Laura J. O’Rourke practices mainly in the areas of securities and general commercial litigation. She has written extensively on a broad range of  matters for various publications, including ABA Securities Litigation Journal and Texas Tech Law Review. Ms. O'Rourke is also actively involved in pro bono services. She co-chairs the Dallas Office Pro Bono Committee and is a member of the Dallas Bar Association Pro Bono Activities Committee. She is likewise an active supporter of various civic endeavors in the Dallas community, including Girls Inc., Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Habitat for Humanity.

Practice Focus

Ms. O’Rourke has extensive experience representing clients before federal and state courts, federal and state administrative agencies and self-regulated organizations such as FINRA in a variety of litigation, arbitration and administrative matters. These include cases involving compliance issues, securities fraud, broker-dealer related claims, theft of trade secrets, professional liability, product liability, breach of contract, fraud and negligence.

Representative Legal Matters

• Successfully overturned, on a writ of administrative mandate, a finding of fraud in connection with the offer of securities in an administrative final order of the California Corporations Commissioner.
• Assisted with the defense of an international client in a complex civil securities fraud matter, resulting in a favorable settlement prior to the court’s ruling on defendants’ pending motions to dismiss.
• Successfully represented a detained lawful permanent resident in a cancellation of removal proceeding before the Immigration Court, obtaining a favorable ruling and release from detention (pro bono representation).
• Successfully briefed and first-chaired an appeal of the vacatur of an arbitration award before the Dallas Court of Appeals (published opinion). Achieved complete reversal and order reinstating the arbitration award.
• Sat second chair in multiple state administrative proceedings (evidentiary hearings), examining witnesses and participating in legal argument and substantial briefing on securities issues involving exemptions from registration and fraud claims.
• Negotiated multiple settlements and consents with private litigants and state and federal securities regulators involving various securities, contractual and other commercial claims and allegations.
• Sat second chair in a FINRA arbitration involving claims of theft of trade secrets, violations of FINRA rules and regulations and federal Regulation SP. Successfully achieved a unanimous arbitration award of USD526,186.00.
• Argued and briefed at the state and federal appellate levels securities exemption issues and a federal preemption claim involving the National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996 (NSMIA) and California state securities regulations.
• Participated in defense of several complex investigations by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission involving private and public entities.
• Assisted with defense of securities class action suits against publicly traded companies involving multiple complex issues and allegations of securities fraud.
• Successfully briefed a Wells Submission to the NASD (now FINRA) whereby allegations of client misconduct were dropped and recommendation for disciplinary proceedings was withdrawn.

Professional Associations and Memberships

• State Bar of Texas - Member
• Dallas Bar Association - Member
• American Bar Association - Litigation Section; Editor (Summer Issue), ABA Securities Litigation Journal (Nov. 2007 - Present)
• Women, Inc. Leadership Council - Member
• Human Rights Initiative of North Texas, Inc. - Member, Pro Bono Attorney Liaison Committee (2/08-Pres.); Director, Board of Directors (7/10-Pres.)

Admission

U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas~United States (2009)
U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas~United States (2009)
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas~United States (2009)
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit~United States (2006)
U.S. District Court, Colorado~United States (2006)
Texas~United States (2002)
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas~United States (2002)

Education

Texas Tech University School of Law  (J.D. summa cum laude) (2002)
University of Texas at Dallas  (B.A. summa cum laude) (1998)