• Business Advice and Litigation

    • Quest Diagnostics in advising on litigation risk in its $123M acquisition of Pack Health (2022).
    • Diamonds Direct USA in advising on litigation risks in its $490M acquisition of Signet Jewelers (2021).
    • Walmart in securing dismissal of alleged violations of DC’s consumer protection statute (DC 2020).
    • ExxonMobil in securing dismissal of a consumer protection complaint filed by the Washington, D.C. Attorney General (DC 2018); prevailing in an antitrust suit filed in Puerto Rico (Diaz Aviation Corp v. Esso et al, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4651, D Pr 2011); and winning at trial in five consolidated cases brought by more than 100 dealers to enjoin sale and divestiture of gas station business in Puerto Rico (Santiago-Sepulveda v. Esso, 582 F.Supp. 2d 154, D Pr 2008).
    • JP Morgan Chase in several consumer lawsuits in federal court and arbitration (2018-present).
    • Ooma several consumer lawsuits resulting in dismissal or successfully enforcement of its contractual arbitration provisions (2016-2018).

    Class Actions

    • GSK in two class action lawsuits for alleged false advertising of its natural line of Chapstick products (NDCA, SDNY 2022-present).
    • State Farm in breach of contract for allegedly failing to extend coverage for COVID-19 related business losses on behalf of a Virginia class (EDVA 2021-present).
    • JP Morgan Chase in Telephone Consumer Protection Act litigation and secured sanction award of $250,000 (SDNY 2020).
    • Apple in securing summary judgment alleging violations of more than 30 state consumer protection statutes (ND Cal 2020).
    • Rent A Center in securing partial summary judgment and favorably resolving California class claims alleging violations consumer protection statutes and usary laws (ND Cal 2019).
    • Life360 in securing a dismissal with prejudice of a TCPA class action lawsuit (ND Cal 2016).
    • Boiron in a defense verdict in a false advertising and consumer fraud class action against leading homeopathic drug manufacturer after one week trial before a jury (CD Cal 2016); winning appeal of nationwide class action settlement over objector's claim of collusion and overbroad release (Gallucci v. Gonzales et al, No.12-57081, 9th Cir 2015); defeating motion to certify class (CD Cal 2014); securing Rule 68 judgment against class action representative and dismissal of complaint (ND Ill 2013); precedent-setting summary judgment victory precluding ability of consumer class to seek injunctive relief, cited in more than 50 decisions (Delarosa v. Boiron, Inc., 275 F.R.D. 582, CD Cal 2011).
    • Whole Foods in securing the dismissal of a nationwide class action lawsuit alleging false advertising of its homeopathic products (SD Fl 2015).
    • Early resolution of various class action demands, including for TCPA, UCL, CLRA, and other state and federal claims.

    Sports

    • National Hockey League Player’s Association providing advice and counsel on internal matters (2022-present).
    • National Basketball Players Association in litigation advising on legal and business matters, arbitrations and in the searches for an Executive Director (2013-present).
    • Washington Football Team in litigation in federal court in Virginia and Maryland and an NFL arbitration regarding disputes with the minority shareholders (2020-2021).
    • Thomson Reuters Foundation in leading a cross-national team of athletes and lawyers and drafting a White Paper discussing the application of labor laws to women professional athletes in Spain compared to other countries (2020).
    • Women's National Basketball Players Association on legal and business strategy (2014-2019).
    • Joe Theismann in dismissing a class action lawsuit against Mr. Theismann alleging false advertising of his celebrity endorsement of OTC supplement (EDCA 2013), affirmed on appeal (9th 2016).
    • Serving as Independent Arbitrator for NCAA.
    • Serving on Law 360's Sports Editorial Advisory Board (2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22).

    White Collar

    • Providing compliance advice and training to multinational produce company (2022-present).
    • Tuskegee University in internal investigation regarding alleged financial irregularities, coordinated with law enforcement, recommended revised policies, practices and procedures (2020-2021).
    • Assisting Roc Nation’s social justice division, Team Roc, in pro bono investigation of law enforcement discrimination and misconduct in Kansas City, Kansas (2021-present).
    • Microsoft in response to U.S. Department of Justice subpoenas in the government’s antitrust lawsuit against Google (2021-present).
    • Represented former officer of U.S. subsidiary and Mexican national in FCPA investigation.
    • Represented a financial institution in an SEC enforcement action, which SEC declined.
    • Conducted an internal investigation of cybercrime, referred matter for federal prosecution.
    • Negotiated a resolution with the FDA resulting in no enforcement action brought against a university hospital for using non FDA-approved medical devices.
    • Represented a foreign company and its U.S. subsidiary in several international antitrust price-fixing investigations and negotiated plea agreements with DOJ.
    • Defended company against liability for insider trading by company officer.
    • Advised Allen Stanford in SEC and DOJ actions and argued at his detention hearing (US v. Stanford, EDVA (Richmond) 2009).
    • Lead trial counsel in an “infomercial fraud” case for an individual facing conspiracy, mail and wire fraud charges and won dismissal after four-week jury trial (US v. Woolf/ Gengler, 2009 US Dist. Lexis 98857, EDVA 2009).

    Includes matters handled at Dechert or prior to joining the firm.

    • High Stakes and Red Flags: The Growing Intersection between Compliance and Dispute Resolution, HNBA Conference (Sept. 8, 2022)
    • Are Law Firms Really On Board? What Firms Are Doing To Advance And Support Women Of Color, WBA's Women of Color Taskforce Panel (Apr. 28, 2022)
    • Internal Investigations 101, Financial Poise Webinars (Nov. 11, 2021)
    • Virtual Happy Hour: Attorneys Share Strategies for Taking Remote Depositions, Webinar (Apr. 2, 2020)
    • Internal Investigations 101, Financial Poise Webinars (Feb. 14, 2019)
    • TCPA Litigation: Defense Strategies, The Knowledge Group Webcast (Jan. 17, 2018)
    • The Global Impact of Sports and the Role Lawyers Play, HNBA Corporate Conference (April 2017)
    • Don't Say That! Defending High Profile Cases and Managing the Media, HNBA Convention (Sept. 2016) 
    • Is It Rougher on the Field or in the Courtroom?, Lawyers for Civil Justice (Dec. 3, 2015)
    • Homeopathic Medicine & Advertising: An FTC Workshop, Panelist (Sept. 21, 2015)
    • The Trial of Lysistrata, Shakespeare Theatre Company Bard Association (Nov. 24, 2014)
    • Class Action Strategies, Bridgeport Litigation & Management Conference (Apr. 11, 2014)

     

    • Hispanic National Bar Association: Vice President External Affairs (2020-2021, 2007-2008), Chief Compliance Officer (2018-2019)
    • Hispanic Bar Association of D.C.
    • Military Spouse JD Network
    • Women’s White Collar Defense Association