Ann M. Ashton

Partner

Ann Ashton is a partner in the Litigation Department, co-head of the Securities, M&A and Corporate Governance Litigation Practice Group and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. Ms. Ashton has broad experience in complex litigation matters, including securities class action and individual litigation, ERISA class action litigation, criminal and civil securities enforcement proceedings, ERISA enforcement proceedings, shareholder derivative litigation, and insurance sales practice class action and individual litigation.

Representative Matters

SEC Enforcement and Class Action Experience

  • Royal Dutch/Shell
  • Global Crossing
  • Waste Management
  • Dollar General
  • New York Life (class action only)
  • John Hancock (class action only)
  • American General (class action only)
  • Transamerica (class action only)
  • Pacific Mutual (class action only)

Shareholder Derivative Litigation Experience

  • Royal Dutch/Shell
  • Dollar General
  • Waste Management
  • The Allstate Corporation
  • Brocade Communications Systems

ERISA Enforcement and Class Action Experience

  • Royal Dutch/Shell (class action only)
  • Global Crossing
  • Waste Management (class action only)

Department of Justice Experience

  • Royal Dutch/Shell
  • Global Crossing

Selected Activities

  • Member, American Bar Association, Litigation Section
  • Member, Bar Association of the District of Columbia
  • Member, Conference on Consumer Finance Law

Publications

  • Co-author, “Internal Corporate Investigations and the SEC’s Message to Directors in Cooper,” University of Cincinnati Law Review (1996).
  • Co-author, “Take or Pay Litigation: Lessons Learned,” Natural Gas (July/August/September 1989).

Education

  • George Washington University Law School, 1980, J.D., with Honors; Order of the Coif; Managing Editor, Law Review
  • The Catholic University of America, 1976, B.A., magna cum laude

Bar Admissions

  • District of Columbia

Court Admissions

  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 4th Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas
  • U.S. Tax Court