Robert E. Gooding, Jr.

Partner

Robert E. Gooding, Jr., represents clients facing complex business litigation in US state and federal courts and in arbitration. Bob’s experience ranges from defending public companies and officers and directors against securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation, to representing clients in regulatory and enforcement proceedings before the SEC and other regulatory bodies. Special board and audit committees also rely on Bob to conduct internal investigations. In addition, Bob represents regional, national, and international law firms in professional liability matters.

Extended Profile

Bob has experience in complex commercial class actions and all phases of trial and appellate practice in US state and federal courts and in arbitration proceedings in California and throughout the United States.

He represents public companies and their officers and directors, as well as law firms and accounting firms, in high-profile Rule 10b-5 shareholder class actions, derivative litigation, and related regulatory and enforcement proceedings. He has defended technology companies and their boards in putative shareholder class actions and derivative cases challenging M&A transactions, and banks and financial services firms in consumer class actions and related litigation. Most recently, he has successfully represented Sempra Energy and Southern California Gas Company in securities class action litigation and related shareholder derivative cases growing out of the Aliso Canyon gas leak near the Porter Ranch community in Los Angeles. Plumley v. Sempra Energy, et al., 2017 WL 2712297 (S.D. Cal., June 20, 2017); Fischman v. Reed, et al., 2017 WL 1166349 (S.D. Cal., March 29, 2017).

His practice also encompasses conducting internal investigations involving stock option backdating, revenue recognition, and related issues.

Bob also has experience defending regional, national, and international law and accounting firms in professional liability litigation, including securities and malpractice litigation.

Consistently recognized as a Southern California Super Lawyer by Law & Politics magazine, Bob has held leadership positions in the Litigation Section of the American Bar Association, including co-chair of the Securities Litigation, Amicus Curiae Briefs, and Pretrial Practice and Discovery committees.

From 1970 to 1971, Bob served as law clerk to Justice Harry A. Blackmun of the US Supreme Court.

selected representations

Plumley v. Sempra Energy (S.D. Cal.) – Sempra Energy and Southern California Gas Co. in securities class action.
Fischman v. Reed (S.D. Cal.) – Sempra Energy and Southern California Gas Co. in shareholder derivative action.
Kanter v. Reed (LA Supr. Ct.) – Sempra Energy and Southern California Gas Co. in shareholder derivative action.
Fazio v. Reed (LA Supr. Ct.) – Sempra Energy in shareholder derivative action.
Retail Wholesale & Department Store Union Local 338 Retirement Fund v. Hewlett-Packard Company (N.D. Cal) – Hewlett-Packard in securities class action.
Gammel v. Hewlett-Packard Company (C.D. Cal.) – Hewlett-Packard in securities class action.
In re Hewlett-Packard Company Shareholder Derivative Litigation (C.D. Cal.) – Hewlett-Packard in shareholder derivative action.
In re GSI Commerce Securities Litigation (Del. Chancery Court) – GSI Commerce in shareholder derivative action challenging merger.
In re Sun MicroSystems Securities Litigation (Santa Clara County Supr. Ct.) – Sun MicroSystems and its Board of Directors in shareholder derivative action challenging merger.
Facciola v. Greenberg Traurig (D. Arizona) – law firm in securities class action.
In re Semtech Corp. Securities Litigation (C.D. Cal.) – CEO in securities class action.
In re Sequenom Derivative Litigation (S.D. Cal.) – Officer in shareholder derivative action.
In re Wireless Facilities Securities Litigation (C.D. Cal.) – CEO in securities class action.
In re Global Crossing Securities Litigation (S.D. N.Y.) – Officer and director in securities class action.
In re County of Orange (C.D. Cal.) – Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco in securities class action.
In re Transcrypt International Securities Litigation (D. Neb.) – CEO in securities class action and SEC investigation.
In re Digital Lightwave Securities Litigation (M.D. Fla.) – CFO in securities class action and SEC investigation.
In re Sirena Apparel Group Securities Litigation (C.D. Cal.) – Sirena Apparel Group in securities class action.
In re Platinum Software Securities Litigation (C.D. Cal.) – Officer in securities class action.
In re Abbey Healthcare Securities Litigation (C.D. Cal.) – Officer in securities class action.
In re Thortec International Securities Litigation (N.D. Cal.) – Thortec International in securities class action.
In re MiniScribe Securities Litigation (D. Col.) (and State Court, Galveston, Texas) – Director and investment banking firm in securities class action.
In re Syntex Corp. Securities Litigation (N.D. Cal.) – Syntex Corp. in securities class action.
In re Diasonics Securities Litigation (N.D. Cal.) – Accounting firm in securities class action.
In re California MicroDevices Securities Litigation (N.D. Cal.) – California MicroDevices in securities class action.
In re California Microwave Securities Litigation (N.D. Cal.) – California Microwave in securities class action.

Education

University of Michigan Law School, 1969, J.D., Summa Cum Laude
Northwestern University, 1966, B.S., Magna Cum Laude

Admissions

California
Supreme Court of the United States
US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
US District Court for the Northern District of California
US District Court for Central District of California
US District Court for the Southern District of California
US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

Clerkships

Clerkship to Justice Harry A. Blackmun of the US Supreme Court (1970-1971)
Clerkship to Judge Walter Schaefer of the Supreme Court of Illinois (1969 - 1970)