Shawna L. Ballard

Ms. Ballard specializes in complex commercial matters. Her practice includes cases involving complex securities and financial frauds and complex contract, business and real estate disputes.

Ms. Ballard has represented various investment funds and institutional investors in pursuing securities fraud claims. For example, Ms. Ballard was a member of the HBD team representing large U.S. institutional investors in litigation against Wall Street banks in connection with their purchase of more than $1 billion of Enron and Enron-related securities. Ms. Ballard was also a member of a team representing institutional investors in connection with bond investments in a Thai steel mill. These matters resulted in confidential settlements on terms favorable to the clients.

Ms. Ballard has also defended institutions and individuals against securities fraud claims. Recent representative matters include:  Gilbert v. Cohn, in which Ms. Ballard and others at HBD defend financial institutions in a class action asserting state law fraud, breach of fiduciary and securities claims and In re Princeline.com, Inc. Securities Litigation, in which Ms. Ballard and others at HBD defended the founder of Priceline.com in consolidated securities fraud class actions.

Ms. Ballard’s real estate litigation efforts have included the representation of Maguire Properties, the largest commercial office developer in Los Angeles, in a series of disputes pertaining to the Playa Vista development.

Prior to joining HBD, Ms. Ballard was an associate at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP.

Professional Affiliations

• Public Interest Committee for the Association of Business Trial Lawyers
• Member, Board of Visitors for the University of Arizona College of Law
• Member, Board of the Arizona Law Ambassadors for the University of Arizona College of Law
• Association of Business Trial Lawyers
• Los Angeles County Bar Association, Litigation Section
• Law Clerk: Hon. Harlington Wood, Jr., United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, 1991-92