M. Byron Wilder

M. Byron Wilder joined Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher's Orange County office in 1984 after graduating in the top 10 percent of his class from Stanford Law School, where he was a member of the Law Review, won the 1984 Marion Rice Kirkwood Moot Court Competition and was elected to the Order of the Coif.  Before attending law school, Mr. Wilder received a master of science and a Ph.D. from the University of Oregon Medical School.

In 1992, Mr. Wilder transferred to the firm's Dallas office.  He is admitted to the State Bars of California and Texas, the United States District Courts for the Northern, Central and Southern Districts of California, the District of Arizona and the Northern, Southern and Eastern Districts of Texas and to the United States Courts of Appeals for the Fifth and Ninth Circuits.  He has taught classes in trial advocacy and deposition techniques for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy.  Mr. Wilder is the co-author of the chapter "Class Certification in Securities Cases" in Securities Litigation A Practitioner's Guide published by the Practising Law Institute.

Mr. Wilder's primary area of practice is securities litigation, particularly the defense of securities class actions and derivative actions.  Mr. Wilder also has experience in other areas of complex civil litigation including environmental class actions and civil RICO defense.

Representative Litigation Matters

• Represents Big-4 accounting firm in securities class action (Section 11).  Obtained denial of class certification and summary judgment in favor of the defendant in trial court.  The Fifth Circuit remanded to the trial court for additional briefing.
• Represents major media corporation in securities class action related to circulation.  Obtained denial of class certification.  The Fifth Circuit affirmed the denial.
• Represents underwriter in securities class action (Section 11) related to failed Texas bank holding company.
• Represents foreign accounting firm in securities class actions and regulatory investigations.
• Represented Big-4 accounting firm in multiple securities class actions in state and federal court arising from failure of multi-billion dollar audit client.
• Represented Big-4 accounting firm in securities class action in Texas state court (San Antonio).
• Represented Big-5 accounting firm in suit brought by former audit client arising from multi-million dollar loss related to trading in derivatives.
• Represented Big-5 accounting firm in complex multi-district state and federal class actions, alleging more than $3.5 billion dollars in damages, arising out of the failure of Lincoln Savings and American Continental Corporation.  Mr. Wilder was one of the trial attorneys and participated in the four-month trial of the action.
• Represented Big-5 accounting firm in derivative action arising from audit and consulting work done on behalf of failed biotechnology company.  Jury trial resulted in no damages and judgment was affirmed on appeal.