Displaying a ‘very collaborative approach’ among its core securities litigation lawyers at both an associate and partner level, as well as being able to leverage expertise across pivotal complementary areas of expertise, most notably with regard to white-collar and government investigations, Baker McKenzie LLP is able to provide a holistic service to defendants facing high-stakes securities class action and enforcement actions. Praised for his ’exceptional understanding of the law, relevant legal theory and strategy development’, Los Angeles-based team head Perrie Weiner is pivotal to much of the most notable work it handles, including in niche areas relating to SPACs and cryptocurrency, and for individuals in SEC enforcement cases regarding alleged insider trading infractions. Also based out of Los Angeles, Aaron Goodman is ‘exceptional at explaining complex legal matters’, often working with Weiner on securities fraud cases involving alleged misstatements/omissions related to life sciences and technology companies. In Chicago, Peter Chan and Peter Tomczak are also key members of the team, with the former providing insight to clients facing SEC enforcement action by dint of his previous role at the regulator.
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Profile

Work Department
Litigation Arbitration and Dispute Resolution
Position

Perrie is a prominent securities litigation attorney with over 30 years of experience, renowned for his unwavering commitment to providing top-tier service and delivering exceptional results. He currently serves as the Partner-in-Charge of Baker McKenzie's Los Angeles office, and holds the esteemed position of Chair for the Firm's North America Securities Litigation Group. Perrie's experience centers around securities class action and shareholder derivative litigation, as well as SEC enforcement matters. He is highly regarded as the "go-to advocate" for hedge funds navigating complex suits and CEOs facing off against the US Securities and Exchange Commission, earning accolades from prestigious legal publications such as Law 360.

Perrie's exceptional reputation is further supported by testimonials from clients and other influential sources such as the Legal 500 US and Chambers USA, where he is praised for his problem-solving prowess, exceptional leadership, and outstanding legal acumen. He has earned the trust and approval of major companies like American International Group, Inc. (AIG) and XL Group PLC, making him one of the select few lawyers in California to represent directors and officers in complex (class action) securities litigation matters.

As a key player in the growth and leadership of Baker McKenzie's North America Securities Litigation Group, Perrie has helped position the team among the top tier in the highly regarded US Legal 500 rankings for consecutive years. Recognized by US Legal 500 as a Leading Individual in Litigation: Securities in California, Perrie's influence extends beyond legal circles. He has been honored as a Leader of Influence: Litigators & Trial Lawyers by the LA Business Journal and has been named one of the Top 100 Lawyers and Top 500 most influential people in LA. His dedication to pro bono legal work has been acknowledged with prestigious awards, including the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award and the Wiley W. Manuel Award. He also received the prestigious Burton Award, revered as the Pulitzer Prize of the legal profession, for excellence in legal writing, where a work he co-authored was inducted into the Library of Congress.

Career

Perrie brings a holistic approach to advocacy, skillfully defending clients facing high-profile and intricate regulatory actions, as well as securities fraud class action cases across the United States. His diverse clientele includes private equity funds, hedge funds, broker-dealers, underwriters, placement agents, REITS and publicly held issuers (alongside their officers and directors).  Perrie also handles M & A securities litigation, where business combinations or sales are being challeged because of alleged deficient public disclosures.  Perrie's expertise extends to SEC and FINRA enforcement proceedings, as well as white-collar criminal proceedings.

Beyond his outstanding work in securities matters, Perrie's legal acumen shines in complex business litigation. He has successfully represented clients in California consumer privacy class actions involving alleged violations of the Right to Privacy, such as TCPA, CCPA, "call recording," data breach, cybersecurity, and more. Additionally, Perrie leads the Firm's global SPAC Rapid Response Team and is a prominent authority in Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) and de-SPAC M&A securities class action litigation, including related SEC enforcement.

His innovative approach and unwavering commitment to serving clients led to his establishment of the Firm's Lease Litigation and Restructuring Group (LLRG) during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Perrie, alongside a multi-disciplinary team of Baker McKenzie lawyers, provides crucial assistance to retailers, tech companies, physicians with surgery centers, law firms, and various tenants negatively impacted by pandemic-related disruptions. He skillfully navigates lease renegotiations, restructurings, and landlord-litigated disputes, supporting clients during challenging times.

Perrie's international practice adds another layer of distinction to his career, with numerous litigation victories and publications featured in renowned media outlets such as Time, Business Week, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and The Economist, among others. His expertise extends to representing domestic and international market participants, including Chinese issuers traded in the US, in a wide array of securities litigation and enforcement matters, accompanied by expert pre-litigation crisis management counseling.

He is also a recognized securities expert in the areas of short selling, naked short selling, "pump and dump" and "short and distort" litigation--where self proclaimed analysts short the stock of a thinly traded public company, put out an intentionally or recklessly false negative report about the company, draw in other short sellers causing the stock's price to fall preciptously, thereby reaping a windfall profit from their short selling activity.

Memberships
  • Beverly Hills Bar Association (BHBA)
  • Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA)
  • Advisory Board, Institute of Corporate Counsel, USC Gould School of Law

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Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • 'They display a very collaborative approach and have an excellent grasp on the issues and strategy.' 'They are all extremely knowledgeable litigators and have the substantive knowledge of underlying securities laws to make them a dual threat and provide the best possible advice across the board.' 'Perrie Weiner has an exceptional understanding of the law, relevant legal theory and strategy development.' 'Perrie Weiner is an outstanding litigator, and his knowledge and experience is unparalleled. Perrie is super easy to work with and always gives 110% for his clients.' 'Aaron Goodman is exceptional at explaining complex legal matters, strategy development and communication with the client.' 'They have the ultimate in team approach. At all times throughout the duration of a matter, all involved staff from partners to associates on down, have a grasp on the issues and strategy. This creates a unified approach which leads to a higher probability of success.'

Key clients

  • Huttig Building Products, Inc. Imunon William J. Brown UBS Financial Services, Inc. and its Canadian affiliate, UBS Securities Canada Momentus Inc. Mark Groussman CHA Fertility Center Ladenburg Thalmann & Company, Inc. Physicians Realty Trust Former Executive of Assertio Inc. GT Biopharma Lifezone Metals Houlihan Lokey

Work highlights

Secured a significant win on a jurisdictional challenge in the Central District of California, filed against a London-based client as part of a multinational /multijurisdictional effort to attach the assets of a Geneva trust worth approximately $1bn.
Represent Huttig Building Products, Inc. in litigation arising from its M&A merger with Woodgrain, Inc
Represented Imunon and three of its officers in a putative securities class action in federal district court in New Jersey arising out of the Company's product candidate for treating liver cancer, ThermoDox.