Lawrence Elbaum > Vinson & Elkins LLP > New York, United States > Lawyer Profile

The experienced team at Vinson & Elkins LLP has broad capabilities across the space, with ‘ two partners who head the team, one whose past experience is on the defense side advising corporates, the other whose background is on the investor side advising activists’, with this dual expertise reflected in the work of practice co-heads Patrick Gadson , a specialist in activism defense, and Lawrence Elbaum, who focuses on advising investors and is noted for his ‘unsurpassed experience and knowledge, as well as great problem solving and dispute resolution skills.’ More broadly, clients for the group include the boards of public companies against an increasing wave of activism, and ‘they have unparalleled institutional knowledge and understanding of these situations and the complex, nuanced dynamics’, combining this with standout litigious expertise. Another key member of the team is senior associate Desiree Baca, who regularly advises public companies on proxy fights. All named practitioners are based in New York.

Vinson & Elkins LLP represents issuers, underwriters, accounting firms, financial institutions, and directors and officers in securities fraud class actions and other claims associated with stock-price declines. Most prominent in the energy sector, the firm is increasingly involved in cases arising from a diverse range of industries, among them financial services. Michael Holmes in Dallas and Michael Charlson in San Francisco lead the securities and shareholder litigation and enforcement group. Clifford Thau in New York is currently acting for Stronghold Digital Mining, a bitcoin mining company. Also in New York, Lawrence Elbaum has ‘a calm, analytical demeanor coupled with astute business acumen’. He worked with Charlson on the defense of Genius Brands International in securities class actions alleging the company made materially false and misleading statements concerning the its business and business prospects. Dallas-based Craig Zieminski is a lynchpin of the practice. John Wander has left the firm.