Suzette Barnes is a senior associate in Orrick's San Francisco office and a member of the White Collar, Investigations, Securities Litigation & Compliance Group.
Her practice focuses on the representation of major financial institutions, corporations, and individuals in securities and complex commercial actions, regulatory investigations, and internal investigations.
Additionally, Suzette devotes a portion of her practice to providing pro bono services to veterans seeking VA benefits, homeless individuals seeking the resolution of open warrants, and low income individuals seeking criminal record remedies (including expungements).
Prior to joining Orrick, Suzette was a litigation fellow in the Office of General Counsel for The Regents of the University of California, where she litigated commercial, probate and mandamus actions.
Engagements
Suzette's recent engagements also include:
Representing an investment bank and a loan servicer in New York state court actions brought by monoline insurers seeking to deny coverage under financial guarantees covering residential mortgage-backed securitizations;
Representing an investment bank and a loan servicer in multiple court actions initiated by certificate holders of residential mortgage-backed securities alleging securities and common law fraud and breach of contract claims;
Representing a payment service provider in a series of federal securities class and derivative actions;
Representing a corporation and its owner in a California state court action initiated by international plaintiffs alleging fraud, breach of contract, and breach of fiduciary duty claims;
Representing third-party intervenors in a federal securities fraud action in connection with the disposition of assets subject to receivership;
Conducting a corporate internal investigation into allegations about compliance issues at a Fortune 100 company; and
Representing a technology company in connection with regulatory and internal investigations related to its product lines and revenue recognition practices.
Practices
White Collar, Investigations, Securities Litigation & Compliance
Complex Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Internal Investigations
Trials
White Collar
Admitted In
California
Court Admissions
United States District Courts
Northern District of California
United States Courts of Appeals
Ninth Circuit
Education
University of California, Hastings College of the Law, J.D., 2010, cum laude
University of Florida, B.A., East Asian Languages and Literature (Japanese), 2007, cum laude
University of Florida, B.A., Economics, 2007, cum laude
Externships
Hon. Marla Miller, Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco
Honors
2015 recipient of the Keta Taylor Colby Award
Staff Editor and Senior Articles Editor Hastings Business Law Journal
Witkin Awards for Academic Excellence (Corporations, Negotiations & Settlement, and Public Finance)
CALI Excellence for the Future Awards (Corporations, Law and Business in Japan, Negotiations & Settlement, and Public Finance)
Golden Key International Honour Society
Phi Beta Kappa
Memberships
Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights for the San Francisco Bay Area
State Bar of California
Charles Houston Bar Association
Black Women Lawyers Association of Northern California
Publications
Co-Author, "Equity Trust Notches a Rare Defense Win in SEC Administrative Proceedings," Orrick's Securities Litigation, Investigations and Enforcement Blog (July 2016).
Co-author, "FINRA Issues Largest Fine Regarding Variable Annuities Contracts," Orrick's Securities Litigation and Regulatory Enforcement Blog (May 10, 2016).
Co-author, "Eighth Circuit Breathes Life Into Halliburton's Price Impact Defense," Orrick's Securities Litigation and Regulatory Enforcement Blog (April 19, 2016).
Co-author, "Second Circuit Applies Omnicare to Affirm Dismissal of Securities Fraud Actions," Orrick's Securities Litigation and Regulatory Enforcement Blog (March 15, 2016).
Co-author, "SEC Announces Settlement with State Street and a Suit Against a Big Law Partner for Pay-to-Play Scheme," Orrick's Securities Litigation and Regulatory Enforcement Blog (January 26, 2016).
Co-author, "2015 Securities Law Developments," Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance and Financial Regulation (January 25, 2016).
Co-author, "SEC Eliminates References to Credit Ratings in Money Market Fund Rules," Orrick's Securities Litigation and Regulatory Enforcement Blog (September 22, 2015).
Co-author, "You Can't Cover Up Fraud with TARP Funds: US Government Sues Bank President's Estate," Orrick's Securities Litigation and Regulatory Enforcement Blog (July 14, 2015).
Co-author, "Fannie and Freddie Shareholders Sue FHFA and Treasury Department Over Payment of Profits to U.S. Government," Orrick's Securities Litigation and Regulatory Enforcement Blog (June 2, 2015).
Co-author, "New House Bill Aims to Reduce Some Dodd-Frank Regulatory Burdens," Orrick's Securities Litigation and Regulatory Enforcement Blog (January 21, 2015).
Co-author, "Ninth Circuit Applies Heightened Pleading Standards for Loss Causation," Orrick's Securities Litigation and Regulatory Enforcement Blog (December 30, 2014).
Co-author, "Is Your Bank Stressed Out? OCC Follows Fed on Proposed Stress-Test Changes," Orrick's Securities Litigation and Regulatory Enforcement Blog (September 16, 2014).
Co-author, "Patience is a Virtue: District Court Suggests that the SEC 'Wait and See' Before Seeking Certain No-Admit, No-Deny Settlements," Orrick's Securities Litigation and Regulatory Enforcement Blog (June 24, 2014).
Co-author, "The SEC Scores Another Admission: Scottrade Acknowledges That It Broke Recordkeeping Rules," Orrick's Securities Litigation and Regulatory Enforcement Blog (February 4, 2014).
Co-author, "The Cop is on the Beat: SEC Chair White Says the Agency Aims to be 'Everywhere,'" Orrick's Securities Litigation and Regulatory Enforcement Blog (October 23, 2013).
Co-author, "Fannie and Freddie Shareholders to US: 2008 Government Takeover of Mortgage Giants Good For the Country; Not So Much For Us," Orrick's Securities Litigation and Regulatory Enforcement Blog (June 18, 2013).
Co-author, "Another Securities Case for the Supreme Court. Next Up: Ponzi Scheme Cases," Orrick's Securities Litigation and Regulatory Enforcement Blog (January 31, 2013).
Co-author, "CFTC Tightens Hold on Swap Participants," Orrick's Securities Litigation and Regulatory Enforcement Blog (September 19, 2012).
Co-author, "What's Up with HERA's Statute of Limitations?," Orrick's Securities Litigation and Regulatory Enforcement Blog (May 15, 2012).
