John M. Gildersleeve

John M. Gildersleeve

John Gildersleeve is a partner in the Los Angeles office of Munger, Tolles & Olson.

Mr. Gildersleeve focuses on securities and complex commercial litigation. He represents issuers, officers, and directors in obtaining dismissals of securities class actions and shareholder derivative actions, and has successfully argued multiple appeals defending dismissals of shareholder claims. Mr. Gildersleeve also represents clients in SEC investigations, internal investigations, corporate governance disputes, arbitrations, and merger litigation under Delaware law. He is ranked by Chambers USA among practitioners of securities litigation in California.

Mr. Gildersleeve has represented clients pro bono in obtaining grants of asylum and dismissal of removal proceedings. In addition, he completed a fellowship with the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, where he successfully prosecuted multiple misdemeanor jury trials to verdict.

Mr. Gildersleeve graduated from Columbia University, where he majored in history, and Columbia Law School, where he was the Executive Notes Editor of the Columbia Law Review. He served as a law clerk to the Honorable Alvin K. Hellerstein of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Experience

  • Won dismissal of a securities class action against Edison International arising from Southern California wildfires, and successfully defended the dismissal on appeal. The result was recognized by the Daily Journal as a “Top Verdict” for 2021. Barnes v. Edison Int’l, 2022 WL 822191 (9th Cir. 2022).
  • Won dismissal of shareholder derivative claims against Intel directors and officers arising from disclosure of alleged flaws in Intel processors, and successfully defended the dismissal on appeal. Tola v. Bryant, 76 Cal. App. 5th 746 (1st Dist. 2022).
  • Won dismissal of an ERISA stock-drop class action against executives of Edison International relating to Edison’s employee stock ownership plan, and successfully defended the dismissal on appeal. Wilson v. Craver, 994 F.3d 1085 (9th Cir. 2021).
  • Won an expedited trial in the Delaware Court of Chancery confirming Rent-A-Center, Inc.’s right to terminate a proposed merger, followed by a settlement enabling Rent-A-Center to collect a $92.5 million termination fee. Vintage Parent, LLC v. Rent-A-Center, Inc., 2019 WL 1223026 (Del. Ch. 2019).
  • Won complete defense award for DoubleLine Capital and its CEO Jeffrey Gundlach after a multi-week hearing in a JAMS arbitration brought by former partners, as well as victory on counterclaims significantly reducing the value of the partners’ outstanding equity. DoubleLine Cap. GP LLC v. Barach, 2024 WL 278943 (Del. Ch. 2024).
  • Won dismissal of claims alleging that founder of NetSuite, Inc. aided and abetted breaches of fiduciary duty in connection with Oracle’s acquisition of NetSuite. In re Oracle Corp. Deriv. Litig., 2020 WL 3410745 (Del. Ch. 2020).
  • Won dismissal of a securities class action against Edison International relating to the retirement of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, and successfully defended the dismissal on appeal. City of Fort Lauderdale Gen. Emps.’ Ret. Sys. v. Edison Int’l, 786 F. App’x 685 (9th Cir. 2019).
  • Represented Berkshire Hathaway in an expedited proceeding in the Delaware Court of Chancery involving a billion-dollar dispute with Pilot Corporation, resulting in a settlement under which Berkshire acquired 100% of Pilot Travel Centers.

Other Notable Representations

  • Represented MGM Resorts International in multijurisdictional civil litigation arising from the 2017 mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival, resulting in global settlement of plaintiffs’ claims before discovery commenced.
  • Obtained terminations of SEC investigations on behalf of executives of two California companies following SEC staff recommendations to file claims.
  • Won summary judgment for Life Is Beautiful music festival in a trademark and copyright lawsuit, and successfully defended that result on appeal. Amusement Art, LLC v. Life Is Beautiful, LLC, 768 F. App’x 683 (9th Cir. 2019).
  • Obtained favorable settlement for Bank of America, N.A. of multijurisdictional litigation arising from collapse of a $1.75 billion mortgage-backed commercial paper facility.

Speaking Engagements

  • Moderator, speaker, West Coast Securities Litigation Regional CLE Program, May 5, 2023

Practice Areas

Education

  • Columbia Law School (J.D., 2008); Executive Notes Editor, Columbia Law Review

  • Columbia University (B.A., 2004); Garrett Mattingly Thesis Prize

Clerkships

  • Alvin K. Hellerstein, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, 2008-2009

Bar Admissions

  • California
  • New York

Experience

  • Won dismissal of a securities class action against Edison International arising from Southern California wildfires, and successfully defended the dismissal on appeal. The result was recognized by the Daily Journal as a “Top Verdict” for 2021. Barnes v. Edison Int’l, 2022 WL 822191 (9th Cir. 2022).
  • Won dismissal of shareholder derivative claims against Intel directors and officers arising from disclosure of alleged flaws in Intel processors, and successfully defended the dismissal on appeal. Tola v. Bryant, 76 Cal. App. 5th 746 (1st Dist. 2022).
  • Won dismissal of an ERISA stock-drop class action against executives of Edison International relating to Edison’s employee stock ownership plan, and successfully defended the dismissal on appeal. Wilson v. Craver, 994 F.3d 1085 (9th Cir. 2021).
  • Won an expedited trial in the Delaware Court of Chancery confirming Rent-A-Center, Inc.’s right to terminate a proposed merger, followed by a settlement enabling Rent-A-Center to collect a $92.5 million termination fee. Vintage Parent, LLC v. Rent-A-Center, Inc., 2019 WL 1223026 (Del. Ch. 2019).
  • Won complete defense award for DoubleLine Capital and its CEO Jeffrey Gundlach after a multi-week hearing in a JAMS arbitration brought by former partners, as well as victory on counterclaims significantly reducing the value of the partners’ outstanding equity. DoubleLine Cap. GP LLC v. Barach, 2024 WL 278943 (Del. Ch. 2024).
  • Won dismissal of claims alleging that founder of NetSuite, Inc. aided and abetted breaches of fiduciary duty in connection with Oracle’s acquisition of NetSuite. In re Oracle Corp. Deriv. Litig., 2020 WL 3410745 (Del. Ch. 2020).
  • Won dismissal of a securities class action against Edison International relating to the retirement of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, and successfully defended the dismissal on appeal. City of Fort Lauderdale Gen. Emps.’ Ret. Sys. v. Edison Int’l, 786 F. App’x 685 (9th Cir. 2019).
  • Represented Berkshire Hathaway in an expedited proceeding in the Delaware Court of Chancery involving a billion-dollar dispute with Pilot Corporation, resulting in a settlement under which Berkshire acquired 100% of Pilot Travel Centers.

Other Notable Representations

  • Represented MGM Resorts International in multijurisdictional civil litigation arising from the 2017 mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival, resulting in global settlement of plaintiffs’ claims before discovery commenced.
  • Obtained terminations of SEC investigations on behalf of executives of two California companies following SEC staff recommendations to file claims.
  • Won summary judgment for Life Is Beautiful music festival in a trademark and copyright lawsuit, and successfully defended that result on appeal. Amusement Art, LLC v. Life Is Beautiful, LLC, 768 F. App’x 683 (9th Cir. 2019).
  • Obtained favorable settlement for Bank of America, N.A. of multijurisdictional litigation arising from collapse of a $1.75 billion mortgage-backed commercial paper facility.

Speaking Engagements

  • Moderator, speaker, West Coast Securities Litigation Regional CLE Program, May 5, 2023

Practice Areas

Education

  • Columbia Law School (J.D., 2008); Executive Notes Editor, Columbia Law Review

  • Columbia University (B.A., 2004); Garrett Mattingly Thesis Prize

Clerkships

  • Alvin K. Hellerstein, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, 2008-2009

Bar Admissions

  • California
  • New York