John Williams practices in the area of complex civil litigation with a particular focus on securities litigation, international disputes and arbitration, and professional liability defense. John has represented issuers, private equity firms, underwriters, professional advisers, and individuals in securities litigation, class actions, derivative cases, state securities and fraud actions, regulatory challenges, and government investigations. Those matters have included successful representations of clients at all levels of the federal and state courts, including the Supreme Court of the United States. His international experience includes representing foreign institutions and individuals in civil and criminal matters as well as government investigations. John also has extensive experience in international arbitrations. His international representations are confidential. Although his work has covered a variety of industries, John has defended numerous clients in the energy and healthcare sectors. In the energy space, he has represented corporations and private equity firms in securities class actions, government investigations, and international arbitrations. In the healthcare area, he has represented companies in numerous securities cases and commercial disputes. John has defended international, national, and regional law firms, as well as individual lawyers. The cases have involved civil matters initiated by clients, non-clients, and bankruptcy-related trustees, as well as government investigations and criminal prosecutions. The non-client representations have usually involved matters brought by counterparties to the law firm’s client or customers or shareholders of the client suing in representative capacities. John has also counseled law firms and individual lawyers in sanctions matters and disciplinary proceedings. A graduate of Princeton (A.B., magna cum laude), Harvard (J.D., cum laude), and Yale (M.A.), John grew up in Scarsdale, New York. After graduating from law school, he served as a law clerk to the Honorable Danny J. Boggs of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. He joined Williams & Connolly in 2005. John serves on the firm’s Discovery Attorney Committee. His pro bono representations have included representing asylum seekers and a D.C. habeas petitioner. He argued on behalf of the habeas petitioner and his six co-petitioners before the Supreme Court of the United States in Turner v. United States, 582 U.S. 313 (2017). That case was later featured in the Netflix series “The Confession Tapes.” Representative ExperienceBelow are disclosable representations John has undertaken in securities suits, general civil litigation, criminal matters and government investigations, and professional liability matters. Securities Representations
- Defense of private equity firm in derivative lawsuit arising from corporate reorganization (Del. Ch.)
- Defense of healthcare company in securities class action arising from clinical trial (E.D.N.Y.)
- Defense of private equity firm in securities litigation and parallel shareholder derivative litigation involving alleged false statements regarding Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”) compliance and oil prospects (S.D. Tex.; Harris Cty.)
- Defense of insurance firm in securities class action arising from accounting restatement (S.D.N.Y., 2d Cir.)
- Defense of healthcare company in securities class action arising from False Claims Act (“FCA”) investigation: Omnicare, Inc. v. Laborer’s District Counsel Construction Industry Pension Fund, 575 U.S. 175 (2015) (S. Ct.).
- Defense of underwriting syndicate in securities litigation arising from offering by foreign media firm (S.D.N.Y.)
- Defense of Founder/former CEO in securities class action (S.D.N.Y.)
- Representation of investment bank in securities class action appeal regarding class certification (S. Ct., 2d Cir.)
- Defense of CEO and founder in securities fraud case and parallel shareholder derivative cases involving media analytics firm (D. Conn.)
- Defense of healthcare company in securities fraud case and parallel shareholder derivative litigation arising from statements in wake of resolution of government FCA investigation (N.D. Tex., Dallas Cty.)
- Defense of medical-device company in securities fraud case arising from statements in connection with FCPA investigation (E.D.N.Y.)
- Defense of medical-device company in class certification proceedings in case alleging scheme liability (D. Minn.)
- Defense of company in insider-trading class action (S.D.N.Y.)
- Representation of investment bank in defense of dismissal under Securities Litigation Uniform Standards Act of 1998 (S. Ct., 9th Cir.)
- Defense of media and proprietary-education company in securities litigation resulting from Senate investigation into the proprietary-education sector (D.D.C.)
General Civil Litigation
- Representation of aerospace firm in securing antisuit injunction (N.D. Cal.)
- Representation of biopharmaceutical company in dispute regarding royalty stream (AAA arbitration)
- Representation of private equity firm and executive in FCA lawsuit (N.D. Ala.)
- Defense of cryptocurrency firm in customer class action (S.D. Fla.)
- Representation of Founder/CEO in dispute arising from departure from company (N.Y. Comm. Div.)
- Representation of healthcare company in employment disputes regarding foregone compensation and non-compete matters (S.D.N.Y., N.Y. Comm. Div.)
- Representation of media company in the D.C. Circuit in appeal of labor dispute (D.C. Cir.)
Criminal Matters & Government Investigations
- Defense of bank in parallel criminal and civil securities fraud matters (D. Del., S.D.N.Y.)
- Defense of former bank executive in SEC, criminal, and civil actions resulting from account-opening scandal (N.D. Cal., C.D. Cal.)
- Defense of Founder/former CEO in government investigations resulting from accounting restatement
- Defense of foreign mining firm in FCPA investigation by the SEC
- Representation of lawyer in the Second Circuit in criminal case alleging securities fraud and wire fraud (2d Cir.)
Professional Liability Defense
- Defense of law firm in lawsuits brought by underwriter clients after failed IPO by foreign energy company (N.Y. Comm. Div.)
- Defense of law firm in securities litigation and trustee actions arising from collapse of client energy firm (S.D. Tex.)
- Defense of law firm in coordinated suits by bankruptcy trustees and former customers of client commodities brokerage (S.D.N.Y., 2d Cir., N.Y. Ct. of Appeals, N.Y. Comm. Div.)
- Defense of law firm in securities fraud, common-law fraud/negligent misrepresentation suit brought in connection to LBO transaction (S.D.N.Y.)
- Defense of law firms in multiple matters arising from tax opinions (Ill. and Ga. state courts)
- Defense of law firm and lawyers in appeal from order imposing sanctions (4th Cir., E.D.N.C.)
- Defense of law firm in securities suits by customers of client commodities brokerage (S.D.N.Y., 2d Cir.)
- Defense of law firm in matter arising from criminal representation (N.Y. Comm. Div.)
- Defense of law firm in matter brought by SIPA Trustee following collapse of broker-dealer (N.D. Ohio; Bankr. N.D. Ohio)
- Defense of law firm in matter involving estate planning advice (Cal. State court)
- Representation of law firm and lawyers in appeal from sanctions finding (D. Colo., D.C.)
Recognitions"Next Generation Lawyer," in the category of Securities Litigation: Defense, Legal 500, 2019-2024 "Next Generation Lawyer," in the category of General Commercial Disputes, Legal 500, 2020 “40 & Under Hot List”, Benchmark Litigation, 2018 Selected to Washington, D.C. “Rising Stars” list, Super Lawyers, 2014-2016 |
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