Vanessa A. Lavely handles a wide variety of business‑critical litigation cases, including antitrust, intellectual property, environmental, general commercial and securities matters. Repeatedly praised by clients for trying “some of the most difficult cases,” being “highly professional and unbelievably effective,” and providing “concise, well‑thought‑out and spot‑on direction,” she has significant trial experience in federal and state court. (Chambers USA)
Ms. Lavely also devotes substantial time to pro bono service. She works extensively with Her Justice, a group that helps disadvantaged women find pro bono legal representation for a variety of family law matters, including child support and domestic violence cases.
Ms. Lavely is a member of the Board of Advisors for UCLA School of Law. She is also a member of the women’s network Chief.
Ms. Lavely received an A.B. degree magna cum laude from Harvard College in 2004, where she was captain of the Women’s Lacrosse Team and was awarded Academic All‑Ivy League. She received a J.D. from UCLA School of Law in 2008, where she served as the Editor‑in‑Chief of the Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif. After graduation, she served as a law clerk to Hon. Kim McLane Wardlaw of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Ms. Lavely joined Cravath in 2010 and was elected a partner in 2017. She serves as the partner in charge of Data Analytics and E‑Discovery.
Representing the Board of Directors of Krystal Biotech, a gene therapy company focused on developing medicines for life threatening and rare diseases, in shareholder derivative litigation in the Delaware Court of Chancery alleging that defendants breached their fiduciary duties by awarding themselves unfair and excessive director compensation.
Represented Xcel Energy, a major U.S. electricity and natural gas company with operations in eight states, in hundreds of lawsuits filed against Xcel arising from the December 2021 Marshall Wildfire, which were resolved shortly before trial.
Represented three of Rupert Murdoch’s children in Nevada state court in defeating an effort by their father to change the terms of the family trust that controls both Fox and News Corp.
Represented Forward Air Corporation in connection with an action filed by Omni Logistics, LLC in the Delaware Court of Chancery, which sought to compel Forward Air to close its proposed acquisition of Omni. On the day trial was scheduled to begin, the parties announced a settlement, agreeing to amend the merger agreement on terms favorable to Forward Air and dismiss their claims.
- Represented Qualcomm in several matters relating to the company’s patent licensing and chipset businesses, including an action filed by Apple in California federal court. Following opening statements at trial, the parties reached a global settlement that includes a payment from Apple to Qualcomm; the companies also reached a six year license agreement and a multi-year chipset supply agreement.
- Appellate
- Commercial and transactions
- Competition/antitrust
- Dispute resolution
- Intellectual property
- Securities
- A.B. degree magna cum laude, Harvard College, 2004
- J.D., UCLA School of Law, 2008
- Board of Advisors, UCLA School of Law
- Chief