SESSION SPONSOR

MEET THE SPEAKERS

Sarah Dodson
Partner
Baker Botts
Dallas, TX

 Sarah Dodson has a broad corporate practice, representing public and private clients in a wide range of M&A, capital markets, private equity and complex commercial transactions. Her practice is focused on the technology, media and energy sectors, including renewables, infrastructure and the energy transition. 

Sarah regularly advises management teams and private equity funds in complex mergers, acquisitions and dispositions, private equity investments and strategic business transactions, including structuring and advising on partnerships, joint ventures and other strategic collaborations. Sarah also represents issuers in public offerings and private placements of equity and debt securities, including initial public offerings, follow-on and secondary offerings and private placements. She also has significant experience advising clients on general corporate matters, including corporate governance practices and SEC and stock exchange reporting and disclosure requirements. 

John Lawrence
Partner
Baker Botts
Dallas, TX

John Lawrence tries complex commercial cases in courts and tribunals across the country. His practice focuses on defending companies and their officers and directors in securities and shareholder actions, M&A challenges, and other high stakes business disputes. He also advises boards of directors, board committees, and significant shareholders on governance issues and fiduciary duty matters. Chambers USA (2023) describes John as “a very, very sharp lawyer,” and has ranked him among the top securities litigators in Texas, stating: “John has a wealth of knowledge. He has a very sharp mind for strategy and he’s responsive, efficient, and has a very pleasant, professional demeanor.” The Legal 500 U.S. has also recognized John in the field of Securities Litigation, describing him as “intelligent” and “methodical,” and Business Today named John to its 2023 list of the “Top 10 Most Influential Securities Litigation Lawyers in Texas.” 

John is the Treasurer of the Dallas Bar Association’s Securities Section, and also serves on the DBA’s Standing Committee on Equality. 

Jessica Pulliam
Partner
Baker Botts
Dallas, TX

Jessica Pulliam is Chair of the Trial Department in Dallas and Co-Chair of the firmwide Securities and Shareholder Litigation Group. Jessica defends high-stakes lawsuits against public companies and their officers and directors, private enterprises and professional firms. 

Chambers USA has called her “Excellent” (2019) and commented: “‘[s]he is a phenomenal architect of litigation strategy’” (2020) and “[s]he’s a real star lawyer – she has a strong legal mind and brings solid preparation to everything.” (2021). Law360 (2019) and The Legal 500 (2021) have recognized Jessica’s leadership in the field of securities and shareholder litigation. Jessica has tried cases in Delaware and Texas, regularly appears before regulatory agencies including the SEC and PCAOB and conducts internal investigations. Her litigation experience ranges from financial fraud and accounting restatements matters to suits involving wrongful death, whistleblowers and corporate crisis. She excels at telling a client’s story and helping witnesses – everyone from a former Vice President of the United States and multiple CEOs to hard-hat wearing field workers – during testimony.