Greg has represented clients in over 100 securities, shareholder, and corporate governance matters and has had exceptional success in winning securities class action and shareholder derivative lawsuits filed against public companies.
Greg has extensive experience defending companies and individuals in connection with SEC investigations, and frequently conducts board, audit committee, and special committee internal investigations.
Greg is recognized in the 2023 edition of Chambers USA for his securities litigation practice and is consistently recognized as a leader in his field by Washington Super Lawyers.
Working out of the firm’s Seattle and Salt Lake City offices, Greg Watts is a partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where he focuses on securities and complex commercial litigation. For almost 25 years, Greg has specialized in counseling and defending companies and their directors and officers in securities class actions, shareholder derivative actions, contested mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance matters, SEC investigations and enforcement proceedings, and internal investigations.
Greg co-authored Director and Officer Liability, 3rd Ed. (with Barry Kaplan), published by the Practising Law Institute (PLI). Greg has represented clients in over 100 securities, shareholder, and corporate governance matters. He has had exceptional success in winning securities class action and shareholder derivative lawsuits filed against publicly traded companies. In just the past five years, Greg has won cases for Blucora, Costco Wholesale, Domo, Fennec Pharmaceuticals, Globus Medical, Isoray, Mentor Graphics, Novan, PowerSecure International, Seattle Genetics, Starbucks, and Sterling Financial. Due to his expertise, Greg has represented clients around the country in federal and state court, including in Alabama, California, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, and Washington.
Greg has extensive experience defending companies and individuals in connection with SEC investigations, including those involving financial reporting and accounting fraud allegations, disclosure issues, and potential insider trading violations. In SEC matters, he has represented clients at every stage—from the inception of an SEC inquiry through the Wells Notice (the point at which the SEC enforcement staff recommends the initiation of a lawsuit) to bench and jury trials. On many occasions, an enforcement action ultimately was not filed.
Greg frequently conducts board, audit committee, and special committee internal investigations. These investigations often are time sensitive, complex, and/or involve highly confidential corporate information, and Greg prides himself on working with board members and outside auditors to develop cost-effective investigation procedures.
Working out of the firm’s Seattle and Salt Lake City offices, Greg Watts is a partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where he focuses on securities and complex commercial litigation. For almost 25 years, Greg has specialized in counseling and defending companies and their directors and officers in securities class actions, shareholder derivative actions, contested mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance matters, SEC investigations and enforcement proceedings, and internal investigations.
Greg co-authored Director and Officer Liability, 3rd Ed. (with Barry Kaplan), published by the Practising Law Institute (PLI). Greg has represented clients in over 100 securities, shareholder, and corporate governance matters. He has had exceptional success in winning securities class action and shareholder derivative lawsuits filed against publicly traded companies. In just the past five years, Greg has won cases for Blucora, Costco Wholesale, Domo, Fennec Pharmaceuticals, Globus Medical, Isoray, Mentor Graphics, Novan, PowerSecure International, Seattle Genetics, Starbucks, and Sterling Financial. Due to his expertise, Greg has represented clients around the country in federal and state court, including in Alabama, California, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, and Washington.
Greg has extensive experience defending companies and individuals in connection with SEC investigations, including those involving financial reporting and accounting fraud allegations, disclosure issues, and potential insider trading violations. In SEC matters, he has represented clients at every stage—from the inception of an SEC inquiry through the Wells Notice (the point at which the SEC enforcement staff recommends the initiation of a lawsuit) to bench and jury trials. On many occasions, an enforcement action ultimately was not filed.
Greg frequently conducts board, audit committee, and special committee internal investigations. These investigations often are time sensitive, complex, and/or involve highly confidential corporate information, and Greg prides himself on working with board members and outside auditors to develop cost-effective investigation procedures.
Securities Class Actions and Derivative Actions:
Chapman v. Fennec Pharmaceuticals et al., 2022 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 37004 (M.D.N.C. Mar. 2, 2022), 2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 254512 (M.D.N.C. Dec. 16, 2021). Represented Fennec Pharmaceuticals and certain members of his executive team and board of directors in a securities class action alleging that defendants violated Section 10(b) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act by making false or misleading statements about the company’s drug substance manufacturing capabilities and the timing and prospects of its NDA for PEDMARK, a drug used to prevent hearing loss in children undergoing certain types of chemotherapy. Obtained dismissal with prejudice by district court.
SEC Investigations & Enforcement Proceedings:
Lead counsel for medical device company in civil DOJ and SEC investigations related to alleged violations of the False Claims Act and the federal anti-kickback statute, off-label promotion, and failure follow Current Good Manufacturing Practices
Lead counsel for utility services provider in SEC investigation into the company's segment reporting
Lead counsel for computer hardware manufacturer in SEC investigation stemming from a financial restatement
Represented broadband-cable hardware company in SEC investigation stemming from company's financial restatement
Represented global technology company in SEC investigation into whether the company offered or sold securities without a registration statement when it provided stock options to employees before going public
Represented former controller of a healthcare information technology company in SEC investigation into two alleged "roundtrip" transactions
Corporate Investigations:
Securities Class Actions and Derivative Actions:
Chapman v. Fennec Pharmaceuticals et al., 2022 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 37004 (M.D.N.C. Mar. 2, 2022), 2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 254512 (M.D.N.C. Dec. 16, 2021). Represented Fennec Pharmaceuticals and certain members of his executive team and board of directors in a securities class action alleging that defendants violated Section 10(b) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act by making false or misleading statements about the company’s drug substance manufacturing capabilities and the timing and prospects of its NDA for PEDMARK, a drug used to prevent hearing loss in children undergoing certain types of chemotherapy. Obtained dismissal with prejudice by district court.
SEC Investigations & Enforcement Proceedings:
Lead counsel for medical device company in civil DOJ and SEC investigations related to alleged violations of the False Claims Act and the federal anti-kickback statute, off-label promotion, and failure follow Current Good Manufacturing Practices
Lead counsel for utility services provider in SEC investigation into the company's segment reporting
Lead counsel for computer hardware manufacturer in SEC investigation stemming from a financial restatement
Represented broadband-cable hardware company in SEC investigation stemming from company's financial restatement
Represented global technology company in SEC investigation into whether the company offered or sold securities without a registration statement when it provided stock options to employees before going public
Represented former controller of a healthcare information technology company in SEC investigation into two alleged "roundtrip" transactions
Corporate Investigations:
Public companies represented in one or more shareholder class action and/or derivative lawsuits include:
*Indicates representation in multiple lawsuits during different time periods.
Public companies represented in one or more shareholder class action and/or derivative lawsuits include:
*Indicates representation in multiple lawsuits during different time periods.
Contributor, “SEC Proposes Rules to Alter Disclosure and Liability Regime for De-SPAC Transactions,” Wilson Sonsini Alert, April 7, 2022
Contributor, “Ninth Circuit Cuts Shareholders More Slack on Section 11 Claims,” Wilson Sonsini Alert, September 22, 2021
Contributor, “SEC Announces Enforcement Action Relating to Proposed De-SPAC Transaction,” Wilson Sonsini Alert, July 13, 2021
Contributor, “SEC Signals Heightened Focus on SPACs and de-SPAC Transactions,” Wilson Sonsini Alert, April 12, 2021
"‘I Got a Bad Feeling About This’: Are Caremark’s Walls Closing In on Directors?" American Bar Association, Class Action & Derivative Suits, December 10, 2019
Speaker, “Insider Trading Update: What Boards Should Know,” Inside America’s Boardrooms, February 11, 2022
Speaker, “Identifying and Managing Litigation Risks in de-SPAC Deals,” TechGC Venture Fund Virtual Dinner + CLE, June 2021
Contributor, “SEC Proposes Rules to Alter Disclosure and Liability Regime for De-SPAC Transactions,” Wilson Sonsini Alert, April 7, 2022
Contributor, “Ninth Circuit Cuts Shareholders More Slack on Section 11 Claims,” Wilson Sonsini Alert, September 22, 2021
Contributor, “SEC Announces Enforcement Action Relating to Proposed De-SPAC Transaction,” Wilson Sonsini Alert, July 13, 2021
Contributor, “SEC Signals Heightened Focus on SPACs and de-SPAC Transactions,” Wilson Sonsini Alert, April 12, 2021
"‘I Got a Bad Feeling About This’: Are Caremark’s Walls Closing In on Directors?" American Bar Association, Class Action & Derivative Suits, December 10, 2019
Speaker, “Insider Trading Update: What Boards Should Know,” Inside America’s Boardrooms, February 11, 2022
Speaker, “Identifying and Managing Litigation Risks in de-SPAC Deals,” TechGC Venture Fund Virtual Dinner + CLE, June 2021