Goodwin litigation partner Michael Jones was recently named to the Daily Journal’s 2016 40 under 40 list. The award recognizes up and coming lawyers for their impact on the industry, leadership in the legal community and activities in bar organizations.
Jones, a partner in the firm’s Securities Litigation & White Collar Defense Group, was recognized for his successful track record representing clients in securities litigation tied to some of the biggest merger and acquisition cases in the technology and life sciences industries.
Specifically, Jones led the defense for digital money transfer company Xoom shareholder litigation, which followed the announcement of Xoom’s sale to PayPal. The plaintiffs alleged breach of fiduciary duty claims against Xoom’s directors and officers related, among other things, to Xoom’s disclosures that it was a victim of $30 million email fraud scheme. Jones successfully defeated the plaintiffs’ motion for expedited proceedings, which allowed the deal to close on time and ultimately resulted in voluntary dismissal of the litigation.
Jones also represented online real estate site Trulia, and its board of directors, in class action lawsuits challenging the $3.5 billion all-stock merger with Zillow Inc. By successfully consolidating the cases to expedite their resolution in advance of the closing, Jones was able to negotiate a favorable settlement, allowing the merger to close as scheduled. Jones helped guide Trulia and its directors through the highly publicized settlement approval process, which resulted in a major shift in the way “disclosure settlements” will be viewed by the Delaware Court of Chancery going forward.
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