Lauren Valiente is a senior counsel and litigation lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP. Her practice focuses on representing public companies and their officers and directors, audit firms and their partners, and other entities and individuals in investigations and proceedings involving the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Department of Justice (DOJ), Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), and other government and non-government agencies and in private litigation. She is a member of the firm’s Securities Enforcement & Litigation, FCPA & Anti-Corruption, and Health Care Litigation Practices. Lauren also serves on the firm’s Diversity Committee.

Securities Litigation

Lauren has experience in securities litigation, defending public companies and their officers and directors in securities class actions and shareholder derivative actions, as well as SEC enforcement matters.

Internal Investigations

Lauren has extensive experience conducting internal investigations for companies and their committees and directors, involving a wide range of corporate governance issues. She has extensive experience with facilitating the efficient review of large volumes of electronic data, including through predictive coding, in connection with internal and government investigations.

PCAOB Enforcement Litigation

Lauren represents international and national accounting firms and auditors in regulatory matters and enforcement actions before the PCAOB.

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Enforcement

In connection with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), Lauren provides compliance advice, conducts internal investigations, and defends individual and corporate clients against government enforcement actions. She has conducted FCPA investigations, in both English and Spanish, in Latin America, as well as in China.

Health Care Enforcement and Litigation

As a member of the firm’s Health Care Litigation Group, Lauren has represented individual and corporate clients in various aspects of the healthcare industry, including managed care and pharmaceuticals. She has defended health care clients in connection with government investigations and enforcement actions involving allegations of health care fraud and financial fraud.

Complex Business Litigation and Dispute Resolution

Lauren has significant experience in both court-based litigation and AAA arbitration under the Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act, as well as in the defense of claims for fraud, breach of contract, interference with contract, and many other areas of commercial disputes.

Lauren is experienced in a wide range of appellate matters, in both the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals and Florida’s appellate courts. She also has experience in bankruptcy matters, having represented debtors in chapter 11 proceedings, and creditors in litigating claims against bankruptcy estates.

Education

Lauren received her bachelor’s degree from Harvard University in 2000, with honors, and received her law degree from the University of Florida, Levin College of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 2006), where she was managing editor for the Journal of Law and Public Policy and elected to the Order of the Coif.

Recognition

Lauren was selected for inclusion on the Florida Super Lawyers – Rising Stars® lists in 2012 - 2017. In 2016, she was selected as one of three finalists for the Deanne Dewey Roberts Emerging Leader Award. In 2007, she received the Tampa Bay Business Journal’s "30 Under 30" award which recognizes the top 30 young professionals in the Tampa Bay business community.

Community Involvement, Pro Bono and Professional Memberships

Lauren serves on the board of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce where she also serves as Chair of the Chamber’s Policy Advisory Committee and Co-Chair of the Chamber’s Workforce Housing Caucus. She also serves as the President of the Board of Stageworks Theatre, and is a member and past Chair of the University of South Florida’s (USF) Latin Community Advisory Committee, which advises the University’s president on issues affecting Hispanic students and supports the USF Latino Scholarship Program.

Lauren is also a member of the Federal Bar Association, the Hispanic National Bar Association, the Harvard Club of New York and the Harvard Club of the West Coast of Florida.

Selected Publications, Presentations, and Media

• Panelist, “Facing a Changing Cuba – Opportunities and Obstacles,” Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce Goals Conference (June 5, 2015)
• Presenter, “The Changing U.S. Cuba Landscape: Managing Risks and Opportunities” (February 26, 2015)
• Author, “Easing the Cuban Embargo: Automotive Industry Unlikely to Realize Any Immediate Benefit,” Dashboard Insights (January 2015)
• Co-Author, “Analysis: Easing the Cuban Embargo: U.S. Businesses Should Engage in Cuba with Three Caveats in Mind,” Cuba Standard (January 2015)
• Panelist, “Unlock India,” Tampa, FL (March 19, 2014)
• Panelist, “Custom-Made Counseling for the Fashion Industry,” Miami, FL (March 6, 2014) Panelist, “What’s Your Story: Defending a White Collar Client,” National Academy of Continuing Legal Education (December 2013)
• Quoted, “Guidance Available for Anti-Bribery Law,” Tampa Bay Business Journal (January 11, 2013)
• Co-Author, “FCPA Internal Investigations in Latin America,” The Review of Securities & Commodities Regulation (September 2012)

Admissions

Lauren is admitted to practice in Florida and before the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, the United States District Courts for the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Florida and the United States District Court for the District of Colorado.

Languages

Lauren is fluent in spoken and written Spanish.