Alexandra M. Walsh

A partner in the Litigation Department, Alexandra Walsh focuses her practice on securities and white collar criminal litigation at both the trial and appellate level. Alex also focuses on internal corporate investigations, including those involving potential issues under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Ms. Walsh has been recognized by Washingtonian Magazine as one of its “40 Top Lawyers Under 40” in Washington, D.C.

Experience

Alex's representative engagements, some of which were handled at a prior firm, include:

Trial Matters and Investigations

• Pfizer, the world's largest research-based pharmaceutical company, as:
  • counsel in first trial alleging use of Zoloft while pregnant causes cardiac birth defects. Obtained complete defense verdict after less than two hours of jury deliberations.
  • trial counsel in federal securities fraud action. Obtained summary judgment and dismissal of all claims following exclusion of the plaintiffs' damages and loss causation expert.
• Kynetic: Counsel in jury trial of tortious interference claim brought under Massachusetts law. Obtained complete defense verdict.
• Liberty Media Corporation: Trial counsel in federal securities fraud and NY state breach of contract action against Vivendi Universal, S.A.  Tried in May and June 2012, SDNY. Obtained verdict for client on all counts.
• CEO of WebMD's Medical Manager Corporation: Trial counsel in federal grand jury investigation and trial involving allegations of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and money laundering violations. Representation resulted in dismissal of all charges.
• I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Chief of Staff to former Vice President Dick Cheney: Member of defense team in prosecution on perjury, false statements and obstruction of justice charges.
• Representation of various major U.S. corporations in internal investigations of potential FCPA violations in countries throughout the world including Russia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, Libya and Saudi Arabia.
• Representation of individuals in federal grand jury investigations concerning a range of matters, including alleged antitrust and gratuities laws violations.

Appellate Matters

• Gibbons v. Malone (2d Cir. 2013).  Obtained affirmance of dismissal of insider trading action brought under Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act.  Also served as trial counsel.
• U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission v. AIG (D.C. Circuit 2013). Obtained reversal of district court order granting public access to reports of independent consultant prepared as part of consent agreement with the SEC.
• Native Village of Kivalina and City of Kivalina v. Exxon Mobil Corp. et al. (9th Circuit).  Obtained affirmance of dismissal of civil conspiracy and public nuisance claims based on injuries allegedly caused by global warming.
• Baloco v. Drummond Co., Case No. 09-557 (11th Circuit).   Defended dismissal of claims brought under the Alien Tort Statute and Torture Victims Protection Act.
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce and National Automobile Dealers Assoc. v. EPA (D.C. Circuit). Challenged EPA rulemaking related to greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act.

Memberships

• Advisory Committee on Procedures for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Member
• Deputy Chair of ABA White Collar Crime Committee for the D.C. Region
• Edward Bennett Williams Inn of Court, Member
• Board Member, D.C. Circuit Historical Society

Related Resources

• "Re-Examining the Sentencing Guidelines for Federal Securities Fraud Cases," 89 BNA Criminal Law Reporter 833, 2011.
• "Ignorance Is Bliss, But Is It Also a Crime? Opening Your Eyes To the Willful Blindness Doctrine," NACDL White Collar Summer Series, September 2010.
• "Kimbrough, White Collar Sentencing and the New Primacy of the Sentencing Commission," News/ABA Criminal Litigation, Winter 2009.
• Panelist, "Sentencing Issues in Federal Securities Fraud Cases," 20th Annual National Seminar on Federal Sentencing Guidelines, May 2011.
• Panelist, "When Is It Worth the Risk? Proffers, Queen for a Day and Asserting the Fifth in Pre-Indictment Negotiations," 25th Annual National Institute on White Collar Crime, March 2011.
• "Formally Legal, Probably Wrong: Corporate Tax Shelters, Practical Reason, and the New Textualism," Stanford Law Review, 2001.

Practices

• Litigation
  

Education

• J.D., Stanford Law School, 2001
  with distinction, Order of the Coif, Managing Board, Stanford Law Review
• B.A., Bowdoin College, 1995
  summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa

Clerkships

• Hon. Stephen G. Breyer, U.S. Supreme Court
• Hon. Merrick B. Garland, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

Bar Admissions

• District of Columbia

See Library Tab for articles, publications and presentations by Alexandra Walsh