Michele Johnson > Latham & Watkins LLP > Orange County, United States > Lawyer Profile
Latham & Watkins LLP Offices

650 TOWN CENTER DRIVE, TWENTIETH FLOOR
COSTA MESA
COSTA MESA CA 92626-1925
CALIFORNIA
United States
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Michele Johnson

Position
Michele Johnson, a member of the firm’s Executive Committee and the former Managing Partner of the Orange County office, is consistently recognized as a leading California litigator. She represents financial institutions, Fortune 500 companies, boards of directors and individuals in securities, M&A and other complex commercial litigation.
Career
Lawyer Rankings
United States > Dispute resolution > M&A litigation: defense
(Leading lawyers)‘They know the process inside and out, and they have the knowhow to deal with opposing counsel and offer practical solutions‘, say clients of Latham & Watkins LLP. The litigation practice works closely with M&A teams to advise potential acquirers, targets, and financial advisors on issues ranging from deal protection measures, conflicts of interest, and change-of-control payments to disclosure obligations. The firm also has a strong track record in securing dismissals and succeeding at trial in class actions, derivative cases, busted deal litigation, poison pill matters, proxy contests and appraisal actions. Recently, the firm has become a leading player in de-SPAC-related litigation on the back of its market-leading SPAC transactional practice, and is currently acting for Virgin Galactic, Romeo Power and Skillz in such matters. Michele Johnson in Orange County and Blair Connelly in New York lead the practice. Colleen Smith in San Diego and Kristin Murphy in Orange County are heavily involved in SPAC-related cases. Newly promoted counsel Zach Rowen in New York also plays a pivotal role in the practice.
United States > Dispute resolution > International litigation
The litigation and trial department at Latham & Watkins LLP stands out for its ability to handle a full range of cross-border disputes, leveraging its impressive international network and full-service expertise. Led from Orange County by Michele Johnson , who is noted for securities and M&A litigation, the team counts antitrust disputes, environmental and mass torts and class actions among its other areas of expertise, and with more than 30 former federal prosecutors, excels in government enforcement proceedings and litigation. The group bolstered its data privacy and cybersecurity practice with the addition of Washington DC-based Antony Kim from Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP in June 2021. Other arrivals during 2021 include general litigator Steven Feldman in New York from Hueston Hennigan LLP, Los Angeles-based insurance sector expert Kirsten Jackson from Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP and former Director of the Bureau of Competition at the US Federal Trade Commission Ian Conner, who added further antitrust expertise to the Washington DC office.
Lawyer Rankings
- International litigation - United States > Dispute resolution
- Leading lawyers - United States > Dispute resolution > M&A litigation: defense
- M&A litigation: defense - United States > Dispute resolution
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Finance > Capital markets: debt offerings
- Finance > Capital markets: equity offerings
- Finance > Capital markets: global offerings
- Finance > Capital markets: high-yield debt offerings
- Antitrust > Cartel
- Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: defense
- Finance > Commercial lending
- Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense
- Media, technology and telecoms > Cyber law (including data privacy and data protection)
- Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: transactional
- Industry focus > Energy transactions: electric power
- Industry focus > Energy transactions: oil and gas
- Industry focus > Energy: renewable/alternative power
- Industry focus > Environment: litigation
- Industry focus > Environment: regulatory
- Industry focus > Environment: transactional
- Media, technology and telecoms > Fintech
- Industry focus > Healthcare: life sciences
- Dispute resolution > International litigation
- Real estate > Land use/zoning
- Industry focus > Insurance: non-contentious
- Dispute resolution > M&A litigation: defense
- M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: large deals ($1bn+)
- Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: litigation
- Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: transactional
- Antitrust > Merger control
- Industry focus > Insurance: non-contentious
- Industry focus > Insurance: non-contentious
- Intellectual property > Patents: licensing
- Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (full coverage)
- Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (International Trade Commission)
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Private equity buyouts
- Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: consumer products (including tobacco)
- Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: toxic tort
- Real estate > Real estate investment trusts (REITs)
- Finance > Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate
- Industry focus > Insurance: non-contentious
- Media, technology and telecoms > Outsourcing
- Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Shareholder activism
- Industry focus > Sport
- Media, technology and telecoms > Technology transactions
- Media, technology and telecoms > Telecoms and broadcast: regulatory
- Media, technology and telecoms > Telecoms and broadcast: transactions
- Intellectual property > Trade secrets (litigation and non-contentious matters)
- Tax > US taxes: contentious
- Tax > US taxes: non-contentious
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Venture capital and emerging companies
Firm Rankings
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Corporate governance
- Industry focus > Energy regulation: electric power
- Industry focus > Energy regulation: oil and gas
- Dispute resolution > Financial services litigation
- Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes
- Industry focus > Healthcare: service providers
- Industry focus > Insurance: advice to policyholders
- International Trade > International trade
- Investment fund formation and management > Private equity funds (including venture capital)
- Real estate > Real estate
- Finance > Structured finance: derivatives and structured products
- Finance > Structured finance: securitization
- Intellectual property > Copyright
- Finance > Financial services regulation
- Government > Government contracts
- Industry focus > Healthcare: health insurers
- Tax > International tax
- Dispute resolution > Leading trial lawyers
- Intellectual property > Trademarks: litigation
- Dispute resolution > Appellate: courts of appeals / Appellate: supreme courts (states and federal)
- Finance > Project finance