Steve has represented clients from four continents in a wide range of business disputes. Representative matters include:
Steve serves as lead counsel to Portigon AG (formerly WestLB AG) in the LIBOR antitrust multidistrict litigation pending in the Southern District of New York. Portigon is one of 16 LIBOR “panel banks” that allegedly conspired to suppress the U.S. dollar London Interbank Offered Rate – an interest rate benchmark that served as the reference point for trillions of dollars in transactions – during the financial crisis.
Steve successfully represented Greek shipping magnate George Economou in a $75 million fraudulent conveyance action in the courts of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Arguing on behalf of all defendants, Steve succeeded on a motion to dismiss the case in the trial court, and obtained an affirmance after arguing the case before the Supreme Court of the Marshall Islands.
Steve represented Barclays as discovery counsel in the FIRREA action brought by the United States government seeking civil penalties in connection with Barclays’ residential mortgage-backed securities practices.
Steve regularly advises startup founders in disputes concerning the ownership and control of their businesses. Steve also represents startup companies and venture capital firms in contractual and other disputes.
Steve serves as a New York law expert in matters pending in foreign courts, and testified in a Panamanian court in a dispute arising out of a mid-market M&A transaction.
Steve has represented clients in a variety of disputes arising out of energy projects, including a major Japanese trading house in a dispute concerning a 9-figure investment that it made in gas turbine technology and the developer of utility-scale solar power projects in a dispute with the purchaser of one of its projects.
Steve has extensive experience litigating RMBS disclosure and putback actions, including on behalf of Barclays Capital and Nomura, as well as in disputes relating to the termination and valuation of derivatives transactions including credit default swaps and interest rate swaps, among others.
Steve has represented clients in a wide range of structured finance waterfall disputes, including in RMBS, CMBS, an aircraft engine securitization, and in synthetic CDOs and other pre-credit crisis structures.