Lauren A. Champaign

Lauren A. Champaign is a senior counsel and litigation lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP where her practice includes commercial litigation and counseling clients in the areas of securities litigation, product liability defense, antitrust, and consumer finance matters. She is a member of the Business Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Securities Enforcement & Litigation, Antitrust, Distribution & Franchise, Government Enforcement Defense & Investigations, and Consumer Financial Services Practices.

Ms. Champaign represents clients on a broad range of matters, including:

• Representing and counseling clients in various manufacturing industries, such as automotive, alcohol, and pool product industries, with products liability claims, antitrust litigation, commercial contractual disputes, and contract enforcement;
• Successfully representing clients in all phases of litigation, ranging from pre-litigation demands, litigation of commercial claims and defenses, and negotiation of favorable settlements for clients;
• Conducting internal investigations into violations of the federal securities laws;
• Representing and counseling clients in enforcement actions before state and federal regulatory agencies;
• Representing clients in complex, multistate litigation, including large class actions based on allegations of anticompetitive conduct;
• Managing and counseling clients in regards to electronic discovery and forensically sound document production.

Through her work, Ms. Champaign has been able to secure the following for her clients:

• Secured million dollar settlement and attorneys’ fees regarding a breach of contract case for technology company wrongfully terminated;
• Settled a breach of warranty case Plaintiff claimed was worth over $20 million for $250,000 for one of the largest multinational manufacturers of engine, filtration, and power systems;
• Secured early and full dismissal of claim of unfair and deceptive business practices under the D.C. Consumer Protection Act for one of the largest retail pharmacy companies, forestalling the loss of millions of dollars in revenue and inventory;
• Successfully obtained early and complete dismissal for manufacturer of packaging sealing technology against claims of fraud, misappropriation of trade secrets, inducement of patent infringement, inducement of trade dress infringement, common law and statutory unfair competition, and breach of contract;
• Secured early and complete dismissal for the largest pool product manufacturer (and former power tools manufacturer) in antitrust class action litigation alleging several power tool manufacturers in conjunction with a trade association colluded to prevent certain safety technology from entering the market;
• Secured early dismissal of a significant portion of antitrust class action litigation and later obtained a favorable settlement for Pentair Water Pool and Spa, Inc. (the largest pool product manufacturer in the US);
• Secured full dismissal of franchisee lawsuit under the Virginia Beer Franchise Act for MillerCoors;
• Obtained $142,500 settlement as well as substantial changes for deaf and hard of hearing inmates in Maryland correctional facilities for MD Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services’ violations of the Americans with Disability Act (pro bono representation);
• Secured U-Visa for a Mongolian student who was assaulted and later cooperated with police, allowing her lawful residence and an opportunity to complete her studies and build her life in the US (pro bono representation).

Before beginning her career at Foley, Lauren was an extern with the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division – Criminal Section and Employment Litigation Section. She also worked with other legal aid organizations, including the D.C. Legal Aid Society, Housing Division.

In terms of political engagement, Lauren was the deputy GOTV director for President Obama’s re-elect campaign in Philadelphia in 2012. In this capacity, she worked in the campaign’s state headquarters, managing five regional GOTV directors and collaborating with the deputy field director, state field director and state GOTV director. Her efforts contributed to a sizable victory in the state and larger turnout than 2008.

During the 2008 election, Lauren served as a regional field director and field organizer for Obama for America, where her efforts were featured in the Washington Post and on PBS NOW regarding her organizing in the key primary state of South Carolina. She also worked with a special committee in the campaign’s Chicago headquarters and trained thousands of volunteers during four state primaries over the course of the election cycle.

Recognition

• Lauren received Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch recognition for Antitrust Law (2021-2023).
• Selected for the National Black Lawyers Top 100, recognizing the Top 100 black lawyers in the region (2022).
• Selected as 2022 DC Emerging Women Leaders in Private Practice by DCA Live Organization (2022)
• Past recipient of Foley’s Lynford Lardner Award for Charitable Work, which honors firm members who make a substantial contribution to community service and provides a $5,000 donation to an organization of the members’ choice.

Education

Ms. Champaign earned her law degree from Georgetown University Law (J.D., 2011) where she was student notes editor for the Georgetown Journal of Gender and the Law. She graduated, summa cum laude, from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Arts degree, double majoring in political science and history (2007).

Admissions

Ms. Champaign is admitted to practice law in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the District of Columbia. She is also admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Publications

• “Three Privileges That Can Help You In US Product Liability Litigation,” Business Law Journal (Japan), co-author (2015)
• "Supreme Court Hears Arguments in State Action Immunity Case," ABA Health Care and Pharmaceuticals Committee – Recent Developments (December 2012)
• Consumer Financial Services Litigation Blog -- contributor to the CFSL Bulletin (CFSLBulletin.com), a blog devoted to legal developments in consumer financial services litigation