Geoff Ezgar

is a partner in King & Spalding's Litigation Practice. He concentrates on complex business litigation, with an emphasis in consumer class actions, securities cases, and government investigations.

In the consumer context, Mr. Ezgar has handled numerous nationwide and California class actions alleging false advertising and unfair competition under California Business & Professions Code Section 17200. Recent examples of such cases include:

Defending one of the world’s largest producers of chicken products against false advertising and unfair competition claims concerning the company’s “all natural” and “heart-healthy” advertisements;

Defending a broker-dealer in false advertising and unfair competition action concerning national television and print advertisements promoting brokerage services;

Defending a major investment bank in breach of contract and unfair competition action alleging excessive mark-ups of commissions on investment products;

Defending a life insurance company against unfair competition and breach of contract claims concerning the premiums charged for its products.

Throughout his career, Mr. Ezgar has also handled numerous securities and corporate governance matters, including securities class actions, shareholder derivative suits, and government investigations.

Most recently, he successfully represented two "Big Four" accounting firms in SEC and DOJ investigations (and related private litigation) concerning the stock option practices of several audit clients. Of the cases he handled, Mr. Ezgar obtained dismissal of the auditor defendant in the first-ever securities class action brought concerning the backdating of stock options (In re Brocade Sec. Litig).

Mr. Ezgar also recently defended one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies in a multi-billion dollar lawsuit alleging that the company and its officers and directors had abused their corporate power to steal the trade secrets of a wholly owned subsidiary in order to build a competing broadband network.

In addition to his consumer class action and securities practice, Mr. Ezgar also frequently represents life sciences companies in class actions and complex business disputes.

His most-recent life sciences cases include:

Defending a pharmaceutical company in connection with a development agreement and license for a new drug for treatment of female sexual dysfunction (FSD).

Defending a pharmaceutical company in class action alleging violations of the Public Health Service drug pricing program (the 340B Program).

Defending a pharmaceutical company in False Claims Act litigation concerning the off-label promotion of a prescription drug.

Prior to joining King & Spalding, Mr. Ezgar was a litigation partner (and before that an associate) at Sidley Austin LLP. He also previously served as a law clerk to U.S. District Judge Martin J. Jenkins (now an appellate judge) and as a judicial extern to U.S. District Judge Eugene F. Lynch (now with JAMS).