Lauren C. Barnett is a litigator in the Los Angeles office of Munger, Tolles & Olson.
Ms. Barnett focuses her practice on securities and complex commercial litigation. She has represented nearly a dozen companies—including Edison International, Mattel, and Intel—in defending securities class actions. Ms. Barnett has also represented clients in investigations, regulatory proceedings, probate proceedings, bankruptcy proceedings, multidistrict litigation, and on appeal.
In 2018, Ms. Barnett completed a fellowship with the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, where she prosecuted multiple misdemeanor jury trials to verdict. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Barnett clerked for Judge Sandra S. Ikuta of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Ms. Barnett earned her J.D. with high honors from the University of Chicago Law School, where she was the executive editor of The University of Chicago Law Review and served as a research assistant to Judge Richard Posner and Professor William Landes. Ms. Barnett was elected to the Order of the Coif and was selected as a Kirkland and Ellis Scholar. She was also awarded the Sidley Austin Prize for brief writing.
Before entering law school, Ms. Barnett was a senior analyst at Cornerstone Research in New York, where she supported expert witnesses in commercial litigation with economic analyses. Ms. Barnett received her A.B., magna cum laude, from Princeton University.
Experience
Securities and Shareholder Actions:
- Southern California Edison and its parent Edison International in two federal securities actions and related derivative and ERISA litigation. In 2021, Ms. Barnett was part of the team that secured a dismissal of a securities class action against Edison arising from the 2017 and 2018 Southern California wildfires. The result was recognized by the Daily Journal as a “Top Verdict" for 2021.
- Berkeley Lights in federal securities and shareholder derivative litigation.
- View, Inc. in federal securities and shareholder derivative litigation.
- Mattel in two federal securities actions.
- Intel in parallel state and federal securities actions.
- Ten-X in a federal securities action.
- Three underwriter investment banks in a state securities action.
Other Key Representations:
- A consortium of term lenders in a $600 million clawback action asserted by the GM bankruptcy estate that resulted in a settlement under which MTO’s clients paid nothing and recovered a significant portion of their attorney fees.
- Halyard Health in a Ninth Circuit appeal that resulted in the vacating of the judgment against Halyard Health from a jury verdict in a class action about surgical gown labeling.
- Juul Labs in multidistrict litigation and state court consolidated proceedings involving novel product liability and public nuisance claims and allegations about marketing practices.
- Wells Fargo in two probate matters concerning trusts for which Wells Fargo served as trustee.
- Southern California Edison Company in proceedings before the California Public Utilities Commission in connection with the permanent shutdown of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station Units 2 and 3.
- A leading technology company in two internal investigations and counseling on complex issues relating to product security and business strategy.
- Scyrus Hebert in a pro bono matter that resulted in the reduction of Mr. Hebert’s 215-year federal criminal sentence to time served following the advocacy of Ms. Barnett and her team.
Education
-
The University of Chicago Law School (J.D., high honors, 2014)
-
Princeton University (A.B., magna cum laude, 2008)
Clerkships
- Judge Sandra S. Ikuta, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 2014-2015
Bar Admissions
- California
Experience
Securities and Shareholder Actions:
- Southern California Edison and its parent Edison International in two federal securities actions and related derivative and ERISA litigation. In 2021, Ms. Barnett was part of the team that secured a dismissal of a securities class action against Edison arising from the 2017 and 2018 Southern California wildfires. The result was recognized by the Daily Journal as a “Top Verdict" for 2021.
- Berkeley Lights in federal securities and shareholder derivative litigation.
- View, Inc. in federal securities and shareholder derivative litigation.
- Mattel in two federal securities actions.
- Intel in parallel state and federal securities actions.
- Ten-X in a federal securities action.
- Three underwriter investment banks in a state securities action.
Other Key Representations:
- A consortium of term lenders in a $600 million clawback action asserted by the GM bankruptcy estate that resulted in a settlement under which MTO’s clients paid nothing and recovered a significant portion of their attorney fees.
- Halyard Health in a Ninth Circuit appeal that resulted in the vacating of the judgment against Halyard Health from a jury verdict in a class action about surgical gown labeling.
- Juul Labs in multidistrict litigation and state court consolidated proceedings involving novel product liability and public nuisance claims and allegations about marketing practices.
- Wells Fargo in two probate matters concerning trusts for which Wells Fargo served as trustee.
- Southern California Edison Company in proceedings before the California Public Utilities Commission in connection with the permanent shutdown of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station Units 2 and 3.
- A leading technology company in two internal investigations and counseling on complex issues relating to product security and business strategy.
- Scyrus Hebert in a pro bono matter that resulted in the reduction of Mr. Hebert’s 215-year federal criminal sentence to time served following the advocacy of Ms. Barnett and her team.
News
Practice Areas
Industries
Education
-
The University of Chicago Law School (J.D., high honors, 2014)
-
Princeton University (A.B., magna cum laude, 2008)
Clerkships
- Judge Sandra S. Ikuta, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 2014-2015
Bar Admissions
- California