Valerie Wagner joined GCA Law Partners LLP as a litigation partner in April 2009. She was previously a partner in the Silicon Valley offices of Dechert LLP and Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly LLP, and an associate with Graham & James.

Ms. Wagner’s practice focuses on counseling and litigation in the areas of intellectual property, commercial and business disputes, employment and securities. Her intellectual property litigation experience includes patent cases, copyright matters and trade secret misappropriation disputes. She has practiced extensively before state and federal trial and appellate courts, as well as arbitration tribunals. Ms. Wagner has first chair trial experience and has argued numerous matters on appeal.

Ms. Wagner has successfully argued several appellate matters that resulted in published opinions ruling in her clients’ favor. In Avant! Corp. v. Superior Court (Nequist), 79 Cal. App. 4th 876 (2000), the appellate court resolved an issue of first impression in California by holding that a corporation was not entitled to an automatic stay of discovery pending a related criminal action. In Desaigoudar v. Meyercord, 223 F.3d 1020 (9th Cir. 2000), the Ninth Circuit affirmed the trial court’s dismissal of securities fraud claims against eight officers and directors of California Micro Devices Corporation. In Desaigoudar v. Meyercord, 108 Cal. App. 4th 173 (2003), the appellate court affirmed the trial court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of the same eight defendants in a related derivative action and, in so doing, clarified the standards for the special litigation committee defense under California law.

Ms. Wagner received her B.A. with honors from Pomona College in 1987. She graduated cum laude with a J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, in 1994.