connection with her defense of an issuer in multi-jurisdictional securities class actions.  Lawdragon named her among its inaugural "500 Leading Litigators in America" for 2023 and 2024. 

Among her representations, Amanda has:

• Defended CVS Health in multi-jurisdictional securities class actions relating to the company’s announcement of a goodwill impairment, securing and maintaining multiple dismissals with prejudice in state and federal trial and appellate courts.
• Defended Silver Lake in a putative securities class action relating to its investment in Intelsat, securing a dismissal of the claims.
• Defended Medtronic plc and certain executives in a putative securities class action alleging various securities fraud claims relating to a regulatory action, securing a dismissal of the claims.
• Defended Range Resources and several current and former executives in a putative securities class action resulting from a regulatory settlement, securing a dismissal with prejudice.
• Defended Brown University in a putative class action seeking tuition and fee refunds in light of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, securing a complete victory in favor of Brown.
• Defended Pfizer Inc. and certain executives in a putative securities class action relating to the spin-off of one of its business units.
• Defended Medtronic plc and certain former executives in a securities class action alleging a fraudulent scheme relating to clinical trial data and academic publications. 
• Defended Pfizer Inc. in a securities class action resulting from a stock drop after the announcement of the company’s resolution of certain government investigations.
• Defended a senior executive of a global financial institution in connection with criminal, civil, and SEC investigations relating to alleged tax and accounting issues.
• Defended a major financial institution in a securities class action relating to alleged fraudulent lending practices and financial reporting after the Seventh Circuit granted a new trial on causation and damages.

Amanda’s broader commercial litigation and investigations experience includes defending in trial courts and in arbitration professional audit and consulting firms accused of breach of contract, accounting malpractice, and fraud.  She regularly partners with in-house compliance departments to lead internal investigations into compliance and whistleblower allegations.

A magna cum laude graduate of the Northwestern University School of Law, Amanda has spent her entire career at Williams & Connolly.  She co-chairs the Firm’s Women’s Initiative, a group she co-founded in 2015.  Amanda is regularly asked to speak at conferences and to conduct CLEs addressing her practice areas.