Don Hawthorne is a Partner in the firm’s Litigation practice, where he brings deep experience in financial services disputes, antitrust, class action defense, and complex commercial litigation. His practice has a significant cross-border element, with a focus on advising and representing international businesses in U.S. proceedings.
Mr. Hawthorne’s antitrust practice encompasses antitrust litigation, merger representation, and counseling. He has litigated federal, state, and transnational antitrust legal issues in many federal and state courts. Mr. Hawthorne has particular experience in intellectual property, antitrust issues, joint ventures and other collaborative arrangements, and international antitrust litigation and enforcement. He has represented media and technology companies in standard-setting collaborations and financial services companies in antitrust challenges to financial products and business practices.
Mr. Hawthorne represents financial institutions, investors, insurers and trustees in litigation involving complex financial products and financial industry practices, from auction rate securities and finite reinsurance to RMBS, CMBS, CDS and CLOs. He has litigated many of the major issues raised in recent years concerning structured debt, securitized assets, and indenture structures, and has served as an expert witness in related litigation.
Mr. Hawthorne represents class action defendants in contract, tort and antitrust actions across the country, including one of the largest currently pending MDLs. He litigates cases involving untested contractual terms and disputes between business partners, often arriving at results through alternatives to contentious litigation.
Mr. Hawthorne has conducted internal investigations in a number of industries in FCPA, antitrust and other matters. He represents companies and individuals before the SEC, DOJ and the FTC. Mr. Hawthorne also represents private equity investors and public companies in securities and M&A litigation, including defense of securities class action and derivative suits, fiduciary duty claims, purchase price adjustments, short swing profit claims, and other takeover-related litigation.