Securities Litigation Expert Witness

Securities cases are hard to win without the right financial expert. The legal arguments only go so far – at some point, someone has to show the court what the numbers actually say.

Dr. Pavithra Kumar has been that person for over 16 years. She works with securities litigation attorneys and law firms on both sides – helping them understand the financial evidence, build stronger cases, and hold up under cross-examination.

What She Works On

Securities Fraud Class Actions

When investors claim a company’s false statements cost them money, the case usually turns on a few core questions: did the stock price go up because of the misrepresentation, and did it drop when the truth came out? Dr. Kumar answers those questions. She has supported securities fraud litigation cases from the early assessment stage through trial, working on both class certification and damages.

Event Studies and Price Impact

An event study is how you prove - or challenge - whether a specific disclosure actually moved a stock. Courts rely on this analysis heavily in securities class actions. Dr. Kumar has conducted event studies in some of the most contested securities litigation cases in the country, and she knows how to defend them when opposing counsel pushes back.

Market Efficiency

To certify a class in a securities fraud case, plaintiffs generally have to show the stock traded in an efficient market. That means looking at trading volume, analyst coverage, how fast the stock responded to news, and several other factors courts examine closely. Dr. Kumar does this analysis regularly and has a track record of producing opinions that survive Daubert challenges.

Insider Trading

Insider trading cases are about context as much as data. Dr. Kumar looks at what was known, when it was known, and whether the trading pattern makes sense given that timeline. She has worked on these matters for securities and shareholder litigation attorneys on both sides of the table.

Structured Products and FINRA Arbitration

Not every case involves a publicly traded stock. Dr. Kumar also handles matters involving derivatives and complex financial instruments. She supports securities litigation and arbitration proceedings, including FINRA disputes, where the issues and procedural rules are different from standard federal court cases.

Testifying and Consulting – She Does Both

Some attorneys need a testifying expert. Others need someone in the background – reviewing the opposing expert’s report, spotting the weak points, and helping counsel prepare for deposition. Dr. Kumar is used to both roles and switches between them based on what the case
needs.

The work typically includes:

Event studies and stock price movement analysis
Market efficiency opinions for class certification
Investor damages models
Trading pattern and liquidity analysis
Review and rebuttal of opposing expert analysis
Deposition preparation and case strategy support

Why Attorneys Work With Dr. Kumar

What attorneys need

What she delivers

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a securities litigation expert witness actually do?

They handle the financial side of the case. That means running event studies, building damages models, analyzing market efficiency, and explaining all of it clearly in a report and on the stand. The attorney argues the law. The expert explains what the data shows.

Do you work for plaintiffs and defendants?

Yes. Dr. Kumar works as an independent expert, which means she has been retained by securities litigation law firms on both sides. The quality of the analysis stays the same regardless of who is paying for it.

When should we bring in an expert?

As early as possible. The best securities litigation firms bring in an expert before the complaint is filed, so the financial analysis shapes the legal strategy from day one. Waiting until the report deadline usually means rushing work that deserves more time.

What is securities litigation and arbitration?

Securities litigation is what happens in court - usually federal court for fraud claims. Securities arbitration, most often through FINRA, handles broker-dealer disputes outside of court. The financial analysis overlaps, but the process and rules are different. Dr. Kumar has experience in
both settings.

What makes an expert credible under Daubert?

The methodology has to be reliable, peer-reviewed, and accepted in the field. Dr. Kumar builds her analysis on standard econometric methods, documents everything clearly, and addresses the limitations of her approach head-on. She does not leave those openings for opposing counsel to find.

Working on a securities matter? Reach out.

Consultations are confidential. No pressure, no obligation — just a straight conversation about whether Dr. Kumar is the right fit for your case.