Current Employment Position(s)

Associate

Lawyer Overview

Debbie Clayman has a wide variety of commercial litigation experience, including complex contract disputes, antitrust cases, securities investigations, and negligence actions, with a particular focus on cases involving the federal government. Most recently, she represented an international government contracting firm in defense of both class actions and individual actions alleging billions of dollars in damages from flooding in the New Orleans area following levee breaches during Hurricane Katrina. After extensive discovery and motions practice, the client successfully obtained summary judgment based on the government contractor immunity defense. Debbie also assisted a Fortune 500 company in obtaining a protective order from the federal court for certain commercially sensitive, privileged materials sought by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Debbie maintains an active practice in the United States Federal Court of Claims. She participated in two separate breach of contract trials in the Federal Court of Claims on behalf of Washington Mutual Bank, F.A. relating to the savings & loan crisis of the 1980s: Home Savings of America, FSB v. United States and Anchor Savings Bank, FSB v. United States. In Home Savings, Washington Mutual was awarded more than $134 million in damages against the United States. In Anchor Savings, in 2008, the trial court awarded Washington Mutual $356 million in damages. Debbie currently represents Chevron U.S.A. in another contract dispute in the Court of Federal Claims against the federal government.

Debbie also is committed to pro bono representation. Among other things, she periodically volunteers at the D.C. Bar Association's Landlord Tenant Resource Center, and as lead counsel, she obtained a favorable settlement for a wrongfully evicted tenant following court-ordered mediation in D.C. Superior Court.

Areas of Practice

• Trial Practice

Representative Cases

• Anchor Savings Bank, FSB v. United States of America, No. 95-39C, 2008 WL 683751 (U.S. Ct. Fed. Claims Mar. 14, 2008) , (2008)
• Home Savings of Am., FSB v. United States,(0450205032/Fed. Cir.)(9/8/04). Case History: Home Savings.. v. U.S., (57Fed. Cl. 693/2003); Home Savings.. v. U. S.,(51Fed. Cl. 487/2002); Home Savings.. v. U.S., (50Fed Cl. 427/2001)
• In re: Katrina Canal Breaches Consolidated Litigation, No. 05-4182 (E.D. La.)
• Time Warner Merger

West Practice Categories

Bankruptcy Litigation, Class Actions, Complex Litigation, Federal Appellate Practice, Federal Claims Court, Federal Trial Practice, International Trade Litigation, Litigation & Appeals, Military & Veterans Appeals, Multidistrict Litigation, Patent Litigation, State Appellate Practice, State Trial Practice, Tax Litigation, US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, US Supreme Court

Bar Admissions

• District of Columbia
• Maryland

Education

• American University

Address

51 Louisiana Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20001-2113

Phones

1.202.879.5442 (Business Phone)

Faxes

1.202.626.1700 (Business Fax)

Emails

Contact Us (Business Email)

Websites

http://www.jonesday.com