SESSION SPONSOR
MEET THE SPEAKERS
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. |
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 (2022) describes John as “a smart, thoughtful lawyer who is good on his feet and a very good writer,” and has ranked him among the top securities litigators in Texas, stating that “[h]e really knows the space well.” The Legal 500 U.S. (2021) has also recognized John in the field of Securities Litigation, describing him as “intelligent” and “methodical.”
John is the Program Chair of the Dallas Bar Association’s Securities Section, and also serves on the DBA’s Standing Committee on Equality. |
Cecily Gooch
Managing Director
FTI Consulting
Irving, TX
Cecily Small Gooch specializes in leading companies through significant corporate transformations, including mergers and acquisitions; substantial industry changes requiring major revision of business models and operations; and Chapter 11 restructuring. Ms. Gooch is a former senior legal executive with over 20 years of government, big firm and in-house practice experience in both publicly traded and privately held companies. In addition to diverse experience leading in-house legal teams, Ms. Gooch has experience advising senior management and board members on diverse subjects including regulatory compliance and policy, government affairs and strategic planning, governance and investor issues, corporate transactions, environmental issues, litigation, retail consumer issues, marketing campaigns and sales channels, employment and compensation matters, and data security and privacy.