Paul F. Rugani
Partner
New York, SeattlePaul Rugani focuses his practice on representing financial institutions, accounting firms, and public companies and their officers and directors in a variety of industries, including financial services, technology, manufacturing and entertainment.
He represents these clients in securities class actions, shareholder derivative lawsuits, commercial contractual disputes and other complex litigation matters at both the trial and appellate levels, as well as in connection with internal, government and regulatory investigations.
Legal 500 touts Paul as a recommended attorney for Securities Litigation, observing that he is "among the most creative and strategic lawyers" who always has "an eye on the end game." He has been recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star for Securities Litigation every year since 2012.-
Paul is one of the authors of the Orrick Guide to Securities Litigation, the most recent version of which was published in November 2012, and of the Bloomberg BNA Practice Portfolio "Federal Securities Law Liability of Underwriters, Accountants, and Attorneys." Paul Rugani also serves as an editor of the Orrick Financial Industry Week in Review and Orrick's Weekly Auditor Liability Bulletin.
Paul devotes a portion of his practice to providing pro bono services in civil rights and immigration cases.
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Significant involvement in recent cases includes the following.
- Representation of Barclays, Credit Suisse, Nomura, and Royal Bank of Scotland in state and federal litigations in connection with the banks' underwriting of residential mortgage-backed securities. Paul is currently serving as coordinating counsel for more than 60 RMBS lawsuits pending before Justice Marcy Friedman in the New York Supreme Court, Commercial Division.
- Representation of Barclays Capital in litigation over Archstone Holdings, Inc. After an expedited trial in the Southern District of New York, the court found for Barclays on all issues, allowing Barclays and BofA Merrill to dispose of several billion dollars in disputed assets.
- Representation of two UBS entities in a Second Circuit appeal in which the court affirmed the dismissal of a shareholder class action seeking $800 million in damages arising out of a merger break-up.
- Representation of a former officer of Countrywide Financial Corporation in various state and federal securities lawsuits.
- Representation of Expedia in connection with certain insurance recovery matters.
- Representation of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in various securities lawsuits and regulatory investigations.
- Representation of KPMG LLP in various securities and employment lawsuits.
- Representation of Microsoft Corporation in obtaining dismissal at the pleading stage of multiple consumer class actions related to Microsoft’s Windows Operating System downgrade policy.
- Representation of a major motion picture studio in antitrust litigation arising out of alleged employee recruiting and compensation practices.
- Representation of Merix Corporation in securities and derivative class actions.
- Representation of Cell Therapeutics Inc. in securities and False Claims Act litigation.
- Representation of directors of Infospace, Inc., in derivative litigation.
