Elizabeth Wright

Elizabeth Wright helps clients resolve intractable disputes, protect their businesses and employees, and manage litigation risk.  Liz focuses on complex commercial litigation, including consumer class actions; defending companies and their officers and directors in securities litigation and fiduciary duty cases; white collar defense and investigations; and cases involving trade secret, business tort, unfair competition, conspiracy and antitrust claims.  Her experience includes litigating cases in federal and state courts, including numerous appellate courts, defending clients in arbitration proceedings, and representing clients in government and internal investigations.  Liz has represented individuals, investors, boards of directors, start-ups, and established companies across numerous industries such as life sciences, technology, communications, and education.

Earlier in her career, Liz worked on education policy as a staff member for Senator Edward M. Kennedy on the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and at the U.S. Department of Education. 

Representative complex matters and class actions include:

• Representing technology company facing investigations by the SEC and DOJ.
• Representing former Board members and an investment fund against breach of fiduciary duty claims in the Delaware Court of Chancery.
• Representing pharmaceutical companies in securities class action litigation and other litigation pending in federal court.
• Representing Turo, a peer-to-peer car sharing company, seeking freedom to operate in disputes with airports in Massachusetts, California, and other states.
• Secured trial victory for Uber in case brought by 34 taxi medallion-owning corporations that alleged unfair competition and conspiracy and sought over $400 million in damages at trial. Complete defense verdict for Uber across the board, on both liability and damages.
• Represented CenturyLink in nationwide class action involving the consumer protection laws of 15 states and federal securities laws. Notable victories include a successful motion before the Joint Panel on Multidistrict Litigation to transfer 20 cases to the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, a successful motion staying discovery during the pendency of a motion to compel arbitration and enforce class-action waivers, a successful mediation that resulted in a nationwide settlement for more than 17 million customers, and obtaining preliminary and final approval of the settlement in the District of Minnesota.
• Represented university in a class action seeking tuition refunds in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic. The plaintiff voluntarily dismissed the case after we filed our motion to dismiss.

Representative matters – fraud, contract, and tort cases:

• Represented CenturyLink in a lawsuit brought by the Minnesota Attorney General alleging unfair trade practices and fraud. Successfully entered into a Consent Order to resolve the dispute.
• Secured dismissal of third-party complaint against financial services company alleging civil conspiracy, fraud, tortious interference and other claims.
• Obtained summary judgment for alcoholic beverage manufacturer on tortious interference claims and successfully defeated motion for preliminary injunction.
• Secured favorable award in ICC arbitration involving breach of contract claims.

Representative matters – trade secret and unfair competition cases:

• Successfully defended data storage company Pure Storage in highly publicized case brought by EMC challenging the hiring of over 200 EMC employees and alleging unfair competition and trade secret theft.
• Successfully defended employees of data storage company Rubrik in cases alleging theft of trade secrets and breach of non-solicitation agreements.
• Secured dismissal of a lawsuit filed in federal court alleging trade secret theft involving a blockchain-based game.
• Successfully defended alcoholic beverage manufacturer against claims of misappropriation of trade secrets.

Representative matters – antitrust:

• Successfully defended trigger sprayer manufacturer in federal litigation alleging monopolization, below-cost sales, and tortious interference.
• Secured dismissal with prejudice of claims alleging monopolization and conspiracy against a testing and certification firm.
• Secured antitrust clearance for deals involving the acquisition of businesses and assets in a variety of industries, and counseled clients on responding to subpoenas and civil investigative demands related to antitrust and other government investigations.

Representative matters – pro bono:

• Challenging federal death penalty regulations on constitutional and statutory grounds in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
• Challenging Illinois redistricting law on constitutional and statutory grounds.
• Successfully obtained compassionate release from federal prison for an immunocompromised man at high risk for COVID-19.
• Successful representation of an Afghanistan native in his petition for asylum in the United States.
• Successful representation of a Liberian woman in her petition for asylum in the United States.