George Gigounas, a partner based in San Francisco, maintains a multi-faceted practice focused on business litigation and regulatory counseling. His litigation practice emphasizes securities law, corporate governance and business competition, as well as environmental matters and toxics exposure. His regulatory practice encompasses a wide range of consumer product compliance and liability issues at state and federal levels.

Mr. Gigounas's corporate and securities experience includes a broad range of corporate governance investigations and defense of SEC enforcement actions, SEC civil litigation, class actions and shareholder derivative litigations. His environmental experience includes defense of claims under California's Proposition 65, federal CERCLA and RCRA laws, and environmental regulatory and transactional advice. Mr. Gigounas has significant additional experience in commercial litigation including insurance litigation.

In his regulatory counseling practice, Mr. Gigounas advises on compliance with product safety laws and regulations, particularly regarding the federal Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 and California laws, including Proposition 65. He also represents clients in product recalls and withdrawals and has provided advice regarding a wide spectrum of softline and hardline products, such as plush toys, jewelry, clothing, shoes, sportswear and equipment, all-terrain vehicles, cosmetics, electronic devices and computers. He helps clients ascertain and monitor regulatory compliance, develop product testing programs, implement required certifications and handle enforcement actions or litigation under federal and state products laws.

Mr. Gigounas received his law degree from the University of California-Berkeley Boalt School of Law and his undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia.

Recent Significant Representations

Securities Law

• DLA litigation and trial team representing former CFO of a multibillion-dollar public company in multiple high-profile securities-related litigations, including derivative claims, class actions and SEC civil litigation
• Represented a publicly traded technology company in SEC and DOJ investigations and multiple litigations arising from alleged stock option back-dating
• Conducted internal corporate investigations regarding options practices at several publicly traded companies
• Represented a real estate investment limited partnership in multiple plaintiff arbitration alleging securities fraud

Environmental Law and Toxic Exposures

• Represented a children's apparel and fashion product manufacturer, importer and retailer in the resolution of threatened California state Proposition 65 litigation over phthalate content in shoes and potential compliance with state and federal (CPSIA) phthalate requirements
• Represented an international children's clothing and jewelry manufacturer and retailer in litigation regarding lead standards for children's jewelry. The benchmark standards set in the settlement of this major coordinated litigation provided the framework for the lead standards eventually adopted in the federal Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA)
• Represented an auto parts manufacturers in the resolution of Proposition 65 litigation over lead in consumer products
• Represented indemnitors in a Proposition 65 action regarding consumer insecticide products
• Represented several companies in conducting environmental due diligence, assessing regulatory compliance and liability risk in connection with multi-million dollar purchase transactions

Product Regulatory Compliance

• Represented a children's product manufacturer in a high-profile recall in both the US and Canada of millions of units of a product in a short time frame
• Counseled an international cosmetic products manufacturer on compliance with California products laws, including Proposition 65 and the California Safe Cosmetics Act
• Counseled a major children's clothing and jewelry manufacturer, importer and retailer regarding the development of effective an international testing, certification and compliance program to ensure broad-based state and federal (CPSIA) compliance for its entire product line, including jewelry, fashion accessories, shoes and clothing
• Represented a children's jewelry manufacturer in regulatory negotiations and product withdrawal
• Counseled major ski apparel and accessories manufacturers and retailers regarding compliance with CPSIA content, testing and certification requirements for products from eyewear to apparel