Ms. O'Grady is counsel in the firm’s litigation group.  Since beginning her legal career in 1982, Ms. O’Grady has litigated state and federal cases for domestic and international clients, focusing on complex commercial litigation in a wide range of subject areas, including intellectual property, real estate and securities. She has had pretrial and trial experience in state and federal courts. She has also represented clients in domestic and international commercial arbitration proceedings and in mediation.

Ms. O’Grady’s appellate experience includes both state and federal matters, including published decisions in Camposeco- Montejo v. Ashcroft, 384 F.3d  814 (2004); FDIC v. O'Melveny & Myers, 61 F.3d 17 (9th Cir. 1995); 580 Folsom Associates v. Prometheus Development Co., 223 Cal. App. 3d 1, 272 Cal. Rptr. 227(1990); and Sullivan v. First Affiliated Securities, Inc., 813 F.2d 1368 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 484 U.S. 850 (1987).  She has served as an organizer and moderator on appellate workshops co-sponsored by the Ninth Circuit and Third Circuit courts of appeal.

Representative Matters

Intellectual Property

• Representing a software company on an indemnification claim by licensee arising out of patent infringement litigation.
• Represented a medical device company in prosecuting claims for trade secret misappropriation, copyright infringement and unfair competition against former employees.
• Represented a technology company in patent infringement litigation.
• Represented a biotechnology company in litigation involving allegations of patent infringement and breach of a licensing agreement.

Professional Liability

• Represented a federal conservator and receiver in an investigation and subsequent litigation against officers and directors for American Diversified Savings Bank, a failed savings and loan, and in coordinating efforts with the Department of Justice in a related criminal investigation.
• Represented a federal receiver in an investigation of accountants and attorneys involved in a private offering for American Diversified Savings Bank and subsequent litigation against one of the law firms, FDIC v. O’Melveny & Myers.
• Represented the FDIC as Receiver for HomeFed Bank, a failed savings and loan, in an investigation and subsequent litigation against officers and directors, in recovering bank assets from the bankruptcy estate of the bank’s parent holding company, and a related arbitration.
• Represented the FDIC as Receiver for Merabank in litigation against the bank’s two principal officers and directors who had refused to join in a global settlement involving other officers and directors and in a related arbitration against the D&O insurers for the bank.

Securities

• Represented a special committee of a major specialty retailer in the defense of class action claims by shareholders alleging securities fraud in connection with a going private transaction
• Represented a court-appointed receiver in an action brought by the Securities Exchange Commission to recover assets lost by investors in Ponzi scheme.
• Represented an investor in litigation alleging securities fraud and related claims arising out of a private offering.
• Represented pharmaceutical companies in NASD and SEC investigations of insider trading.

Real Estate

• Representing an institutional investor in a lawsuit arising out of the termination of a real estate investment venture.
• Represented opponents to a development project in an action to enforce restrictive covenants.

Affiliations
Vice President for the Ninth Circuit—Federal Bar Association, 2006-present; Secretary and Board Member, Foundation of the Federal Bar Association, 2011; Life Fellow, Foundation of the Federal Bar Association, 2004 – present; President—Northern District of California Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, 2004-2005; mediator and ENE evaluator for the United States District Court for the Northern District of California's ADR program; pro tem judge for the San Francisco Superior Court; California Bar Association (Litigation Section), San Francisco Bar Association

Courts

U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth, Ninth and Tenth Circuits, All U.S. District Courts in the State of California

Publications
Co-author of Chapter 2, Ethical Considerations and Legal Liability, in Robert A. Thompson, Real Estate Opinion Letter Practice (2009).

Co-author of A Practical Guide to Life Sciences Companies, Commercializing and Protecting Innovation (PLI 2008).

Co-author of Chapter 2, Ethical Considerations and Legal Liability, in Robert A. Thompson, Real Estate Opinion Letter Practice (1993).

Author of Opposing the Lender's Pre-Foreclosure Application for a Receiver, Representing the Borrower in a Real Property Foreclosure or Workout (Program Handbook January 1992), presented jointly by California Continuing Education of the Bar and the State Bar Real Property Law Section.

Consultant for Chapter 8, Settlements, in Business and Commercial Litigation in federal Courts (3d ed. forthcoming 2011). 

Consultant for Meeting Statutory Deadlines: Real Property & Land Use Litigation (Cal. CEB Action Guide Spring 1996).

Consultant for California Lis Pendens Practice (2nd ed.1994).

Consultant for Obtaining Appointment of a Receiver (and Monitoring the Receivership) (Cal. CEB Action Guides Winter 1991 and 1993).