King & Spalding partners Michael R. Smith, B. Warren Pope, counsel Bethany M. Rezek and senior associate Brian Barnes have entered appearances in a pending securities class action targeting optical retailer National Vision Holdings and certain executives. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants artificially inflated National Vision's stock prices by framing the company's COVID-19 rebound as the start of long-term growth, and by concealing its struggle to retain the health care staff needed to keep up with customer demand. The complaint was filed Jan. 27 in Georgia Northern District Court by Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd; Johnson Fistel LLP; and Vanoverbeke, Michaud & Timmony. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Victoria M. Calvert, is 1:23-cv-00425, City of Southfield General Employees' Retirement System v. National Vision Holdings, Inc. et al.