Anne, a partner in the San Francisco office, has extensive experience in complex commercial litigation matters, with a particular emphasis on class action litigation and corporate disputes. Her practice includes front-line representation in consumer and securities class actions, shareholder derivative actions, and M&A and transaction-related litigation. In addition to representing public companies as well as private equity firms and their portfolio companies in such matters, Anne has led clients through a range of commercial disputes involving unfair competition, antitrust, consumer protection, and business tort claims.
Anne is also a core member of the firm’s data privacy and cybersecurity practice. She has guided clients through forensic investigations and incident response efforts in the wake of large data breaches, and in defending the class action litigation that frequently follows. Anne is part of the firm’s dedicated working group focused on the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). She has counseled clients on how to assess and mitigate the litigation risks introduced by the CCPA, and has presented on the new law at client roundtables that the firm has hosted around the country.
Anne has appeared in federal and state courts in California and a number of other jurisdictions, and in multidistrict litigations. In 2020, Anne was recognized by the Daily Journal in its “Top Women Lawyers” list for California. Anne is a member of the Women’s Forum Steering Committee at Ropes & Gray, and serves as one of the Hiring Partners for the firm’s San Francisco office.
Experience
- Won dismissal for Keurig Green Mountain, Inc. of three separate securities fraud class actions in the U.S. District Courts for the Northern District of California and the District of Vermont. Negotiated a favorable resolution of a fourth securities fraud class action in the District of Vermont after the filing of a summary judgment motion directed to the plaintiffs’ core allegations.
- Represented Bain Capital as it formed a consortium of investors to acquire Toshiba Memory Corporation, in a transaction valued at $18 billion. As part of a cross-office and cross-disciplinary team, advised Bain as it confronted a joint venture partner’s attempts to enjoin Toshiba’s sale of its chip unit.
- Represented a Bay Area public company and its officers and directors in a putative securities class action. Dismissal of the case was recently upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
- Representing vehicle manufacturer in ongoing securities class action litigation arising from its initial public offering. Serving as lead defense counsel for the company as well as its directors and officers in parallel federal and state court actions and related derivative suits.
- Represented former public company officer in putative securities fraud class action in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California arising from a restatement of the company’s financials.
- Represented private equity firm in dispute with portfolio company founder that involved breach of fiduciary duty actions in both Michigan and Delaware. Negotiated successful early resolution for the client.
- Represented private equity firm in fiduciary duty litigation arising from a public company take-private. Defeated attempts in multiple jurisdictions to enjoin the transaction. Argued motion that resulted in dismissal of a post-closing action with prejudice.
- Represented various Sony entities in defending multiple global litigations and regulatory actions that arose from the 2011 criminal cyberattacks on the Sony PlayStation and Sony Online Entertainment networks.
- Represented Heartland Payment Systems, Inc. in class action litigation brought by consumers and financial institutions resulting from the cybersecurity incident the company announced in 2009.
- Represented The TJX Companies, Inc. in connection with multidistrict consumer class action litigation in the US and Canada arising out of the data security breach it announced in 2007, the largest data intrusion in U.S. history at that time.
- Represented The TJX Companies, Inc. in multiple class actions involving consumer protection claims based on the company’s collection of sales tax. Won dismissal with prejudice of action filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
- Represented footwear and apparel company in commercial licensing dispute in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Matter resolved after motion to dismiss the opposing party’s claims.
- Served as lead trial counsel for a community hospital in breach of contract action brought by a physician arising out of peer review process.