Craig Varnen is a litigation partner in the Los Angeles office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. Mr. Varnen serves as a Co-Chair of the Firm’s National Securities Litigation Practice Group, which is consistently recognized as one of the best securities litigation groups in the country. Mr. Varnen is an experienced trial attorney who has represented clients in a broad range of  “bet the company” commercial disputes. His practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, with an emphasis on securities litigation. Mr. Varnen has decades of experience representing public companies and their officers/directors in the defense of federal and state securities class actions, derivative actions and government  proceedings. These cases often involve claims related to public offerings, accounting and disclosure practices, mergers and acquisitions, insider trading, corporate governance issues or allegations of breaches of fiduciary duties. Mr. Varnen is also regularly retained to conduct high-profile internal investigations, as well as advise boards and officers on fiduciary duty and corporate governance issues. He has also handled a wide range of other business and class action litigation, including many different types of consumer class actions, cases involving the misappropriation of trade secrets, employment litigation, and insurance matters. He also often counsels clients in employment contract-related matters.

Mr. Varnen is currently ranked by Chambers USA  in the category of Securities Litigation. He is frequently asked to speak on a variety of topics relating to securities and complex commercial litigation, and is listed as pre-approved panel counsel for the major D&O insurance carriers. He has been selected by his peers for inclusion in the Securities Litigation category as one of The Best Lawyers in America since 2021. From 2012-2022, he was recognized by Southern California Super Lawyer  for his business litigation expertise. He was also named a Southern California Rising Star by Super Lawyers.

Recent Experience Includes: *

• Defended, including acting as lead counsel in a successful two-week trial, a publicly traded Fortune 500 company in a complex merger litigation arising from its acquisition by way of mergers of several limited partnerships in which it served as the general partner.
• Defended Fortune 500 multinational lender in securities fraud lawsuits and multiple government investigations.
• Defended CFO of a Fortune 500 media company in high profile securities fraud and derivative lawsuits.
• Defended the former chairman/CEO of Countrywide Financial Corporation in a series of securities fraud and regulatory lawsuits arising from the demise of the mortgage banking industry.
• Defended a national bank in a securities fraud lawsuit relating to a multiple auto loan-backed securitizations.
• Represented Fortune 500 financial services company in securities fraud and derivative lawsuits filed in both federal and state court.
• Represented Fortune 500 biopharmaceuticals company in high-profile securities fraud and derivative lawsuits.
• Defended the world’s largest event promoter/venue operator in a high-profile consumer class action lawsuit.
• Represented a prominent casino in a high profile litigation brought by a director alleging corporate governance and breach of fiduciary duty related claims.
• Represented the chief financial officer of a prominent publicly traded interactive entertainment company in securities fraud and derivative lawsuits filed in both federal and state court.
• Defended multiple companies in lawsuits involving the theft of trade secrets by former employees.
• Defended one of the country’s largest cable operators in a complex securities class action lawsuit and government investigations relating to accounting and reporting practices.
• Defended a regional bank and its board of directors in a complex class action litigation resulting from a $851 million business combination with another bank.
• Defended one of the country’s largest oil companies and its board of directors in a complex class action litigation resulting from its $18 billion merger with another oil company.
• Defended the chief financial officer of a publicly traded software company in a complex securities class action lawsuit and government investigation relating to accounting and reporting practices.
• Defended a technology company in a complex securities class action lawsuit resulting from its $2 billion acquisition of a competing company.
• Defended one of the nation’s preeminent private wealth managers in a FINRA arbitration.
• Prosecuted litigation on behalf of a municipal agency that was one of the largest investors in the Orange County
• Prosecuted litigation on behalf of a municipal agency that was one of the largest investors in the Orange County Investment Pool against Wall Street securities professionals following the pool’s collapse due to its investment in complex derivative securities.

* Includes representative matters handled prior to joining Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP.

Prior to joining the Firm, Mr. Varnen was a long-time partner at the law firm of Irell & Manella LLP, where he was Chair of the firm’s Securities Litigation group, Vice Chair of its Litigation group, and a repeat member of its Executive Committee.

Mr. Varnen served as a law clerk for the Hon. Cynthia Holcomb Hall in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Mr. Varnen graduated from the University of California San Diego with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. He graduated summa cum laude  and Phi Beta Kappa. He earned his law degree from University of California, Berkley School of Law where he was an editor of the California Law Review, and was elected to the Order of the Coif.

Mr. Varnen serves on the board of trustees of the Curtis School.

Mr Varnen is admitted to practice law in the state of California, before the United States District Court for the Central and Northern Districts of California, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.