Darla Stockton Roden
Counsel
Darla’s practice is a diverse mix of commercial litigation matters, with an emphasis on insurance coverage disputes, including defending environmental claims, Truth in Lending Act and Fair Credit Reporting Act claims, receivership and ancillary receivership actions by creditors, contract disputes and collection matters. Additionally, Darla works with the firm’s Corporate Compliance, Investigations and Defense (CCID) group representing clients in a variety of securities matters: she defends clients in internal and governmental investigations of alleged violations of federal securities laws, including alleged violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), and represents a court-appointed receiver in a securities fraud suit brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Darla also represents corporate clients in shareholder litigation, matters alleging deceptive trade practices act violations and business torts, and class actions. She also represents numerous clients in arbitration, including matters arbitrated before panels from the American Arbitration Association and JAMS. Darla’s clients represent a broad array of industries, including liability insurers, credit card issuers, plastics and electronics manufacturers, oil and gas companies and a variety of commercial lenders.
Representative Experience
- Represented a general commercial liability insurer and an excess indemnity insurer in a coverage dispute presented as a declaratory judgment action pending in state court in New Mexico. The suit involves alleged environmental issues at four former uranium mine sites and one former mercury mine site.
- Represented the court-appointed receiver in a suit filed by the SEC alleging a $55 million securities fraud scheme.
- Represented a major charge card issuer in suits alleging violations of the Truth in Lending Act, suits alleging violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and numerous arbitrations before the AAA and JAMS regarding breaches of the relevant cardmember and/or merchant agreements.
- Assisted in internal and governmental investigations of allegations of FCPA violations for global companies in the oil and gas industry.
- Represented an analytical reference standards producer in a breach of contract dispute that was resolved before trial.
- Represented an investment counselor in suit alleging violations of state securities laws and claims of fraud, conspiracy and negligent misrepresentation; briefed and argued the motion for full summary judgment that was granted in favor of the investment counselor.
- Represented various corporate and individual lenders in actions to collect on promissory notes and guaranties.
- Represented trustees for the bondholders of commercial mortgage pass-through certificates in actions to place collateral into receiverships.
- Represented major manufacturer of plastic parts in breach of contract action brought by purchaser.
Publications
- Massachusetts Supreme Court Upholds Securitization Conveyance Practices Relating to Assignments of Mortgages (January 11, 2011)
- Next Wave of MBS Litigation Focuses on Issuers, Underwriters (November 8, 2010)
Events
- Speaker, "Effective Opening Statements for the 21st Century," University of Houston CLE Seminar "The Jury Trial," Dallas, TX (August 2006)
