Daniel Laguardia is a partner in the firm's Litigation practice and Head of the Bay Area Offices. He has represented individuals, corporations, and various financial institutions including banks, broker-dealers, hedge funds, mutual funds and private equity funds, in securities litigation, internal investigations, regulatory matters and complex commercial litigation. He has extensive litigation experience across a broad spectrum of substantive areas, including securities and complex financial products, financial markets, mergers & acquisitions disputes, shareholder actions, distressed debt and bankruptcy issues, and commercial contracts, and he has achieved a strong record of success for clients in trial and appellate courts.

In addition to the representation of clients in all aspects of strategic litigation planning and practice, Mr. Laguardia regularly counsels clients on pre-dispute situation management, risk-control, high exposure transactions, compliance, and board governance issues. He conducts internal investigations for clients and board committees and reviews and advises on corporate compliance provisions, governance structures, and controls.

Mr. Laguardia was a law clerk to Judge Anthony J. Scirica of the U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit, from 1999 to 2000 and to Judge David G. Trager, U.S. District Court, E.D.N.Y., from 1998 to 1999. He speaks frequently on matters of practice and ethics, has been named one of the top 50 lawyers in San Francisco and repeatedly recognized by Benchmark Litigation, and is the current chair of the Securities Litigation Committee of the San Francisco Bar Association and the former chair of the Committee on Securities Litigation of the New York City Bar. He is also a past hiring partner for the Firm and co-chair of the Firm’s associate development committee.

Securities and Financial Market Litigation

• Representing technology company in purported securities class action asserting misrepresentations and omissions in connection with initial public offering
• Representing underwriters of initial public offering of ride-sharing company in purported securities class action asserting misrepresentations and omissions in connection with initial public offering
• Representing Canadian bank in connection with litigation involving allegations of manipulation of benchmark rate
• Representing Canadian bank in securities fraud suit involving sale of foreign subsidiary
• Representing publicly-owned restaurant chain and executives in securities fraud class action alleging accounting-based claims under Rule 10b-5
• Representing underwriters of equity offerings by a life science company in securities fraud class action arising out of alleged nondisclosure of clinical trial results
• Representing U.K. bank in actions involving mortgage backed securities
• Representing U.S. bank employee sued by Department of Justice for alleged FIRREA violation in connection with foreign-exchange transactions for custodial clients
• Representing U.S. bank in connection with collapse of Lehman Brothers
• Representing U.S. bank in connection with litigation over derivative close-out valuations

Mergers and Acquisitions and Complex Commercial Litigation

• Representing technology company and its directors in breach of fiduciary duty litigation related to acquisition 
• Representing software company and its officers in breach of fiduciary duty litigation related to sale
• Representing software as service company in connection with breach of implementation agreement
• Representing technology company in connection with theft of trade secrets
• Representing and advising renewable energy company in connection with disputes with prior owner
• Representing medical device manufacturer in connection with litigation arising out of the alleged breach of a merger agreement
• Representing and advising biotechnology company in international arbitration, investor relations, and situation management in connection with breach of contract disputes and initial public offering
• Representing broker-dealer in connection with claims arising out of acquisition of trading entity
• Representing steel manufacturer in connection with claims arising out of acquisition
• Representing bank in connection with its acquisition by private equity fund
• Representing broker-dealer in connection with employee disputes

Internal Investigations and Situation Management

• Retained by special committee of ride-sharing service in connection with investigation into business practices
• Retained by peer-to-peer lending company in connection with investor issues
• Retained by special committee of Board of Directors of U.S. bank in connection with investigation of retail sales practice issues and representation of committee in connection with ensuing regulatory inquiries
• Retained by Board of Directors of U.S. bank in connection with independent investigation of corporate governance issues and allegations relating to alleged FX and LIBOR manipulation
• Retained by private equity fund to lead internal investigation, litigation, and situation management in connection with potential fraud involving projects in Asia and the Middle East
• Retained by audit committee of multinational corporation to lead internal investigation into accounting and related issues arising out of operations in U.S., U.K. and Europe and advise on securities regulation and reporting issues
• Retained by special committee of Board of Directors of U.S. bank in connection with investigation of unexpected derivatives-based trading losses and representation of committee in connection with ensuing litigation and regulatory inquiries

Professional Affiliations

• The Bar Association of San Francisco, Securities Litigation Section Chair (2024)

Speaking Engagements

• Presenter, 2019 Securities Litigation Institute, on securities issues relating to cryptocurrency
• Presenter, 2020 Securities Litigation Forum, on federal forum selection clauses in charters
• Presenter, 2019 San Francisco Bar Association, on internal investigations
• Presenter, 2020-2022 PLI “Accounting Issues for Lawyers”

Publications

• “The Best-Laid Plans: Preventing Rule 10b5-1 Plans from Going Awry” The Hedge Fund Law Report, June 6, 2014
• Former subcommittee chair and co-author, “Report on the Possible Impact of Halliburton II on Securities Class Action Litigation,” New York City Bar Association’s Committee on Securities Litigation’s Fraud-on-the-Market Subcommittee, May 28, 2014