John Skakun

JOHN SKAKUN is the co-leader of the firm’s Securities and Shareholder Litigation practice. He is a trusted advisor to boards, companies, and executives in their highest-stakes crises and disputes, and his matters have received front-page coverage in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Reuters, and Bloomberg, among others. His practice focuses on securities class actions, fiduciary duty matters, and board and government investigations. John’s bold and creative strategies have delivered winning results for clients including Johnson & Johnson, Walgreens, Kenvue, FIS, Apollo Global Management, Cox Media Group, and the Tesla Special Committee.

“John is the best of the best. He is hardworking, highly creative, great at client management, and extremely smart.”
Chambers USA 2025

John is a seasoned trial lawyer who has led teams to victories at all stages of disputes and in forums across the country. He has led and been the strategic architect for some of the largest securities class actions and fiduciary duty cases in the nation, including multiple so-called “mega” cases with more than US$10 billion in potential exposure. He has led numerous board and internal investigations into a wide variety of sensitive allegations, including manipulated accounting records, earnings management, tone at the top, False Claims Act matters, and FCPA issues. He has defended government investigations and achieved declinations for companies and individuals. And he has successfully resolved many M&A and contract disputes around the world, both before and through litigation.

Current and recent engagements that John has led include:

• Special committee in recommending that company reincorporate in Texas and ratify executive compensation package, both of which were subsequently approved by shareholders and litigated in Delaware.
• Healthcare company in securities class action related to sensationalized media coverage of product liability asbestos trials, with damages exposure of more than US$11 billion.
• Financial institution in securities class action, special committee investigation, and shareholder derivative litigation related to US$18 billion impairment of acquired business unit, with damages exposure of more than US$12 billion. Achieved settlement of ~1.6% of damages.
• Healthcare company in Delaware litigation regarding US$9 billion acquisition. Won dismissal of all claims in the Court of Chancery; argued appeal before the Delaware Supreme Court, which affirmed.
• Media company in confidential arbitration against Big 4 network regarding antitrust and contract claims related to major new sports streaming product. Achieved injunction that blocked launch of product, and favorable settlement.

John is on the Board of the National Immigrant Justice Center, and co-chaired its Human Rights Awards gala from 2023–2025. He has served as the board chair and vice chair of Horizons for Youth, and is a Class of 2022 Leadership Greater Chicago Fellow. 

Additionally, he serves on the firm’s Technology Committee.

• First chair trial counsel in mass-tort bankruptcy of industrial company in the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. Won contested appointment of a future claimants representative as well as contested confirmation of plan of reorganization for creation of an asbestos-victims trust.
• Represented spun-off construction company in crisis involving DOJ, SEC, and foreign regulator investigations, securities class action, multiple shareholder derivative suits, and clawback litigation against former officers, arising from multi-year financial restatement by the former parent company and FCPA whistleblower report. Securities and derivative cases were dismissed, DOJ and foreign regulators declined to press charges, and SEC settled without charging spun-off company.
• Represented healthcare company in more than a dozen shareholder derivative matters in federal and state courts in New Jersey, including two special committee investigations, primarily related to OTC product recalls and FDA consent decree. Won dismissal of demand-futility litigation and summary judgment on demand-made litigation. Also won dismissal of books and records litigation.
• Represented CEO of bankrupt consumer goods company in securities litigation in the Southern District of Ohio and the Sixth Circuit, as well as SEC investigation. Won dismissal of all claims and affirmance on appeal, and closure of the SEC investigation without charges.
• Lead counsel for private equity sponsor and the board of healthcare company against creditor derivative claims of fraud and breach of fiduciary duty in the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. After successful first motion to dismiss, achieved favorable settlement below D&O insurance limits while motion to dismiss amended complaint was pending.
• Conducted internal investigation for Big Four accounting firm concerning allegations of fraud in international practice group.
• Trial counsel for bank in three-week trial in complex commercial litigation in the Eastern District of Michigan related to syndicated financing dispute. Won US$50 million judgment.
• Represented public company and individuals in SEC investigation regarding Reg FD and hedge fund “wolf packs.” SEC declined to pursue any charges.