profile picture of Philip Besirof

Philip T. Besirof

Partner and General Counsel | San Francisco

As General Counsel to the firm, I have the privilege and opportunity to see our global teams in daily action – and I am unfailingly impressed.

Experience

Represented Zynga Inc. and its directors and officers in a federal securities class action, a state class action, and various derivative actions pending in California and Delaware.

Represented Capital One and its officers and directors in derivative litigation in the Eastern District of Virginia and Delaware Court of Chancery.

Represented former outside directors of Countrywide Financial Corp. in various securities class actions and shareholder derivative actions. Most of these actions have settled, with full releases of our clients, and in none of those cases did the firm’s clients pay any settlement.

Secured a victory for First Solar and its directors and officers in a federal securities class action pending in the District of Arizona when the three-judge panel unanimously upheld the dismissal of a shareholder derivative suit.

Represented Oracle Corporation in derivative actions and “books and records” actions in state and federal courts in California.

Obtained dismissal of 90 percent of the class (all foreign shareholders) and settled with the remaining 10 percent of the class (U.S. shareholders) for client Infineon and its officers.

Obtained a complete jury defense verdict on behalf of JDSU and three former executives in a class action seeking $20 billion for alleged securities fraud and insider trading.