MoloLamken LLP > Washington D.C., United States > Firm Profile

MoloLamken LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

New York City Elite > Commercial disputes

A founding partner of litigation boutique MoloLamken LLP, Steven Molo is one of the leading commercial litigators active in New York, with notable experience in bet-the-company and bet-the-industry cases on behalf of corporations, funds, investors, and boards. Molo’s clientele is as extensive as the industries he operates in, representing foreign and domestic clients in the insurance, real estate, retail and tech sectors, to name but a few.

Sara Margolis of MoloLamken LLP litigates complex and high-value matters concerning pioneering inventions, bankruptcy and breach of contract disputes. She is especially noted for her leadership in running complex cases at both the state and federal level. Notably, over the last five years she has reportedly helped recover over $2bn for her clients.

Washington DC Elite > International litigation

Dispute resolution > Leading trial lawyers

New York-based founding partner of MoloLamken LLP, Steven Molo, is best known for his diverse trial practice, which spans business litigation, white-collar criminal matters, and IP disputes, where he often represents corporations, boards, funds, investors, inventors, and individuals. Among his recent highlights, he successfully prevailed on behalf of A-CAP, a major insurance provider, securing the dismissal of litigation against AM Best, which had threatened to significantly lower A-CAP’s credit rating due to a proposed $1bn asset write-off. Currently, Molo is acting for Suntory Global Spirits in a dispute with entities formed by Curtis J. Jackson III (50 Cent) over their collaboration to endorse Beam’s EFFEN vodka brand.

Dispute resolution > Appellate: courts of appeals / Appellate: supreme courts (states and federal)

The practice group at MoloLamken LLP is well-versed in handling cases before the Supreme Court and federal courts of appeals, with particular strength in appeals involving IP, energy, telecoms, sovereign immunity, and constitutional and administrative law. The practice is directed by Jeffrey Lamken, who is lauded by one client as an ‘especially adept oral advocate, uniquely composed and prepared for anything’. His recent cases of note have included representing Nobel Prize-winning scientists Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier before the Federal Circuit after the Patent Trial and Appeal Board declined to award them the patent for the CRISPR-Cas9 system for editing genes in eukaryotic cells. Also noted is appellate specialist Lucas Walker, who recently argued a significant trademark case on behalf of Abitron Austria before the Supreme Court. Appellate litigators Rayiner Hashem, Michael Pattillo, Robert Kry and Sara Margolis are additional key contacts. All lawyers mentioned are based in Washington, D.C., with the exception of Margolis, who is based in New York.

Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense Tier 3

MoloLamken LLP has a strong litigation team representing investors, boards, senior executives, and companies in white-collar matters. The practice is co-led by Steven Molo in New York and Justin Shur in Washington DC. Molo defends individuals facing allegations of corruption, healthcare fraud, insider trading, and financial misconduct. Shur represents clients before the SEC and DOJ in investigations concerning FCPA violations, tax offenses, money laundering, and national security. Caleb Hayes-Deats, also in Washington DC, handles government and congressional investigations. Megan Cunniff Church in Chicago is recommended for sensitive internal investigations

Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: plaintiff Tier 3

As part of its broad oeuvre of complex commercial litigation, New York-headquartered firm MoloLamken LLP has continued to pick up some notable victories for investors in securities fraud and shareholder rights cases at both trial and appellate level. Praised for its ‘very smart and collaborative’ approach to handling matters, including in international cases, the team, which is noted for its ability to try cases, provides ‘practical advice to complex matters’. Steven Molo, who heads up the overarching complex litigation group housing the securities fraud offering, ‘brings practical insight and is razor sharp in his analysis’, leveraging his trial skills to good effect. Other key practitioners include Justin Ellis, who excels in handling complex securities matters for and against sophisticated global financial institutions, and Robert Kry, who splits his time between Washington DC and New York and has developed a particularly compelling offering in relation to securities matters with an international dimension.

Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes Tier 4

Representing both plaintiffs and defendants, MoloLamken LLP represents clients in business disputes and IP litigation. The firm also houses an active white collar defense practice. Steven Molo leads the team from New York and represents clients, from senior executives to government officials, in high-stakes disputes. Also in New York, Justin Ellis is active in securities and structured finance litigation and bankruptcy and antitrust disputes. Sara Margolis in New York focuses on business and IP disputes, while Lauren Dayton excels in contractual and business torts litigation, splitting her time between Chicago and New York. Antitrust expert Lauren Weinstein is based in Washington DC and Eugene Sokoloff in Chicago has a balanced plaintiff and defendant practice.

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

Litigation boutique firm MoloLamken LLP  has developed a strong appellate practice to handle patents in the technology and life sciences industries. Speaking to the team’s broad expertise, the practice regularly manages Hatch-Waxman cases and recently secured a victory for DivX against Netflix at the PTAB. In Washington DC, Jeffrey A. Lamken and Michael Pattillo are nationally recognised appellate practitioners who are sought after for their expertise in high-stakes appellate proceedings in federal and state courts. Lamken and Pattillo co-chair the practice with Ben Quarmby, who is based in New York and focuses on trial and appellate patent litigation related to computer technology and data privacy. Other names to note in Washington DC include Lucas Walker, a specialist appellate litigator before federal and district courts, and Rayiner Hashem, an IP litigator recommended for his expertise in cellular communications, software and semiconductors. In New York, Sara Margolis is a skilled patent litigator who is typically engaged by biotech companies.