Stephen J. Oddo

PARTNER

Stephen J. Oddo has devoted his practice to representing individual and institutional shareholders in corporate merger and acquisition class actions for nearly a decade.  He has secured tens of millions of dollars of additional consideration for shareholders whose investments have been adversely impacted by corporate transactions.  He has also achieved disclosure of material information to shareholders so they are informed on the transaction at the time of the vote.  His litigation efforts have helped preserve the integrity of the merger process in companies across the country and helped maximize the value to shareholders.

Prior to joining Robbins Umeda LLP in 2010, Mr. Oddo was partner at Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins LLP (now known as Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP), where Mr. Oddo was part of a team at the forefront of litigating shareholder claims challenging unfair business combinations.

Before entering the legal profession, Mr. Oddo served as Press Secretary to U.S. Representative, Robert T. Matsui (D-Cal).

Mr. Oddo earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Diego School of Law.  During law school, he served as intern for the Honorable Eugene Lynch, U.S. District Judge in the Northern District of California.  He earned his Masters of Science degree in Journalism from Northwestern University, Medill School of Journalism, and his Bachelor of Arts degree at Santa Clara University.

Selected Noteworthy Cases

• PETCO Animal Supplies, Inc., In re PETCO Animal Supplies, Inc. Shareholder Litigation, Lead Case No. GIC 869399 (Superior Court of the State of California San Diego March 26, 2006): Mr. Oddo, serving as co-lead counsel, represented the plaintiff and public shareholders in a securities class action alleging that the going-private acquisition of PETCO by a private equity group was consummated at an unfair price. Shareholders further alleged that an alternate bidder had offered to buy PETCO at a significantly higher price per share.  After more than three years of contentious litigation, Mr. Oddo helped secure a $16 million settlement fund to be distributed to the class of shareholders.

• eMachines, Inc., In re eMachines, Inc. Merger Litigation, No. 01-CC-00156 (Cal. Super. Ct.-Orange County July 25, 2007): Mr. Oddo represented the shareholders of eMachines, Inc. in a challenge to the efforts of the company's founder to take the company private.  Mr. Oddo's litigation efforts helped secure a $24 million common fund for shareholders.

• Electronic Data Systems, Inc., In re Electronic Data Systems Class Action Litigation, Master File No. 366-01078-2008 (Tex. Dist. Ct.-Collin County Dec. 23, 2008): Mr. Oddo served as lead counsel in a securities class action that challenged the acquisition of Electronic Data Systems Corporation by Hewlett-Packard Company.  Mr. Oddo negotiated a pre-closing settlement that secured for Electronic Data Systems shareholders a $25 million dividend and the disclosure of previously omitted material information concerning the transaction that allowed for an informed shareholder vote.