Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP > Atlanta, United States > Firm Profile

Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

Dispute resolution > Leading trial lawyers Tier 2

Marc Kasowitz, founder of Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP in New York, in the words of one client, ‘is masterful with strategy, provides great leadership, and has brilliant instincts as a litigator.’ Kasowitz has a long track record in high profile trials, both commercial trials and for state attorneys, including representing Donald Trump. In 2023, he represented three Jewish students in a groundbreaking lawsuit against New York University (NYU), and continues to be active in a range of cases, from antitrust litigation and other commercial litigation to criminal litigation.

Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: plaintiff Tier 3

New York firm Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP is active for both plaintiffs and defendants in securities litigation, frequently using this dual role to successfully negotiate settlements. The firm has long been involved in matters arising from mortgage-backed securities and continues to handle work in that area, including acting for Wall Street investor Carl Icahn in a claim against Rialto Capital Advisors alleging breach of contract and fraud in connection with the servicing of a CMBS trust that resulted in a loss of almost $73m. Michael Hanin, who leads the practice with Sheron Korpus and Stephen Tountas, took the lead in that case. Hanin also acted for Waterfall Asset Management affiliate Cascade Funding in a case arising from its purchase from Bancorp of a pool of $900m in mortgage loan assets, to be funded through a securitization in a CRE CLO, ultimately recovering $13m for the client. Name partner Marc Kasowitz, a pioneer of high-value securities litigation on behalf of hedge funds, international banks and sovereigns, remains active in the practice.

Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense

Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP has in-depth experience navigating government investigations relating to various white-collar crimes, including money laundering, insider trading, insurance fraud, and bribery. Leading the team in New York, Daniel Fetterman is a seasoned litigator who routinely represents both corporations and individuals. Marc Kasowitz and Brian Choi are also based in New York. In addition to his extensive capabilities as a trial lawyer, Kasowitz frequently conducts internal investigations for special committees and boards of directors, while Choi advises on FCA offenses and securities fraud. Ann St. Peter-Griffith practices in Miami and has a broad range of experience advising on white-collar matters, which includes sanction violations, healthcare fraud, and false claims. Located in Los Angeles, Daniel A. Saunders is another notable member of the team who has experience advising on FCPA violations.

Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes Tier 4

Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP handles a broad range of commercial disputes and is recognized for its team of ‘strategic litigators’ who ‘know all of the judges and actually try cases’. Marc Kasowitz spearheads the group, with his record at trial including cases involving antitrust, banking, securities, product liability, mass tort, corporate governance, RICO, and breach of contract, among many other issues. Sheron Korpus has deep experience in securities, antitrust, and IP disputes, among others, while experienced real estate litigator Paul O’Connor is a key name for disputes involving real estate developers, investors, and hotel operators.

Finance > Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate Tier 4

Led by David Rosner , Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP is experienced in litigation based services in bankruptcy representations and restructuring proceedings, with Rosner having been involved in a number of Chapter 11 cases. Ken Coleman handles multi-jurisdictional business reorganizations and financial restructurings, while Matthew Stein ‘s expertise lies in litigation arising out of distressed situations and leveraged buyouts. All lawyers mentioned are based in New York.

Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (full coverage) Tier 4

Led by seasoned patent litigator and tech expert Jonathan Waldrop in Silicon Valley, Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP represents both plaintiffs and defendants in a broad range of intellectual property disputes and has particular expertise in litigating in the Western District of Texas. The group also includes Jay Deshmukh in New York, who leads the Hatch-Waxman practice and additionally handles other IP and patent related disputes. Back in Silicon Valley, Darcy Jones is capable of handling patent infringement and trade secret litigation for clients in the telecoms, computer hardware and software, and medical devices spaces, and Marcus Barber specializes in patent infringement disputes in a wide range of tech fields.

Labor and employment > Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions) Tier 4

The employment litigation department at Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP is regularly instructed by financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, and real estate-sector clients for its contentious expertise. Mark W. Lerner co-leads the practice and is frequently engaged to handle litigation matters relating to non-competition agreements, discrimination and harassment claims, employee raiding, and executive compensation disputes. Former Assistant District Attorney Jessica Taub Rosenberg, who was promoted to practice co-head in 2023, is well-versed in representing executives in high-profile employment disputes. Joshua Fulop is noted for his experience defending claims of discrimination and sexual harassment and litigating matters involving the enforcement of employment contracts and non-compete covenants. All lawyers mentioned are in New York.

Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: defense Tier 5

Specializing in bet-the-company cases, Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP regularly plays a leading role in antitrust litigation. The team is experienced in class actions and antitrust investigations spanning multiple jurisdictions. It advises significant players from a variety of sectors, including the pharmaceutical, media and automotive industries. Hector Torres fields a diverse clientele of defendants and plaintiffs, bringing extensive public-sector experience to the group. He heads the New York-based practice alongside Sheron Korpus, who takes the lead in cases for some of the team’s key clients, including Teva Pharmaceuticals. Seth Moskowitz is experienced acting in appellate courts, at both a federal and state level, while Seth Davis represents clients in investigations by enforcement agencies.

Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense Tier 5

The ‘aggressive and tactical litigation team‘ at Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP in New York acts for both plaintiffs and defendants in securities litigation. Its defense work is frequently for large and public national and international companies. The firm recently negotiated a $430m cash settlement for Teva Pharmaceuticals in one of the largest securities class actions in recent years. Sheron Korpus, Michael Hanin and Stephen Tountas lead the ‘incredibly responsive and technical‘ practice, in which emerging partner talent Andrew Schwartz plays an increasingly prominent role.

Real estate Tier 5

The New York City-based real estate practice at Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP handles a series of real estate matters ranging from financing and loan matters including construction, mortgage, and mezzanine structures, through to workouts, lease work, acquisitions and dispositions. Also noted for their arbitration and disputes experience, the team advises clients that include REITs, large private equity and investment firms, trusts, and several large companies. The firm also continues to grow its international client base with a growing number of Asian insurance companies, banks, and Asian investors seeking the firm’s advice on US-bound ventures. David Szeker spearheads the team and is particularly active on the borrower side where he advises on financings and transactions, as well as joint venture formation, foreclosures, bankruptcies, and disputes. Also, central to the practice is Darwin Huang who covers much of the firm’s lender-side work; in doing so, he represents an array of developers, investors, and financial institutions on a range of real estate matters. At the associate level, Matthew McElroy and Miami-based Kathleen Maurer are also noted.

Dispute resolution > International litigation