Carissa Campos Lavin

• Representing a U.S.-based real estate financing company and certain of its executive officers in a putative shareholder class action for violations of Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the 1934 Act pending in the District Court for the Southern District of New York. The class action alleges the defendants made false and misleading statements regarding the company’s commercial real estate loan portfolio. We also represent the company and its current directors and its executive officers in related derivative actions.
• Representing a public company in an SEC investigation regarding revenue recognition and internal controls issues.
• Representing the former board of directors of a Maryland REIT in a post-closing stockholder class action challenging the REIT’s $181 million merger.
• Represented the former board of directors of a publicly traded commercial real estate finance company in a post-closing stockholder class action challenging the board’s approval of a $787 million merger. The Maryland Circuit Court granted the defendants’ motion to dismiss.
• Represented Grand Canyon Education and certain current and former directors and officers in a shareholder derivative action filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery. The plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed their claims following the filing of a motion to dismiss.

Carissa Campos Lavin represents public companies and their directors and officers in high-stakes securities and shareholder litigation. Her practice includes defending clients in securities class actions, shareholder derivative suits, and litigation arising from mergers and acquisitions. Carissa also represents individuals, private companies, and public companies in SEC investigations and enforcement proceedings, advising clients through complex regulatory inquiries and enforcement risks.

While earning her J.D., cum laude, from Georgia State University, Carissa served on the Georgia State Law Review and interned for both District Judge Michael Brown and Magistrate Judge Catherine Salinas of the Northern District of Georgia. She earned her B.A., summa cum laude, in public policy from Georgia State University.

Bar Admissions

• Georgia

Education

• Georgia State University (J.D., 2021)
• Georgia State University (B.A., 2019)