Practice Areas

Business Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution

The firm has a broad litigation practice, focusing on business, contract, commercial, securities, and corporate disputes. We regularly try and appeal cases in the state and federal courts, arbitrate before major tribunals and administrative agencies and mediate before court-annexed and private industry alternative dispute resolution ("ADR") tribunals. We are recognized as tough, effective litigators.

The firm has experience in arbitrating claims in various forums, including FINRA (formerly NASD-DR), New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), American Arbitration Association ("AAA"), International Chamber of Commerce ("ICC"), and JAMS.

Our practice is characterized by our insistence on finding cost-effective, client-responsive, and creative approaches. We do not layer our matters with lawyers. We expect to participate with our clients in setting objectives and budgets for our assignments.

We also pursue alternatives to protracted litigation in certain instances through a variety of mediation techniques and goal-oriented strategies. 

Dispute areas in which we have particular depth include:

  • Securities, commodities, venture finance, shareholders' rights, and corporate governance
  • Contracts and joint ventures
  • Trade secret, infringement, and unfair competition
  • Business fraud and deceptive practices 
  • Equity and acquisition breakups
  • Creditors' rights and bankruptcy
  • Insurance policy coverage
  • Employment, including:
    • Contract issues
    • Senior management severance
    • Trade secret, proprietary material and raiding issues
    • Fiduciary breach
  • Manufacturing and technology ventures
  • Partnership law

Our litigation clients include foreign and domestic venture capital firms, banks, broker-dealers, investment managers and portfolio companies (for which we handle customer as well as broker-to-broker and transactional disputes, including those arising under state and federal securities and commodities legislation).

Our lawyers have substantial experience and training in various ADR techniques. We regularly arbitrate before all the major tribunals (NYSE, NASD, AMEX, AAA) and mediate before court-annexed and private ADR tribunals. We also write about and lecture on topics affecting the securities industry.