Tina Samanta is a partner in the New York office of Gibson Dunn. She is a member of the firm’s Securities Enforcement, White Collar Defense and Investigations, Securities Litigation, and Litigation Practice Groups. She serves as the Co-Hiring Partner for Gibson Dunn’s New York office.
Tina has over twenty years of experience advising financial institutions, public and private companies, and executives in sensitive and high-stakes securities-related investigations conducted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Department of Justice, State Attorneys General, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, and other regulatory authorities. She also represents a diverse range of clients in all phases of litigation before federal and state courts across the country.
Tina is a frequent speaker and author on matters relating to enforcement of the securities laws. The American Lawyer featured Tina in its “Litigators of the Week” series (September 13, 2024) for her work serving as defense counsel to Edward Jones in connection with a successful summary judgment motion in a purported nationwide investor class action. She is a co-author of the Securities Enforcement chapter in the Practicing Law Institute Treatise, Securities Litigation: A Practitioner’s Guide.
Representative Securities Enforcement Matters and Investigations
- Represented investment adviser in SEC investigation of disclosures relating to robo-adviser platform resulting in termination without action.
- Represented public multi-national food and beverage company in SEC investigation of ESG disclosures resulting in termination without action.
- Represented hedge fund in DOJ and SEC investigations of market manipulation in connection with block trades resulting in termination without action.
- Represented banking subsidiary of global financial institution in SEC investigation of accounting classifications following 2023 United States banking crisis resulting in termination without action.
- Represented private fintech company in SEC investigation of investor disclosures relating to proposed financing resulting in termination without action.
- Represented multiple public companies in SEC investigations of whistleblower protection violations resulting in termination without action.
- Represented investment adviser in SEC investigation of disclosures relating to cash sweep vehicles resulting in termination without action.
- Represented public company specializing in consumer loan services in Manhattan District Attorney and New York Attorney General investigations of lending practices resulting in termination without action.
- Represented public automative service company and its former CEO in SEC investigation of Regulation FD violations resulting in termination without action.
- Represented public global nutrition company in SEC investigation of insider trading relating to share buyback resulting in termination without action.
- Represented former employee of financial technology company in SEC investigation relating to proprietary trading in dark pool resulting in termination without action.
- Represented employees of broker-dealer and investment adviser in SEC investigation of recordkeeping.
- Represented public global water technology company in DOJ and SEC investigations of accounting and revenue recognition issues.
- Represented broker-dealer and investment adviser in SEC and multi-state investigations concerning sales practice and breach of fiduciary allegations relating to account selection.
- Represented broker-dealer and investment bank in SEC, FINRA, and multi-state investigations and class actions arising out of sale of structured products issued by Lehman Brothers following global financial crisis.
- Represented broker-dealer in SEC investigation of municipal bond offering and secondary trading practices.
- Represented insurer in SEC investigation of variable annuity contracts.
- Represented audit committee of financial services company in internal investigation and review of compliance and audit issues arising out of whistleblower complaint.
- Represented market making divisions of financial institution in regulatory review of “flash crash.”
- Represented Chief Executive Officer of investment bank in NASD investigation relating to alleged research analyst conflicts of interest.
- Regularly advise and represent public companies in internal investigations of insider trading.
Representative Litigation Matters
- Represented Edward Jones in purported nationwide investor class action alleging “reverse churning” claims, resulting in dismissal of all claims following summary judgment.
- Represented Medallion Financial Corp. in litigation against the SEC concerning financial reporting, valuation, and disclosure issues.
- Represented former outside directors of Bear Stearns in Southern District of New York derivative and ERISA class action litigation relating to the near collapse of Bear Stearns.
- Represented financial institution underwriters of Washington Mutual debt in Western District of Washington securities class action litigation.
- Represented Chubb in New Jersey State Superior Court litigation relating to alleged damages arising from September 11 World Trade Center attack.
- Represented investment banker in successful Second Circuit appeal of obstruction of justice charges.
- Represented General Atlantic Partners in California Superior Court jury trial resulting in full defense verdict and successful appeal alleging breaches of contract and fiduciary duty relating to initial public offering of online ticketing company.
Representative Speaking Engagements
- Panelist, Supervision and Testing with a Hybrid Workforce, SIFMA C&L Annual Seminar (2023-2026).
- Moderator, Capital Markets: Current Trends in Supervision and Enforcement, IIB Regulatory Compliance Conference (2024).
- Panelist, Current Developments in Litigation and Arbitration, SIFMA C&L St. Louis Regional Seminar (2024).
- Moderator, Establishing an Effective Hedge and Private Fund Compliance Program, PLI Hedge Fund and Private Equity Enforcement & Regulatory Developments Seminar (2023).
- Panelist, DOJ and SEC Enforcement Updates, EY Integrity and Compliance Seminar (2023).
- Panelist, Top of Mind Financial Industry Trends, SIFMA C&L St. Louis Regional Seminar (2023).
- Panelist, Recent Regulatory Developments and Perspectives, SIFMA C&L St. Louis Regional Seminar (2022).
- Panelist, ESG Litigation and Enforcement, ABA Litigation Section Corporate Counsel Seminar (2022).
- Panelist, Recent Regulatory Developments, SIFMA C&L St. Louis Regional Seminar (2017).
Tina serves on the Board of Directors of Queens Community House, a non-profit provider of holistic services to individuals and families in Queens. She maintains an active pro bono practice and has worked on a diverse range of pro bono matters, including with Legal Services NYC, Sanctuary for Families, and Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts. She is a certified mediator with Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts.
Tina earned her Juris Doctor cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School in 2002, where she was an editor of the Michigan Law Review. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude from Johns Hopkins University in 1999.
Tina is admitted to practice in the State of New York, and before the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.
Capabilities
- Securities Enforcement
- Litigation
- Securities Litigation
- State Attorneys General
- White Collar Defense and Investigations
Credentials
Education:
- University of Michigan - 2002 Juris Doctor
- Johns Hopkins University - 1999 Bachelor of Arts
Admissions:
- New York Bar