Larkin, Joel L.

John A. Valentine is a partner in the firm's Securities and Litigation/Controversy Departments, and a member of the Securities Litigation and Enforcement Practice Group and the Business Trial Group. He joined the firm in 2000. His practice focuses on a variety of corporate litigation, including shareholder class actions and derivative actions, as well as investigations by the SEC and other government agencies.

Practice

Mr. Valentine has represented corporations, financial institutions, broker-dealers, accounting firms, private equity firms and individual clients in both trial and appellate litigation involving primarily securities law and corporate issues. He has substantial experience in various types of corporate litigation, with a special focus on complex securities litigation, shareholder class actions, derivative litigation, securities-related ERISA class actions and bankruptcy adversary proceedings, and litigation involving structured financial products. In government proceedings, Mr. Valentine has represented clients in investigations and enforcement proceedings by the SEC and other government agencies concerning insider trading, accounting and auditing practices, disclosure issues, adequacy of books and records, management conduct, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, broker-dealer regulatory compliance and auditor independence. He also has experience in conducting internal investigations and advising clients on corporate governance issues and proxy contests.

Mr. Valentine's litigation experience includes representation in the following cases:

Grede v. FTN Financial Securities Corp. (D. Ill.); Grede v. Folan, et al. (D. Ill.); In re XM Satellite Radio Holdings Sec. Litig. (D.D.C.); In re The Mills Corp. Sec. Litig. (E.D. Va.); In re PETCO Corp. Sec. Litig. (S.D. Cal.); Welmon v. Chicago Bridge & Iron Co. N.V. (S.D.N.Y.); Lowinger v. FairPoint Communications, Inc. (W.D.N.C.); In re Sourcecorp Sec. Litig. (N.D. Tex.); In re Riggs National Corp. Litig. (Del. Ch.); In re Polaroid Corp. Sec. Litig. (S.D.N.Y.); In re Adelphia Communications Corp. Sec. Litig. (S.D.N.Y.); In re ConAgra Foods, Inc. Sec. Litig. (D. Neb.); In re Pinnacle Holdings Corp. Sec. Litig. (M.D. Fla.); In re America West Airlines Sec. Litig. (D. Ariz.); Glasser v. The MIIX Group, Inc. (D.N.J.).

Publications

• "Supreme Court Rejects Proving Loss Causation as a Requirement for Class Certification in Securities Fraud Class Actions," co-authored with Christopher Davies, Douglas J. Davison, Kelly S. Shoop and Michael Mugmon, WilmerHale Securities Update (June 16, 2011).
• "Supreme Court Rejects 'Bright-Line' Materiality Rule in Securities Cases," co-authored with Randall R. Lee, Jonathan A. Shapiro and Michael Mugmon, WilmerHale Securities Update (March 29, 2011).
• "What Does Merck & Co. v. Reynolds Mean for the Future of the Statute of Limitations Defense in Securities Fraud Litigation?" co-authored with Andrew B. Weissman, Andrea J. Robinson, Christopher Davies and Theresa Titolo, Journal of Investment Compliance, Vol. 11, Number 3 (2010).
• "Developing Pleading Standards for Loss Causation Following the Supreme Court's Decision in Dura Pharmaceuticals, Inc. v. Broudo," co-authored with Andrew B. Weissman and Jesse Travis, Securities Litigation Report, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Mar. 2006).
• "A Death Knell for 'Bare Allegations, One-Sided Affidavits, and Unexplained Internet Printouts'– The Fifth Circuit Rules that Fed. R. Civ. P. 23 Requires Proof on Class Certification Justifying Fraud on the Market Presumptions," co-authored with Andrew B. Weissman, Securities Litigation Report, Vol. 1, No. 7 (Mar. 2005).
• "Do It Once; Do It Right – The Federal Courts' Rationalization of Pretrial Proceedings in Bankruptcy-Related 'Mega-Frauds'," Securities Litigation Report, Vol. 1, No. 3 (Oct. 2004).
• "Supreme Court to Hear Key Case on Loss Causation in Securities Fraud Claims," co-authored with Andrew B. Weissman and Daniel Gold, WCPHD Securities Law Developments Newsletter (July 13, 2004).
• "President Bush Calls for Strengthening Corporate Disclosure, Management Accountability, and Accountant Oversight," WCP Corporate & Securities Law Developments Newsletter (Mar. 22, 2002).
• "Challenging the Viability of FDCA-Based Causes of Action in the Tort Context: The Orthopedic Bone Screw Experience," co-authored with James M. Beck, 55 Food & Drug L.J. 389 (2000).