Next Generation Partner – Dispute Resolution: Securities Litigation: Defense
The Legal 500 US 2023
Profile
Jason Hegt is a partner in the Litigation & Trial Department of Latham & Watkins.
Mr. Hegt advises clients on complex business litigation, including securities and corporate governance litigation, commercial disputes, as well as US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other related regulatory investigations. He frequently represents financial institutions, large public companies, and professional services firms, and he has significant experience handling matters involving technology firms and matters involving complex investment products.
Mr. Hegt received his BA from Emory University in 2004 and his JD, summa cum laude and Order of the Coif, from American University, Washington College of Law in 2009. Prior to law school, Mr. Hegt worked for two members of the US Congress and a New York state elected official.
Experience
Mr. Hegt's recent representative experience includes:
Public Companies
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD) in:
Shareholder derivative actions concerning Llano APUs in state and federal court, all of which were dismissed with prejudice (N.D. Cal. 2021) & (Cal. Ct. App. 2020)
A shareholder derivative action regarding the composition of AMD’s board and senior management, which was dismissed with prejudice (N.D. Cal. 2021)
A securities class action and other litigation regarding AMD's Llano microprocessors
Litigation related to AMD’s acquisition of Xilinx, Inc.
Apple Inc. in a:
Securities class action in which it was alleged to be the “control person” of another publicly traded company
Shareholder suit regarding executive compensation dismissed with prejudice (S.D.N.Y. 2024)
Farfetch Ltd. in a securities class action dismissed with prejudice and affirmed on appeal (S.D.N.Y. 2021) & (2d Cir. 2023)
GlobalFoundries in ongoing breach of contract and trade secret misappropriation claims against IBM
Northern Oil & Gas in a securities class action based on alleged misuse of company assets (S.D.N.Y. 2018)
Several multinational companies in litigation under 28 U.S.C. 1782, including US subsidiary of RWE AG in Stadwerke Frankfurt am Main Holding GmbHv. RWE Trading Americas, 813 Fed. Appx. 6 (2d Cir. 2020)
Sinovac Biotech Ltd. in shareholder litigation dismissed with prejudice concerning its 2018 PIPE transaction (D. Mass. 2023)
Directors and officers of an energy services company in shareholder litigation related to alleged bid rigging
Chairman and CEO of a major internet security company in ongoing securities class action concerning a take-private transaction
Financial Institutions
Deutsche Bank in class action litigation regarding interest rate benchmarks
Deutsche Bank in more than 20 separate matters around the country relating to its mortgage-backed securities and securitized products businesses
Numerous investment banks, includingBank of America Merrill Lynch, Barclays, Citibank, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, UBS, and RBC, in securities class actions around the country, including cases relating to the following issuers:
Gridsum: All claims against underwriters dismissed with prejudice (S.D.N.Y. 2021)
KemPharm: Claims voluntarily dismissed prior to ruling on motion to dismiss (Iowa Dist. Ct. 2018)
MagnaChip: All claims alleged against underwriters dismissed with prejudice and settled for no consideration (N.D. Cal. 2016)
Miniso: All claims against underwriters dismissed (S.D.N.Y. 2024)
Motricity: Motion to dismiss granted and affirmed by Ninth Circuit (W.D. Wash. and 9th Cir. 2016)
Violin Memory: Motion to dismiss granted in part; remaining claims resolved without contribution by underwriters (N.D. Cal. 2015)
Professional Services Firms
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in a securities class action related to Aegean Marine Petroleum Network, Inc., which was dismissed with prejudice against PwC (S.D.N.Y. 2021)
A Big 4 audit firm in confidential arbitration brought by a state insurance commissioner on behalf of a failed insurance company who sought nine-figure damages; awarded complete defense judgment following a two-week trial
Big 4 audit firms in connection with government investigations by the Justice Department, Securities and Exchange Commission, and Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, and related civil matters concerning companies in the financial services, technology, real estate, and consumer products industries
Qualifications
Bar Qualification
New York
Education
JD, American University Washington College of Law, 2009 summa cum laude, Order of the Coif
A Latham team received recognition for securing a victory for Goldman Sachs and BofA Securities in a shareholder class action arising out of global retailer MINISO’s October 2020 IPO.
A Latham team earned recognition for securing the complete dismissal on behalf of KPMG of a US$120-billion RICO claim stemming from the Credit Suisse collapse.
A Latham defense team for Apple achieved a decisive first-round victory in a New York federal securities litigation, earning a Shout Out in American Lawyer’s Litigators of the Week column.
Despite a downward trend in securities case filings over the past three years, Latham & Watkins LLP has remained one of the most active law firms on the defense side, taking over the top spot from Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP, according to reports released by Lex Machina.
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