Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP > Washington DC, United States > Firm Profile

Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: middle-market ($500m-999m) Tier 1

Headed from New York by public and private M&A specialist Charles Samuelson, the Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP practice is capable of handling the full gamut of transactional matters, spanning from high-profile joint ventures and mergers to minority investments and de-SPAC transactions. The team is particularly noted for its in-depth experience acting on behalf of global and domestic clients in the media, aviation, and tech sectors. Kenneth Lefkowitz focuses on takeover defense matters and hostile takeovers, Michael Traube is knowledgeable on strategic investments, and Gerold Niggemann specializes in venture capital and general corporate matters. Scott Naturman and Alexander Rahn are also noted as key contacts.

Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: pharmaceuticals and medical devices Tier 2

Drawing upon ‘deep experience and knowledge of the law and all the technical and medical aspects required for crafting a successful defense’, Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP‘s New York-based team has a strong reputation handling mass torts/class actions for life sciences clients, where it is appreciated for its ‘team player approach’ and ‘strategic mindset’. The team has also developed a market-leading reputation for supporting clients involved in litigation outside of the US, where they ‘work hand-in-glove with the client’s global and local legal and medical teams as well as with the respective local counsel defending the case in court’. With a ‘comprehensive approach that transcends traditional litigation’, James C. Fitzpatrick  is ‘well known for his work with scientific experts and company witnesses’, helping to effectively develop substantial domestic and international cases. The ‘detail-oriented and success driven’ Charles W. Cohen  also plays a pivotal role in navigating both class action and individual matters with global intricacies, ‘delivering a supersonic level of service that is not only efficient but also personalized’. For more conventional domestic matters, the ‘terrific’ Bill Beausoleil is ‘a subject matter expert in this area’, helping to develop and implement legal strategies that work in courtrooms across the country. Robb Patryk  co-heads the team with Fitzpatrick, and as part of his broad product liability practice regularly handles pharmaceutical-related disputes.

Transport > Aviation and air travel: finance Tier 2

With particular expertise in aviation finance structures, Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP acts for several leading airlines, aircraft leasing companies, and financial institutions. The practice boasts a robust track record of advising on major asset-backed security and enhanced equipment trust certificate transactions. In addition to financings, the group’s expertise extends to aviation-related securities offerings, M&A, inter-airline matters, bankruptcies, and litigation. International finance and corporate deal specialist Steven Chung chairs the firm’s aviation finance group from Washington DC, where Andrew Fowler advises lessors and underwriters on aircraft portfolio securitizations, equity offerings, loans, structured financings, joint ventures, and secured loans. Also in DC, Thomas Healey is another highly-regarded aviation finance law expert. The practice further features Miami’s Mark Denham, whose commercial and business aviation experience includes aircraft leases and loans, pre-delivery payment financings, warehouse facilities, securitizations, and aircraft purchases and sales, and asset finance deal specialist Terry Sanders in New York. Cynthia Liu departed the firm in January 2024.

Dispute resolution > International arbitration Tier 3

The team at Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP is praised for the ‘quality of its investor-treaty arbitration offering’—it also frequently handles commercial cases. Leveraging its experience under all major arbitration rules, including AAA, ICDR, ICC, LCIA and UNCITRAL, the group is engaged by both corporations and sovereign states to handle high-stakes, cross-border disputes. In Washington DC, John Townsend has an impressive track record in complex and politically sensitive matters; he continues to act alongside Washington DC-based department chair James H. Boykin to represent Ukrainian entities in five Crimea-related investment treaty arbitrations against the Russian Federation under the Russia-Ukraine BIT. The DC practice also includes Rémy Gerbay, who stands out for his ability to ‘bridge civil law and common law sensibilities’, and Diego Durán de la Vega, who co-heads the Latin American disputes practice. In New York, Daniel Weiner stands out for his niche expertise in art-related and pharmaceutical disputes. In February 2023, former department co-head Hagit Muriel Elul left the firm. In April 2024, new global co-head of arbitration Gaela Gehring Flores joined in Washington DC from A&O Shearman.

Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: consumer products (including tobacco) Tier 3

Combining ‘deep experience and knowledge of the law’ with a granular knowledge of the underlying subject matter, Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP regularly handles high-profile product liability matters, particularly in highly-regulated industries. As well as forging a strong national and international reputation for highly technical and scientific pharmaceutical cases, the team has also gained significant exposure to work in the tobacco space. From Kansas City, James Berger serves as national counsel to RJ Reynolds in the defense of cases concerning exposure to asbestos in cigarette filter material. Also in Kansas City, David Woods is well versed in regulatory issues and litigation affecting tobacco and e-cigarette companies, including acting as trial counsel in Engel Progeny cases in Florida. New York-based lawyers Robb Patryk and James C. Fitzpatrick co-head the product liability team, with both excelling at handling scientifically complex domestic and international pharmaceutical and medical devices matters.

Tax > International tax Tier 3

Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP provides advice on a wide range of complex tax issues including national and international mergers and acquisitions, spinoffs, joint ventures, bankruptcies, reorganizations, placement of offshore investment funds, securitizations, and securities offerings, including IPOs. The New York-based team has particular strengths in equipment and aviation finance, among other industry sectors such as life sciences, media and entertainment, and technology. Practice head, praised as a ‘towering intellect‘ Andrew Braiterman represents clients on international tax planning, tax issues relating to debt restructuring, voluntary disclosures by individuals of offshore accounts, and disputes with federal and state taxing authorities. Spencer Harrison has a special focus on the tax aspects of domestic and international M&A, joint ventures, and corporate finance. Alan Kravitz advises assists companies and funds with tax matters relating to the acquisition and disposition of subsidiaries and portfolio companies with a particular focus on the media and technology, telecoms, transport, and logistics sectors. Charles Wachsstock has expertise in executive compensation and employee benefits as well as tax matters in corporate transactions, employment and separation agreements, and compensation programs for public and private companies, financial sponsors, directors, and executives.

Antitrust > Merger control Tier 4

Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP continues to handle a steady stream of merger cases before the DOJ and FTC, with a team offering agency expertise across contentious and non-contentious merger reviews, investigations, and associated litigation. William J. Kolasky , chair of the firm's antitrust practice, handles deals in a wide range of industries, representing major clients in telecoms, private equity, and pharma. He sits in the Washington DC office, where co-head Philip Giordano is based, noted for his work on transactional matters before the FTC and DOJ. Robert B. Bell has wide-ranging experience securing merger clearance before the FTC and DOJ, as well as representing clients in criminal and civil antitrust matters. The team’s litigation capabilities have been bolstered by the arrival of Los Angles-based Yi-Chin Ho , who joined from Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense Tier 4

Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP frequently advises on a broad range of investigations, including those related to allegations of fraud, tax evasion, insider trading, and money laundering. The white-collar and regulatory defense team is headed by Marc Weinstein in New York. Weinstein is a seasoned trial lawyer with experience handling cases concerning FCPA violations and investment fraud. Also located in New York, Edward Little has decades of experience defending a wide range of clients that incudes doctors, accountants, brokerage firms, and large companies. Other prominent lawyers in the team include Kevin Carroll and Laura Perkins who are both active in Washington DC. Perkins regularly represents clients in proceedings before the DOJ and SEC. Carroll is noted for his skills with conducting internal and congressional investigations as well as advising businesses on compliance programs.

Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense Tier 4

Handling class actions, shareholder derivative litigation, investigations, criminal prosecutions, and administrative proceedings, clients praise Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP as ‘an excellent team with true subject matter expertise‘. The firm has particularly deep knowledge of the accounting sector. The practice is led from Washington DC by Kevin Abikoff and from New York by Shahzeb Lari and ‘superb trial attorney‘ Marc Weinstein. Abikoff and Lari are currently representing oilfield services company ProPetro Holding Corp. in a class action. New York-based William Maguire, chairs the professional liability practice, is frequently involved in high-profile auditor liability matters. Terence Healy, who works from both DC and New York, is ‘super savvy’.

Finance > Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate Tier 4

Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP has a steady cross-border practice, routinely representing company-side clients in major restructurings. Notably, the firm has handled restructurings related to the cryptocurrency and auto industries, including de-SPACs, while playing a role in numerous airline restructurings that have resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic. New York-based Kathryn Coleman co-chairs the group and handles a range of chapter 11 representations and high-stakes insolvency related matters, including with bet-the-company litigation claims including trade secret and RICO cases. Christopher Kiplok also in New York, co-chair’s the practice and routinely advises a range of parties on insolvencies, financial litigation and bankruptcies.

Tax > US taxes: non-contentious Tier 5

Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP’s team in New York has a strong track record in middle-market transactions, including mergers, spin-offs, joint ventures, reorganizations, and securities offerings, with real expertise in aviation finance matters. The team is also strong in the life sciences, financial services, media, and tech sectors. Practice head Andrew Braiterman has considerable experience spanning M&A, corporate finance, financial products, and hedge and private equity funds. Spencer Harrison regularly advises non-profit organizations, while Alan Kravitz specializes in aviation finance and equipment finance transactions, advising underwriters, issuers, and lenders, among other interested parties. Charles Wachsstock focuses on the tax aspects of employment and separation agreements. Erin DeCecchis and Justin Cohen both play key roles in the team.

Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: transactional

Latin America: International firms > International arbitration

Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP has an established background in investor-state disputes under ICSID, UNCITRAL and Permanent Court of Arbitration rules, and demonstrates solid experience acting for and against states in cases brought under bilateral investment treaties (BITs) and other frameworks such as the Energy Charter Treaty. The Latin America-focused team also has a strong presence in commercial arbitration. Diego Durán De La Vega chairs the Latin America disputes practice and James Boykin is chair of the investment treaty arbitration group; as these positions would suggest, both are deeply experienced practitioners. Rémy Gerbay, who became head of the firm's Investor-State arbitration practice in March 2023, is another key figure for contentious matters in Latin America; former co-chair of the Latin America disputes team Luis O’Naghten joined Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP the same month. Since publication, and in a significant coup for the practice, the firm hired Gaela Gehring Flores -formerly of A&O Shearman- as global co-head of its international arbitration practice