John Lawrence is Co-Chair of the firmwide Securities & Shareholder Litigation Practice Group at Baker Botts and a leader of the securities litigation bar. He defends companies and their officers and directors in a wide range of high-stakes matters, including contract claims, fraud claims, trade secret claims, securities and shareholder actions, M&A challenges, and other complex business disputes. He also assists clients with internal and government investigations, and advises clients on board governance and fiduciary duty matters and related corporate strategy.
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 Chair of the Dallas Bar Association's Securities Section.
John is also a leader in the Dallas community. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the American Red Cross North Texas Region, on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of Girls Inc. of Metropolitan Dallas, on the Executive Committee of Advisory Board of the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, and on the DBA's Standing Committee on Equality. John also serves on the Dallas Regional Chamber’s Innovation Task Force, and is a graduate of the DRC’s Leadership Dallas Class of 2024.
Related Experience
Fiduciary Duty, Governance, and Securities Litigation
- Multinational telecommunications company – defense of company and its officers and directors in federal securities litigation
- Public technology company – defense of company and its officers and directors in federal securities litigation and SEC investigation
- Pharmaceutical company – defense of company and its officers and directors in multiple federal and state securities litigations and related derivative actions
- Energy exploration company – defense of company in federal securities litigation and related derivative actions
- Fracking company – defense of federal Section 11 securities class action in Texas state court
- Directors of Starz – defense of Delaware shareholder litigation challenging Starz's merger with Lions Gate Entertainment
- AT&T – defense of Delaware derivative fiduciary duty action
- Officers and directors of Adeptus Health, Inc. – defense of securities class action in the Eastern District of Texas, state-law fraud and securities claims in Denton County, Texas, and fiduciary duty claims in Delaware court
- Major oilfield services company – dismissal of Section 10b-5 claims in the Northern District of Texas, Magruder v. Halliburton Co., 359 F.Supp.3d 452 (N.D. Tex. 2018)
- Major oilfield services company – more than a decade-long defense of securities class action in the Northern District of Texas, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of the United States, which issued a landmark ruling allowing defendants to challenge applicability of the fraud-on-the-market presumption at the class-certification stage, Halliburton Co. v. Erica P. John Fund, Inc., 134 S. Ct. 2398 (2014)
- Big Four accounting firm – defense of securities class action in the Southern District of New York
- Major accounting firm – defense of securities class action in the Southern District of New York
- Major oilfield services company – defense of securities class action in the Northern District of Texas
- Former CEO of major asset management firm – defense of securities class action in the Southern District of New York
- Large manufacturing company – defense of securities class action in the Northern District of Texas
- Receivership – representation of receiver who was placed in charge of a multi-billion dollar enterprise accused by the SEC of operating a Ponzi investment scheme
Other Complex Commercial Litigation
- Major international natural gas company – defense of $1.5 billion dispute involving claims of tortious interference and trade secret misappropriation; case ended in dismissal of all claims after four weeks of trial.
- Consumer products company – granted emergency injunction and eventual favorable jury verdict in suit involving theft of trade secrets by former employees and competitor
- International technology company – represented company in international arbitration involving claims of fraud and unjust enrichment that resulted in a multi-day arbitration hearing
- Fluor Corporation/Del-Jen, Inc. – defended Del-Jen, Inc., a subsidiary of Fluor Corporation in qui tam false claims act case where court granted Del-Jen’s motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim, affirmed by Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
- International battery manufacturer – prosecution of complex breach of contract action against governmental entities related to environmental abatement issues
- National tire retailer – counsel in class action against nation's largest tire retailer in the Northern District of California
- Real estate developer – defense of breach of contract related to design of amusement and theme park
- Consumer website – representation in claim for indemnity against software licensor
- Major business outsourcing company – appeal of an unlawful employment termination claim
Awards & Community
Ranked for Litigation: Securities in Chambers USA, 2024, and Recognized as "Up & Coming," 2022 & 2023
Named as one of the “Top 10 Most Influential Securities Litigation Lawyers in Texas” by Business Today, 2023
Named as one of the "Best Lawyers Under 40" in Dallas by D Magazine, 2018
Education
J.D., The University of Texas School of Law 2006with honorsAssociate Editor, The Review of Litigation
B.A., Art History, Georgetown University 2002
Admissions & Affiliations
State Bar of Texas
New York State Bar
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
United States District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
Dallas Bar Association