Consumer & Class Actions, Contract & Commercial, Intellectual Property, Professional Liability, Securities, White Collar Criminal
Laurie Carr Mims has extensive experience litigating complex civil matters, including securities class actions and shareholder derivative actions. She has tried a variety of cases, including several as first chair. While Ms. Mims has represented institutional and individual clients from a wide range of industries, most of her clients are in the biotechnology and venture capital fields. She has also handled high-stakes matters involving the False Claims Act, breach of contract, fraud, trade secret theft, and copyright infringement, and has defended individuals in DOJ investigations and prosecutions.
Ms. Mims also has an active pro bono practice, through which she has represented indigent clients in criminal trials and habeas proceedings. In 2006, she won a habeas petition on behalf of a Three-Strikes defendant who had served ten years of a twenty five years-to-life sentence. After the client was granted a new trial, she and partner Elliot Peters convinced a Kern County judge to dismiss one of the strikes and release the client the same day with a time-served sentence.
We represent Genentech in a federal trade secret theft lawsuit alleging that former Genentech scientists, several of whom have also been charged criminally by the Department of Justice, stole confidential and proprietary information to help a foreign company develop biosimilar versions of Genentech medicines.
On the eve of trial in Delaware federal court, we obtained a favorable settlement for the former CEO of a major healthcare company in a breach of fiduciary duty case. We also represented him in related insurance coverage action in Colorado federal court.
We successfully defended at trial an Am Law 50 law firm and one of its former partners against a $100 million claim. The plaintiff alleged malpractice and breach of fiduciary duty related to estate planning. After an eight-week trial in California state court, we won a complete victory.
We represented a communications provider in its appeal of an adverse judgment in a sexual harassment case. We won in part and lost in part on appeal.
We represented an investment fund executive charged with criminal tax fraud related to a tax-shelter transaction that the fund designed and implemented. We resolved the matter by negotiating a plea to reduced charges.
We represented a start-up drug discovery company in a collaboration agreement dispute regarding the development of a diabetes drug. We obtained a favorable settlement before arbitration was filed.
We represented a biotechnology company developing a drug for a rare genetic disease in arbitration proceedings over its rights to develop its sole product under a collaboration agreement with a large pharmaceutical company. With our assistance, on the first day of the arbitration the parties reached a favorable settlement, which provided for our client’s acquisition of the life-saving drug it is developing. The FDA has now approved the drug and our client successfully conducted an IPO.
We represented Revance, a biotechnology company which develops next-generation dermatology products and therapeutic medicines, in a Delaware Chancery Court bench trial. The trial determined Revance’s worldwide rights to its injectable botulinum toxin product, as well as its ground-breaking topical botox product. Days after the trial, we finalized a settlement which returned all global rights to develop and commercialize both products across all indications to Revance, and resolved all outstanding litigation between the companies.
Laurie Mims joined Keker & Van Nest in 2005 and became a partner in 2009. Read more
With help from Michael Celio and Laurie Mims, Emeryville-based Amyris Inc. has shaken off a securities suit alleging executives misled the market about the company's success developing a plant-based fuel alternative. Read more
Judge’s order overwhelmingly favors Amyris, plaintiff abandons case. Read more
Michael Celio led the defense of a renewable energy company and its CEO. Read more
Gun advocates claim the city's firearms ordinance was improperly approved and violates the Constitution. Read more
Laurie Mims shares how partners should address their increased legal liability. Read more
Laurie Mims will speak at the American Bar Association program. Read more
Stuart Gasner and Laurie Mims represented Revance, a biotechnology company which develops next-generation dermatology products and therapeutic medicines, in a Delaware Chancery Court bench trial. Read more
Seasoned trial litigators will provide practical tools for effectively litigating in federal court. Read more
Laurie Mims will moderate this panel, which features Sharif Jacob and other young practitioners. Read more
The Honorable Isabella Horton Grant (Ret.) will be presented with the 2011 Rose Bird Memorial Award. Read more
Laurie Mims is featured in the Recorder's piece on the attorneys who were elevated to partner in 2009. Read more
It took two tossed convictions and almost 10 years, but James Mar finally walked freely out of a Kern County jail last month Read more
