Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton is characterized by its finesse in commercial and financial disputes, as well as regulatory and enforcement matters. The New York practice is anchored by Carmine Boccuzzi, a central figure in commercial and sovereign-related litigation. Victor Hou co-leads the Americas litigation group, with a focus on securities, corporate governance, and general commercial disputes. Lisa Vicens advises on enforcement matters and complex, cross-border disputes. Rishi Zutshi stands out for his commercial and appellate advocacy, which frequently involves sophisticated financial products. Lina Bensman is recognized for her work in high-stakes commercial litigation and arbitration, alongside Abena Mainoo, who handles matters involving international banking, regulatory exposure and large-scale class actions. Mark McDonald is sought after for M&A and shareholder disputes. Commended as ‘incredibly thorough’, Katherine Lynch and Leila Mgaloblishvili provide critical support. Breon Peace, who joined the team in May 2025, is best known for his background in white-collar defense and government investigations.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Cleary has a deep litigation bench with true subject matter experts who have been involved in almost all of the major financial services litigation over the last decade. They are particularly strong in competition-related cases.’
'Lisa Vicens is an excellent advisor and has mastered the art of client service. She is pragmatic, smart and risk-calibrated - she knows what the issue is and focuses on it.'
‘Rishi Zutshi and Carmine Boccuzzi have excellent judgment and subject matter expertise based on their extensive experience in financial services-related class action matters.'
‘The team is truly international and perfectly placed to take on international clients and cross border matters.’
‘Carmine Boccuzzi is an excellent advocate and strategic thinker. Lina Bensman is fierce. Katherine Lynch is incredibly thorough, just as the more junior but very promising Leila Mgaloblishvili is.'
‘What stands out is the focus of the team - they staff appropriately and we avoid scenarios where reams of associates who you never interact with work on your files.'
Key clients
- Assured Guaranty
- Bank of New York Mellon
- BHP Billiton
- BNP Paribas
- Broadcom Inc.
- Calvyn Gardner, Luiza Valim
- Citibank
- Commerzbank
- Credit Agricole
- Financialright Claims GmbH
- GMO-Z.com Trust Company, Inc.
- Goldman Sachs
Work highlights
Achieved another significant summary judgment win for Bosch on April 10, 2025, in one of the final VW “Clean Diesel” litigation cases that date back to 2015. The Northern District of California ruled in Bosch’s favor, finding that plaintiffs failed to establish that the alleged fraud proximately caused any recoverable injuries.
Achieved for Assured Guaranty a decisive victory in January 2025 when the New York Court of Appeals denied Lehman Brothers International (Europe) (LBIE)’s final appeal.
Achieved a definitive victory for BNP Paribas in May 2025 in two cases filed by surviving families of founders of Banco Nuñez and Banco Pujol (Cuba’s second and seventh largest banks before expropriation by Banco Nacional de Cuba), who alleged that BNP Paribas “trafficked” in confiscated Cuban property through transactions with Banco Nacional de Cuba between 2000-2010. Plaintiffs sought over $1 billion in damages, including potential treble damages under Title III of the Helms-Burton Act.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Carmine Boccuzzi
Other key lawyers
Rishi Zutshi; Lina Bensman; Abena Mainoo; Mark McDonald; Breon Peace; Lisa Vicens; Katherine Lynch; Leila Mgaloblishvili; Victor Hou