Laura Sherling Dunning is a Shareholder in the Securities and Business Litigation practice group of Levin Papantonio. Since 2010, Ms. Dunning has been repeatedly recognized as an Alabama and Midsouth Super Lawyer Rising Star in Securities Litigation. Ms. Dunning has represented more than 500 victims of securities fraud in the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration and in state and federal court, recovering millions in losses for clients including sophisticated and institutional investors.. She also represents hundreds of governmental entities in federal litigation related to the opioids crisis.

Ms. Dunning is a frequent speaker on issues confronting the securities industry, including FINRA arbitration procedures, arbitrator selection, electronic discovery and how to vacate arbitration awards, and has served as a guest lecturer at the University of Alabama School of Law. She is also a member of Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association (PIABA), an international organization of attorneys dedicated to the advancement of investors’ rights in the securities industry. Ms. Dunning is licensed to practice in Alabama and has been admitted to the United States District Courts for the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Alabama.

Ms. Dunning graduated cum laude from Rhodes College with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. She received her juris doctor from the University of Alabama School of Law in 2005, where she served as a senior editor on the Alabama Law Review and as a nationally competing member of the Campbell Moot Court Board. Ms. Dunning was a member of the Bench and Bar Legal Honor Society and served as an extern to the Honorable Sharon Lovelace Blackburn of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.

In addition to her practice, Ms. Dunning is active in her community, serving on the Executive Committee of the YWCA of Central Alabama’s Junior Board, as an attorney coach in the Civic Education Teen Court Project, and in lay leadership roles at Canterbury United Methodist Church.

Year Joined Law Firm

• 2013

Present Position with Law Firm

• Shareholder

Areas of Practice

Ms. Dunning serves in the Securities and Business Litigation group of Levin Papantonio and focuses primarily on representing individuals and entities seeking financial recovery for losses from security fraud as well as governmental entities fighting the opioids crisis. Her clients include state and municipal pension funds, institutional and sophisticated investors, and hundreds of states, counties, and cities nationwide.

Ms. Dunning’s practice also includes complex business litigation, whistleblower, class action, and antitrust litigation.

Bar Admissions

• 2005

Education

• University of Alabama School of Law, Juris Doctor, 2005
  Honors: Senior Editor on the Alabama Law Review Honors: Member, Campbell Moot Court Board Honors: Member, Bench and Bar Legal Honor Society Honors: Dean’s Community Service Award Honors: Extern to the Honorable Sharon Lovelace Blackburn of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama
• Rhodes College, Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, 2002
  cum laude

Honors and Awards

• The National Trial Lawyers: Top 40 Under 40

Professional Associations and Memberships

• United States District Courts for Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Alabama, member
• Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association, member
• University of Alabama School of Law, guest lecturer

Classes/Seminars Taught

• Mass Torts Made Perfect, “Hot Topics from the Headlines and how They Impact Your Practice,” April 2013
• Florida Justice Association, “Securities Claims in Your Community: How to Identify a Strong Claim- What’s so Great About Arbitration? How We Represent Victims of Stockbroker, Investment Fraud, and Other Financial Fraud,” February 2014

Representative Cases

• Represented 32 hospitals in a securities action relating to subscriber equity accounts, which resulted in a $43.7M settlement.
• Represented a statewide pension fund in a securities action relating to a bond fund investment, which resulted in a $25M settlement.
• Represented 24 Florida municipal pension funds in state and federal courts in related securities actions against major broker dealer concerning conflicts of interest in pension consulting, which resulted in a $21M settlement.
• Represented sophisticated businessman in FINRA arbitration against global financial services firm, which resulted in $19 million award.
• Represented individual investor in FINRA arbitration against former CEO of global financial services firm alleging fraud and misrepresentation, which resulted in a $10M settlement.
• Represented a sophisticated investor in FINRA arbitration against Morgan Keegan relating to an investment in Jefferson County Sewer Bond Auction Rate Securities, which resulted in a $1.95M FINRA award.
• Represented an individual investor in FINRA arbitration alleging failure to execute trade order, which resulted in a $1.35M settlement.
• Launched and managed a litigation support and document review company based in Chennai, India.

Prior Employment

Prior to joining Levin Papantonio, Ms. Dunning practiced with Haskell Slaughter Young & Rediker in Birmingham, Alabama, where her nationwide civil litigation practice concentrated on securities matters in state and federal courts as well as AAA and FINRA arbitration.