Edward J. Fuhr

As head of the firm’s Securities Litigation team, Ed has successfully represented clients in a variety of matters related to securities class actions, mergers and acquisitions, derivative suits, Securities and Exchange Commission and Department of Justice investigations, and corporate governance. He has lectured to law schools, corporate gatherings and industry conventions on defending securities and derivative litigation and securities class actions. Ed has handled numerous FCPA matters and investigations and has advised on compliance matters. Ed also leads internal investigations on behalf of boards and audit committees, including one of the largest national investigations relating to accounting issues and the collapse of the housing industry.

• Merger and Acquisition Litigation. Represent Fortune 500 energy company and its board of directors in shareholder class actions in state and federal court in connection with $13 billion merger with another Fortune 500 energy company.
• Merger and Acquisition Litigation. Represent board of directors of selling corporation in derivative and class action suits challenging the sale of the company to a Fortune 20 automotive manufacturer. Obtained dismissal of all suits, with one motion to dismiss pending.
• Merger and Acquisition Litigation. Represent board of directors of selling corporation in shareholder suit challenging process and consideration of sale.
• Merger and Acquisition Litigation. Represented a leading hotel REIT and its board of directors in several shareholder class actions in state and federal court seeking to enjoin a $2.2 billion merger. The court dismissed the lead action and the merger was completed. The plaintiffs appealed to the Sixth Circuit but later withdrew their appeal.
• Securities Class Action. Ongoing defense of claims by preferred shareholder group. The plaintiff alleges breaches of fiduciary duties with respect to the allocation of merger proceeds.
• In re Dynex Capital Securities Litig. (2d Cir. 2008) Represent Dynex and two officers in securities class action. Plaintiffs allege violations of securities laws arising out of allegedly misleading statements regarding mortgage-backed securities. After denying in part defendants’ motion to dismiss, the court granted defendants’ motion to certify the issue of corporate scienter for interlocutory appeal. In re Dynex Capital Sec. Litig., 2006 WL 1517580 (S.D.N.Y. 2006). The Second Circuit accepted the appeal, vacated the judgment below and ordered dismissal of the complaint. Teamsters Local 445 v. Dynex Capital, Inc., -- F.3d --, 2008 WL 2521676 (2d Cir. 2008).
• Securities Class Action. Represent major international bank in securities class actions alleging claims based on the bank’s exposure to the $50 billion fraud allegedly perpetrated by Bernard Madoff.
• Securities Class Action. Represent the former CEO of Credit-Based Asset Servicing and Securitization (C-BASS) in securities class action. Plaintiffs allege violations of federal securities laws arising out of the purportedly incorrect valuation of mortgage-backed securities.
• Shareholder Derivative/Fiduciary Duty Litigation. Represent REIT in shareholder derivative litigation. Plaintiffs allege breaches of fiduciary duty in connection with executive compensation.
• Internal Investigation. Represented special litigation committee of the board of directors of the United States' largest used-car retailer in its investigation and evaluation of shareholder derivative claims relating to alleged insider trading.
• SEC and Department of Justice Investigation. Represent Fortune 1000 corporation in investigation by SEC and U.S. Department of Justice into alleged violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
• SEC Investigation. Represent executives of former servicer and investor in subprime mortgage assets in SEC investigation into alleged violations of federal securities laws.

• Listed as a Litigation Star, Virginia, Benchmark Litigation, 2008-2025
• Recognized as a Leader in Commercial Litigation, Virginia, Chambers USA, 2004-2024
• Recognized as a Leader in Appellate Litigation, Virginia, Chambers USA, 2021-2023
• Recognized in GIR 100, Global Investigations Review, 2019
• Recommended for Securities Litigation: Defense, Legal 500 United States, 2016, 2019-2021
• Selected for inclusion in the “Legal Elite,” Virginia Business magazine, 2009-2013

• Selected as Lawyer of the Year for Corporate Compliance Law (2020), Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy) and Litigation - Banking and Finance (2024), Virginia, The Best Lawyers in America

• Selected for inclusion as a “Best Lawyer,” Business Litigation, The Best Lawyers in America, 1999-2020, 2023-2024
• Selected for inclusion as a Virginia “Super Lawyer,” Super Lawyers, 2006-2019
• Recipient, Patrick Henry Award for Distinguished Service to Virginia

• Member, American Bar Association
• Member, Virginia Bar Association
• Member, Richmond Bar Associations