Baker Botts L.L.P.

Primarily centered from its Texas heartland, the ‘hardworking and very experienced’ team at Baker Botts L.L.P. has a strong reputation defending corporates, and directors and officers, facing a wide range of securities fraud and shareholder derivative cases. While the team regularly secures success at a motion to dismiss stage, leveraging the expertise of a number of first-rate trial advocates it is also willing and able to try cases, of particular benefit given the overall uptick in opt-out cases in state courts. Although by no means limited to work in the sector, the firm’s overarching prowess in the energy space accounts for a significant proportion of the mandates, including for the ’very impressive’ David Sterling, who is leading on a number of 10b-5 class actions brought against the likes of Apache and Concho Resources. Amy Hefley is also very active within the energy sector, and alongside Sterling and Dallas-based John Lawrence, recently secured a notable class certification win for Apache against allegations that it made misleading statements about the company’s large oil and gas resource in the Permian Basin. Danny David, who co-heads the team alongside Hefley and Washington DC-based Bridget Moore, is also a key member of the team, combining his duties as managing partner with a vibrant fee-earning practice. All named practitioners are based in Houston unless otherwise indicated.