An experienced commercial litigator, Amanda MacDonald co-chairs Williams & Connolly’s Securities Litigation and Enforcement practice groups and is a leader in the firm’s investigations practice. Amanda has defended Fortune 100 issuers, underwriters, Big 4 accounting firms, and corporate officers in securities litigation, class actions, and investigations and enforcement actions by the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. Among her representations, Amanda has:
- Defended CVS in multi-jurisdictional securities class actions relating to the company’s announcement of a goodwill impairment.
- Defended Pfizer Inc. in a securities class action resulting from a stock drop after the announcement of the company’s resolution of certain government investigations.
- Defended Medtronic plc and certain former executives in a securities class action alleging a fraudulent scheme relating to clinical trial data and academic publications.
- Defended a senior executive of a global financial institution in connection with criminal, civil, and SEC investigations relating to alleged tax and accounting issues.
- Defended a major financial institution in a securities class action relating to alleged fraudulent lending practices and financial reporting after the Seventh Circuit granted a new trial on causation and damages.
Amanda’s broader commercial litigation and investigations experience includes defending clients in trial courts and in arbitration, and conducting investigations resulting from various governmental and regulatory inquiries. She regularly partners with in-house compliance departments to lead internal investigations into compliance and whistleblower allegations.
Amanda is deeply committed to the retention and advancement of women in the legal profession. She co-chairs the Firm’s Women’s Initiative, a group she founded in 2015 with one of her partners. Amanda is regularly asked to speak at conferences and to conduct CLEs addressing her practice areas.
Updated Oct 2021
