Lisa C. Wood

  • Partner
  • Boston
  • 617 832 1117 direct
  • 617 832 7000 fax

Lisa Wood has over 27 years of experience handling complex business litigation, principally in the areas of securities fraud, accountants liability, and antitrust. She has been selected for inclusion in Chambers USA, The Best Lawyers in America and Massachusetts SuperLawyers for her effectiveness as an antitrust litigator and business counselor.

Lisa’s client representation reflects the breadth of her litigation practice. She has represented many different accounting firms, including the “Big Four” and other national, regional and local firms, in securities and accounting malpractice claims, and in regulatory investigations by the SEC, IRS, PCAOB and other federal and state authorities. She also advises numerous “Fortune 500” public companies and many local privately held companies in federal securities and antitrust litigations, and in government investigations by the FTC, Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice, and SEC.

Corporate governance matters are a special focus of Lisa’s practice. She assists the audit committees of public companies with internal investigations, whistleblower complaints and SEC investigations, and also advises individual public company officers and directors in federal securities litigation, SEC investigations and internal investigations. In addition, Lisa represents public companies and special board of director committees in corporate litigation in the Delaware Chancery Court and elsewhere, including claims arising out of going-private transactions, acquisitions and changes in control.

In the financial industry Lisa helps mutual funds, hedge funds, and other institutional investors evaluate and pursue securities fraud claims, and is currenlty advising a number of clients on claims arising out of the credit crisis.  Broker dealer firms turn to her for guidance in federal securities and other regulatory matters.

Lisa routinely advises clients on the many insurance coverage issues that arise out of business litigation and offers preventative litigation and corporate compliance advice in the securities and antitrust areas. Reflecting her corporate governance emphasis, she is a member of Chartis’ select list of counsel for securities and corporate claims covered by D&O insurance policies written by Chartis.

In addition to her corporate work, Lisa has handled many complex trusts and estates litigation matters involving will contests, will and trust interpretation, cy pres requests, inter-family disputes, guardianships, and breach of fiduciary duty claims. She is regularly appointed as a guardian ad litem by the Boston Juvenile Court in abuse cases involving children with special educational needs and, earlier in her career, handled special education and student rights litigation for many suburban school systems.

Prior to joining Foley Hoag LLP, Lisa was a litigation partner and co-chair of the Financial Litigation and Antitrust Groups of another major Boston law firm.

Bars and Court Admissions

  • Massachusetts
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
  • U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit

Representative Experience

The following is a brief summary of Lisa's experience and accomplishments:

  • Defended Big Four firm and obtained summary judgment dismissing hedge fund’s claim of fraud, negligent misrepresentation and c. 93A on grounds that hedge fund did not rely on client’s audit opinion in making mezzanine loan to financially troubled company. Summary judgment decision and related decision striking “settlement affidavit,” reported at 19 Mass. L. Rep. 51 and 19 Mass. L. Rep. 26 (2005) and an Appeals Court decision affirming summary judgment reported at 69 Mass. App. Ct. 218 (2007).  In re Imprimis v. KPMG LLP

  • Represented special committee of independent directors of a public registrant in an SEC investigation into whether the registrant and its management properly disclosed the executive officers of the registrant and whether one member of management “practiced accounting” before the SEC in violation of a previously-issued accounting bar order and secured favorable settlement for the registrant.

  • Represent partner of national accounting firm in on-going PCAOB investigation.

  • Represent national accounting firm in malpractice suit arising out of alleged misspending of bond proceedings by municipality.

  • Obtained immediate dismissal of claims against national accounting firm for alleged negligent failure to detect bank employee embezzlement.

  • Obtained dismissal of all claims against national accounting firm in securities class action alleging securities fraud in connection with large REIT’s write down of mortgage derivative assets during credit crisis. In Re RAIT Securities Litigation, E.D.PA, 2009.

  • Obtained dismissal of constructive trust and Credit Repair Organization Act claims brought by a class of consumers of a non-profit credit repair organization against a national accounting firm which served as the non-profit’s former tax advisor and auditor, and handled appeal in which First Circuit affirmed dismissal, Zimmerman v. BDO LLP.

  • Obtained an immediate dismissal of antitrust and RICO claims filed against a professional service firm drawn into a patent dispute between parties for whom it had allegedly provided patent agent services.

  • Represented manager of Big 4 firm in PCAOB investigation and convinced PCAOB not to bring charges.

  • Served as settlement counsel for national accounting firm in complex securities litigation and other related litigation and government investigations.

  • Lead counsel to human genomics company in FTC investigation regarding consumer protection and privacy issues.

  • Represent various companies in connection with several different FTC investigations in which the clients have an interest, including producing documents, offering testimony and submitting white papers.

  • Representing The Boston Herald in on-going litigation brought by a former wholesale distributor, challenging an RFP issued by several publishers for wholesale distribution services and winning distribution contracts with vertically integrated publishers. Obtained dismissal of all antitrust claims at motion to dismiss stage.

  • Represent an IT consulting firm in a multi million dollar arbitration dispute with a business customer.

  • Represent various accounting and financial professionals in proceedings before professional and governmental licensing boards including the CFA Institute, AICPA and state boards of accountancy.

professional / civic involvement

  • Appointed by the Supreme Judicial Court to serve as a member of the IOLTA Committee, 2004 - 2012; Elected Chair, 2008
  • Appointed by the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts to serve as Chair of the Attorney Advisory Committee charged with assisting the Court in revising and updating its local rules for civil cases
  • Appointed by the Legal Services Corporation to serve on its Pro Bono Task Force 
  • American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defendants, 2009-2013; Board of Editors of ANTITRUST MAGAZINE, Member; various other leadership positions in the Antitrust and Litigation Sections of ABA
  • Boston Bar Association, Executive Committee and Council, 1999-2002; Litigation Section, Past Chair
  • Serves on the board of directors of several nonprofit corporations, including the Volunteer Lawyers Project
  • LeadBoston Community, Past President

SPEECHES AND CONFERENCES

  • “The Supreme Judicial Court’s Recent Amendment to Mass. R. Civ. P. 23,” Boston Bar Association (December 19, 2011)
  • “Class Certification in Antitrust Cases: The Increasing Role of Economic Analysis,” Boston Bar Association (October 17, 2011)
  • “How Good (or Bad) is Shady Grove for Class Action Practioners?,”  Boston Bar Association (November 15, 2010)  
  • “The New Role of the SEC in PCAOB Oversight. Free Enterprise Fund v. PCAOB: An Analysis of What Comes Next,” PCAOB Webinar (July 2010)
  • “Latest U.S. Developments Impacting Audit Committees,” 10th Best Practices for Audit Committee Effectiveness (April 12, 2010)
  • "International Financial Reporting Standards: An Examination of the SEC's Proposed Conversion Roadmap" (January 2009)
  • “An Interview with the Head of Enforcement for the PCAOB” (April 2008)
  • Faculty Member, Workshop at MIT's Sloan School on Subprime Crisis (March 2008 and December 2008)
  • “Litigating and Trying an Accountants’ Liability Case,” ALI/ABA Conference on Accountants’ Liability (May 3, 2007)
  • “Preparing and Trying Your Civil Case in Federal Court,” MCLE Seminar (March 1, 2007 and April 8, 2008)
  • “Civil Deposition Practice,” MCLE Seminar (December 5, 2006)
  • “Antitrust - Looking for the Bright Lines,” GC New England Antitrust Roundtable Series 2006, Boston (October 25, 2006)
  • “Directors and Officers Liability,” Women Corporate Directors Dinner, Boston (October 3, 2006)
  • “Avoiding Antitrust Violations in Competitor Collaborations,” Legal Publications Group of Strafford Publications Inc. Program (July 2006, November 2006, and October 2007)
  • “Increasing Accountability for Nonprofit Boards - from a Corporate Perspective,” Boston Club Event (January 2006)
  • “Serving on a Non-Profit Board: What Are Your Duties,” Boston Bar Association Program (April 2006)
  • “Rainmaking Through Pro-Bono,” ABA Annual Meeting (August 2005)
  • “Unocal, another battle in the war on Noerr Pennington: Who is winning?,” ABA Section of Antitrust Law Immunities and Exemptions Committee and the Federal Trade Commission Committees Program, Washington, DC (November 10, 2004)
  • “Hot Topics in Litigation Ethics” - A Practical Guide To Knotty Litigation Issues, 2004 ABA Corporate Counsel Program
  • “A Year in the Life of a High Tech Standards Setting Organization,” ABA Antitrust Spring Meeting, Washington, DC (April 24-26, 2002)
  • “Designing and Justifying Distribution Practices in a Changing Doctrinal Environment,” “The 2002 Antitrust Conference: Antitrust Issues in Today’s Economy,” Conference Board, New York (March 7, 2002)
  • “Legal Malpractice and Accounting Malpractice,” MCLE - First Annual Massachusetts Litigation Conference (February 28, 2002)
  • “Antitrust in the Current Economy,” MCLE - Intellectual Property Conference (June 8, 2001)
  • “Microsoft: Where Do We Go From Here,” ABA Antitrust Spring Meeting, Washington DC (March 28-30, 2001)
  • “Antitrust Issues in Electronic Commerce,” Law Education Institute - Antitrust Seminar (January 9-14, 2001)
  • “Antitrust Issues in B2B Exchanges,” ABA Annual Meeting, New York City (July 2000)
  • “Antitrust Issues in High Tech Industries,” MCLE - Intellectual Property Conference (2000)
  • “SECs New Rules on Auditor Independence and Audit Committees,” BBA Securities Litigation Seminar (May 18, 2000)
  • “Settlement of Pending or Threatening Litigation: Antitrust Pitfalls,” ABA Antitrust Spring Meeting, Washington DC (April 5-7, 2000)
  • “Antitrust and Business Competition,” MCLE Presentation (February 2, 2000)
  • “Antitrust Issues in High Tech Industries,” Law Education Institute - Antitrust Seminar (January 12, 2000)
  • Moderator, “The New Federal Antitrust Competitor Collaboration Guidelines,” ABA Conference on Joint Ventures and Strategic Alliances, Washington DC (November 11-12, 1999)
  • “Unfair Trade Practices Acts and State Antitrust Laws: Treble Damages Recoveries Under State Law -- An Overview Of The State Unfair Trade Practice Acts That Provide a Private Right Of Action For Business Torts,” ABA Annual Meeting (August 10, 1999)
  • “When Information Exchanges May Pose Criminal Risks,” ABA Antitrust Spring Meeting, Washington, DC (April 15, 1999)
  • “Antitrust Risks Associated With Pricing Decisions,” MCLE - ACCA (NACA) Antitrust Seminar (October 21, 1998)
  • “Securities Litigation Reform Two Years Later: Accountants and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Potential Gains & Pitfalls Two Years Later,” BBA (March 11, 1998)
  • “Sizing Up “The Entity”: The (New) Rules of Engagement for Representing Closely Held Companies (Bus. Torts Within The Company),” MCLE (January 23, 1998)
  • “Issues in Accountant Malpractice Cases,” MCLE (April 28, 1997)
  • “Punitive Damages Reform: States Take Action, Feds Try Again; Review Of Federal And State Legislative Developments,” ABA Antitrust Spring Meeting (April 1997)
  • “Can They Say That? Do They Do That: What Every Marketplace Competitor Should Know About Advertising On The Internet,” ABA Corporate Counsel Litigation Section (February 1997)
  • “Accountants and The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Potential Gains And Pitfalls, BBA (December 1996)
  • “Proportionate Liability Settlement Procedures And New “Auditor Disclosure” Rules Under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995” (March 1996)
  • “Securities Act of 1995,” BBA (March 4, 1996)
  • “The Kodak Jury Verdict: Is It A Beacon Or Did Somebody Get Lost In The Dark,” BBA (March 1996)

publications

  • Using Jury Consultants in Antitrust Cases, ABA’s Antitrust Magazine (Fall 2011)
  • Interview: Judge Vaugn Walker, ABA's Antitrust Magazine (Summer 2011)  
  • Rule 502: Does It Deliver On Its Promise?, ABA's Antitrust Magazine (Summer 2010)
  • Serving as the Company's Voice—The 30(b)(6) Deposition, ABA's Antitrust Magazine (Spring 2010)
  • Early Case Evaluation (Litigation Efficiency Is Not An Oxymoron), ABA's Antitrust Magazine (Spring 2009)
  • Social Media Use During Trials: Status Updates From The Jury Box, ABA's Antitrust Magazine (Fall 2009)
  • A Pragmatic Approach to Stipulated Confidentiality Orders, ABA's Antitrust Magazine (Fall 2008)
  • Better Discovery Through Document Management, ABA's Trial Practice (2008)
  • Making Your Case With Graphics: An Interview, ABA's Antitrust Magazine (Summer 2008)
  • The Perils of Electronic Filing and Transmission of Documents, ABA's Antitrust Magazine (Spring 2008)
  • Experts Only: Out of the Hot Tub and into the Joint Conference, ABA's Antitrust Magazine (Fall 2007)
  • Better Discovery Through Document Management, ABA’s Litigation Magazine (Summer 2005)
  • Experts in the Tub, ABA’s Antitrust Magazine (Summer 2007)
  • Court-Appointed Independent Experts: A Litigator’s Critique, ABA’s Antitrust Magazine (Spring 2007)
  • Trying Antitrust Cases Before Generalist Judges, ABA’s Antitrust Magazine (Fall 2006)
  • Using Documents in Depositions, ABA’s Antitrust Magazine (Summer 2006)
  • Exploring Effective Trial Themes in Antitrust Cases, ABA’s Antitrust Magazine (Spring 2006)
  • Cross-Examining an Expert Economist at Trial, ABA’s Antitrust Magazine (Fall 2005)
  • Expanded Voir Dire: A Case Study, ABA’s Antitrust Magazine (Summer 2005)
  • In Praise of the Noerr-Pennington Doctrine, ABA’s Antitrust Magazine (Fall 2003)
  • Chapter Author, Business Torts in Massachusetts, Antitrust Law: A Brief Overview (January 2002)
  • The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, MCLE (February 1996)
  • Chapter Author, How I Pray (Ballantine Books, 1994)