Felipe J. Arroyo

Partner

Felipe J. Arroyo concentrates his practice on shareholder rights litigation.  He has helped secure results for shareholders and companies in high-profile shareholder derivative suits and securities class actions.  Mr. Arroyo has represented shareholders in a variety of industries including insurance, finance, banking, technology, and pharmaceuticals.  He has successfully litigated derivative cases against top executives of publicly traded companies who participated in a range of misconduct, including stock option backdating, the global subprime meltdown, misappropriation, insider trading, and various categories of false or misleading financial misstatements.

Prior to joining Robbins Umeda LLP in 2006, Mr. Arroyo practiced complex commercial litigation for over a decade with a top tier international law firm headquartered in Los Angeles.  He represented a diverse client base of Fortune 500 clients in varied industries, such as technology, energy, entertainment, and hospitality.  He also directed a Trial Advocacy Prosecution Program, supervising, training, and advising tens of attorneys on trial strategy and practice while they litigated misdemeanor jury trials on a pro bono basis for a municipal client. 

Mr. Arroyo also served as general counsel to a fitness company for two years, successfully prosecuting a global patent infringement litigation campaign, and practiced complex commercial litigation and securities fraud at the Washington DC offices of a global New York-based firm.

Mr. Arroyo earned his Juris Doctor degree from the Yale Law School in 1992.  While at Yale, he served as a senior editor of the Yale Law Journal and as a director of the Yale Moot Court of Appeals.  He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles, where he served as a member of the A.S.U.C.L.A Finance Committee.

Selected Noteworthy Cases

• Cardinal Health, Inc., In re Cardinal Health Derivative Litigation, No. 02-CVG- 11-639 (Ohio Ct. C.P. –Del. County Dec. 17, 2007): Mr. Arroyo played an instrumental role in recovering $70 million for shareholders, one of the largest shareholder derivative monetary recoveries in history.  This shareholder derivative action alleged mismanagement by certain officers and directors at one of the largest distributors of pharmaceutical products in the country.  Mr. Arroyo helped prosecute the plaintiff’s claims, defeating numerous motions to dismiss and conducting extensive discovery.

• KB Home, In re KB Home Shareholder Derivative Litigation, CV 2:06-5148-FMC (CTx) (C.D. Cal Feb 9, 2009): Mr. Arroyo supported a team that obtained $30 million in cash benefits for KB shareholders.  Mr. Arroyo also supported team efforts that prompted this prominent builder of single-family homes to implement preventative good governance measures.
• HCA, Inc., In re HCA Inc. Derivative Litigation, No. 3:05-CV-0968 (M.D. Tenn. Dec. 20, 2007): Working closely with firm partner Benjamin Rozwood, Mr. Arroyo undertook a leadership role on a team of attorneys that challenged a $33.5 billion leveraged buyout of HCA, Inc. by a founding member and financial sponsors including Bain Capital and Kohlberg Kravis & Roberts.   His litigation efforts helped achieve for shareholders forced disclosure of material information before they voted on the proposed buyout.  The settlement also secured deal term modifications designed to open the door to alternative bidders.