Virginia Somaweera

Virginia Somaweera is an associate in the Litigation Department, with a practice spanning complex civil litigation—including environmental litigation, mass tort, class actions, and labor and employment disputes.

Ginny represents clients at every stage of litigation, from pre-suit investigation and dispositive motion practice through trial preparation and appeal. She has particular experience leading factual investigations and document-intensive discovery, as well as developing case strategy and managing matters involving parallel mass litigation and regulatory action.  Ginny also maintains an active pro bono practice focused on civil rights and access to health care.

Recent representative matters include:

• Representing a power generation company in coordinated litigation in federal and state court and related regulatory action, arising from a fire at a lithium-ion battery energy storage facility.
• Representing an aerospace company in a class action alleging groundwater contamination from trichloroethylene (TCE) in Los Angeles.  A favorable settlement was reached during trial.
• Representing an aerospace company in a putative class action alleging groundwater contamination from trichloroethylene (TCE) in Missouri. Ginny argued two motions to dismiss before the trial court, which significantly narrowed the claims at issue. A favorable settlement was reached as to the remaining claims.
• Member of trial team that represented infant-formula manufacturer in class-action litigation relating to alleged consumer deception that settled on favorable terms on the eve of trial.
• Defending a global entertainment and media company in single-plaintiff employment litigation involving claims under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA).
• Defending a refining company in multiple putative wage-and-hour class actions.

Representative pro bono matters include:

• Representing plaintiff in a civil rights action challenging conditions of confinement at a county detention facility, asserting supervisory-liability and Monell claims.
• Representing plaintiffs in multiple nationally-watched reproductive justice matters, securing preliminary and permanent injunctions for state-wide abortion bans.
• Representing a nonprofit reproductive health care provider in writ action challenging the constitutionality of a zoning ordinance that halted development of a new health center.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Ginny served as a law clerk to the Honorable James V. Selna of the United States District Court for the Central District of California.

Ginny earned her law degree in 2017 from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, where she was elected to the Order of the Coif. She graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University with a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service in 2012.

Before entering law school, Ginny taught middle school English language arts in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as a Teach For America corps member.

Ginny is a member of the State Bar of California and is admitted to practice law before the United States District Court for the Central District of California and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Capabilities

• Litigation
• Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice
• Class Actions
• Environmental
• Labor and Employment
• Mass Torts and Product Liability
• Media, Entertainment, and Technology

Credentials

Education:

• University of California, Berkeley - 2017 Juris Doctor
• Georgetown University - 2012 B.S. in Foreign Service

Admissions:

• California Bar
• California Bar

Clerkships:

• USDC, Central District of California, Hon. James V. Selna, 2017 - 2018