Carla Graff
Associate | Philadelphia
Carla Graff

Carla Graff is an associate in Dechert’s Securities and Complex Litigation group, where she focuses her practice on a broad range of complex civil litigation. She regularly litigates in state and federal court in both trial and appellate proceedings. Ms. Graff has assisted clients conducting internal and government investigations, as well as private mediation.

Ms. Graff represents and advises corporate and individual clients in shareholder derivative, fiduciary duty, securities class action, contract, antitrust, and other matters. Her experience spans multiple industries, including pharmaceutical companies, software technology companies, financial institutions, and insurance providers.

Ms. Graff maintains an active pro bono practice, representing multiple incarcerated and detained individuals facing violations of their constitutional rights in the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Middle Districts of Pennsylvania, resulting in favorable settlement.

  • Defending a former pharmaceutical executive in a multi-district litigation, brought by private plaintiffs and state attorneys general, involving an alleged price fixing and supply conspiracy.
  • Representing a Fortune 500 insurance company in class actions involving multi-hundred-million-dollar fiduciary duty claims.
  • Representing the officers and directors of a Fortune 10 pharmaceutical company in the defense of shareholder derivative claims and in connection with a Special Litigation Committee investigation related to FDA violations.
  • Defending directors of a Fortune 10 pharmaceutical company in shareholder derivative litigation arising out of the distribution of opioids and purported violations of the Controlled Substances Act.
  • Representing a financial institution in an SEC investigation related to an initial public offering.
  • Defended the former CFO of a major pharmaceutical company in multiple securities fraud class actions and a related international arbitration.
  • Represented a lease financing company and its executives in a business fraud action by the Attorney General of New York.
  • Successfully defended multiple Fortune 500 companies, their officers, and directors, in class actions alleging violations of Section 10(b), 14(a), and 20(a) of the Exchange Act.
  • Advised a consumer product manufacturer in a COVID-19 business interruption insurance dispute.
  • 2021 Samuel E. Klein Pro Bono Awards - (April 13, 2021)
  • Dechert Secures Victory for Molson Coors Beverage Company - (December 02, 2020)
Services
    • University of Rochester, B.A., International Relations and Legal Studies, 2014, cum laude
    • The George Washington University Law School, J.D., 2017, Order of the Coif, with High Honors; Senior Projects Editor, The George Washington Law Review, Vol. 85
    • Pennsylvania
    • New Jersey
    • United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
    • United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
    • United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
    • Philadelphia Bar Association
    • Observer, Board Observer Program, Philadelphia Bar Foundation (2021-present)
    • United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, Honorable Patty Shwartz
    • United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, Honorable Anne E. Thompson