NINA (NICKI) LOCKER
NINA (NICKI) LOCKERPartner
Securities Litigation
Internal & Government Investigations
Business Litigation & Counseling
Corporate Law & Governance
Litigation
Nicki Locker specializes in securities litigation. She has represented companies and their officers and directors in more than 75 shareholder class actions and derivative suits throughout the United States.
Nicki also has extensive experience in corporate internal investigations and SEC investigations and enforcement proceedings. She has advised numerous boards and special committees in internal investigations regarding accounting improprieties, FCPA violations, stock option backdating, insider trading, off-label marketing, and embezzlement. Nicki has represented over 20 companies in government investigations and has served as personal counsel to dozens of executives and directors in SEC matters.
In 2003, Stanford Lawyer featured Nicki in its cover article "Do the Right Thing," which discusses how securities litigation has changed in recent years and how Nicki is helping clients implement systems to detect fraud and improve corporate governance practices.
After graduating from Stanford Law School in 1984, Nicki clerked for the Honorable Anthony Kennedy of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Nicki has been at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati since 1985. She is a member of the firm's Policy Committee and has chaired the Nominating Committee.
SELECT CLIENTS IN SHAREHOLDER LITIGATION:
- Brocade Communications
- Guidant
- Juniper Networks
- McAfee
- Pacific Biosciences
- Strayer Education
- Please see wsgr.com for a complete list of clients.
- Special Review Committee of CSC Corporation in internal investigation regarding stock options
- Audit Committee of a public company in internal investigation regarding off-label promotion of FDA-approved medication
- Juniper Networks in SEC investigation regarding multi-year financial restatement relating to accounting for stock options. Investigation concluded with a settlement that did not include any monetary fine.
- Former CFO and CEO of a public company after the SEC enforcement staff recommended charging client with securities fraud violations. SEC concluded investigation without filing any charges.
- Wipro Ltd. in SEC investigation regarding accounting pertaining to exchange rate fluctuation and outstanding liability accounts
- Public company in SEC investigation regarding potential FCPA violations
- Former Audit Committee chairman of public company after SEC recommended charging client with securities fraud violations. SEC concluded matter without filing any enforcement action.
- Critical Path in SEC investigation relating to multi-year financial restatement. Investigation concluded with a settlement that did not include any monetary penalties or fraud claims.
- Special Committees of several public companies in internal investigations regarding stock option practices, revenue recognition, and expense and reserve issues
- J.D., Stanford Law School, 1984
Editor, Stanford Law Review; Recipient, Frank Baker Belcher Evidence Award - B.A., Interdisciplinary Studies, Yale University, 1980
With Distinction and Honors, Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa
- Member, American Bar Association
- Member, Stanford Law School Board of Visitors, 2004, 2005, 2006
- Selected by the 2007-2013 editions of Chambers USA as one of the top securities litigators in the United States
- Selected for inclusion in Northern California Super Lawyers in 2005-2012
- Featured in the 2006-2013 editions of Best Lawyers in America
- Named one of the nation's "Top 10 Commercial Litigation Lawyers" by U.S. Lawyer Rankings in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011
- Selected as one of Lawdragon's "100 Lawyers You Need to Know in Securities Litigation" in 2008
- Named one of the "Top Women Litigators" by the Daily Journal in 2007
- Featured in InsideCounsel's "Crisis Rolodex" as one of the "Best Lawyers to Call in a Worst-Case Scenario" (White-Collar Scandal category) in April 2007
- Selected for inclusion in the 2007 edition of The Legal 500 US
- Featured in Lawdragon 500 New Stars, New Worlds List in 2006
- Co-author with P. Nielsen, "Ambiguity Deters Claims Pursuit: Practicalities May Make Section 304 More Trouble than Its Worth," San Francisco Daily Journal, August 2005
- "Modern Litigation Strategies," Stanford Directors' College, 2012
- "Defend Your Company, Defend Yourself," Stanford Directors' College, 2011
- Participant, Litigation Intensive, Stanford Directors' College, 2009
- "Critical Questions to Ask about Your D&O Insurance," Corporate Board Member/NASDAQ Board Governance Series webcast, 2008
- "The GC's Mandate: Leadership and Accountability," The Economist, December 2007
- "New SEC Rules on Executive Compensation and Stock Option Disclosure and the Option Granting Scandals," Glass Legal Works, November 2006
- Presenter, Option Backdating Session, Stanford Directors' College, June 2006
- Please see wsgr.com for a complete list of speaking engagements.
- State Bar of California
- Supreme Court of California
- U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
