Mary Ellen Conner
Ms. Conner is an attorney in the Atlanta office of Johnson Fistel. Ms. Conner's extensive experience in securities litigation is exemplified by her active role in securing an $18.75 million settlement on behalf of a proposed class of investors alleging the biopharmaceutical company, Chiasma, Inc., misled investors in its 2015 initial public offering about the prospects for regulatory approval of the company's drug candidate, Mycapssa, in violation of §§ 11 and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933.
Ms. Conner's fiduciary duty litigation experience is highlighted by her instrumental work in negotiating a favorable settlement for her client in the In re International Textile Group Merger Litigation, brought by Safety Components International ("SCI") minority shareholders against WL Ross & Co., certain current and former officers and directors of International Textile Group ("ITG"), and others, arising out of the merger of ITG and SCI in which minority shareholders alleged breach of fiduciary duties by controlling shareholders.
Areas of Practice: Ms. Conner concentrates her practice on securities litigation and complex commercial disputes, representing businesses and individuals who have been wronged by corporate fraud in shareholder litigation, including direct and derivative actions.
Prior to joining Johnson Fistel, Ms. Conner practiced law at Jones Day, a full-service law firm with more than 2,500 lawyers and 43 offices around the world, representing Fortune 500 companies in complex commercial and securities litigation. Additionally, Ms. Conner has since served on the faculty of Atlanta's John Marshall Law School teaching Civil Procedure I and II; Legal Research, Writing, and Analysis I; and Legal Communications and Process. She also served as the Faculty Adviser to the Moot Court and co-directed the school's Oral Advocacy Competition.
Ms. Conner also previously represented numerous businesses, healthcare providers (including hospitals, physician groups, laboratories, Durable Medical Equipment supply companies, and ambulatory surgery centers), and individuals in government investigations and litigation brought by the Department of Justice and Office of Inspector General for alleged violations of the False Claims Act, federal securities and commodities fraud statutes, and insider trading laws.
Professional Qualifications: Ms. Conner was admitted to the State Bar of Georgia in 2011 and is admitted to practice and in good standing with the following courts:
All courts in the State of Georgia
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
Education and Awards: Ms. Conner graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a Public Service Scholar with a B.A. in English and Psychology. She received her J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law with Honors in 2011, where she served on the editorial board for The North Carolina Law Review and received the Gressman-Pollitt Award for Excellence in Oral Advocacy from the Holderness Moot Court. While in law school, Ms. Conner also served as a summer clerk to The Honorable Judge Robert J. Conrad, Jr., Chief Judge for the Western District of North Carolina.
Ms. Conner is recognized as one of Atlanta's top lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell in 2019, having received the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards based upon peer reviews—the Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent peer rating. Ms. Conner was also recognized as a member of the General Litigation Department of the Year, awarded by The Daily Report, for the years 2013 and 2014. She also received the Safe Haven Award for Excellence in Pro Bono Representation in 2012.
Publications and Speaking Engagements:
"The 'Advice-of-Counsel' Defense: Cautionary Tales for Counsel in False Claims Act Cases," American Health Lawyers Association.
"Buyers Beware: The Drug Supply Chain Security Act and the False Claims Act," American Health Lawyers Association Fraud & Abuse, April 2017.
Speaker, "Responding to Governmental Civil Investigative Demands and Government Subpoenas," Clear Law Institute, February 21, 2017.
Community and Volunteer Activities: Ms. Conner remains active in legal education. She has served as an instructor at Emory University's School of Law Keissler Eidson Trial Techniques Program and volunteers as an instructor for Empire Mock Trial.
Ms. Conner has been recognized as one of Atlanta's top lawyers by a number of third-party sources based upon peer reviews, including the following: