Dispute resolution
The ‘very talented’ team at Freshfields is ’excellent at resolving cases’ at the pleadings stage for clients before the state and federal courts, often disposing of matters through a motion to dismiss or defeating class certification. Consequently, the team has gained a justifiably very strong reputation among many large corporates seeking representation on big-ticket class actions, including those involving issues of first impression. Noted for her ability to ‘quickly absorb and synthesize highly technical concepts’, New York-based Meredith Kotler often defends life sciences companies on investor class actions brought in the aftermath of alleged mis-statements/omissions regarding new patents and clinical trials. In addition, she is very skilled at defending boards of directors in derivative shareholder suits brought before the Delaware Court of Chancery. Located in New York, Mary Eaton co-heads the team alongside Kotler, and has a broad practice that sees her representing issuers and corporate boards on class actions and derivative claims, including on SPAC and COVID-related matters. In Silicon Valley, the vastly experienced Boris Feldman is ’a strategic thinker’ noted, in particular, for his high-profile defense of major TMT clients, including Alphabet, facing securities class actions and derivative lawsuits.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
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Profile
Work Department
Litigation
Position
Partner and Co-Head of Securities and Shareholder Litigation
Career
Mary Eaton is co-head of the securities and shareholder litigation practice at Freshfields, and has extensive experience in complex commercial litigation, with a focus on securities class actions, shareholder derivative claims and other complex business disputes. Mary regularly represents issuers, boards of directors, board committees and senior management across a broad spectrum of industries (including financial services, private equity, asset management and technology) in a wide variety of disputes in federal and state courts across the country. In addition to her substantial trial experience, Mary regularly counsels clients on litigation avoidance and corporate governance matters.
Among her many accolades, Mary is perennially ranked among leading litigators by Chambers USA, Legal 500 US and Best Lawyers in America. In 2019, the American Bar Association awarded Mary the Stonewall Award for her contributions to the advancement of LGBT individuals and issues.
Education
- LLB, Queen’s University
- JD, Columbia Law School
- LLM, Columbia Law School
Content supplied by Freshfields
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'The team is very talented and excellent at resolving cases.' 'They are incredibly smart and responsive, see around corners better than anyone.' 'Freshfields is a highly experienced securities litigation firm. We were fortunate to achieve a successful outcome that was due in no small part to their exceptional counsel. It was a delight working with them.' 'Meredith Kotler is unusually gifted in as much as she is able to quickly absorb and synthesize highly technical concepts that are outside her area of expertise, such as, for example, certain intricacies of patent law.' 'Mary Eaton and Meredith Kotler are the best, extraordinary thinkers with great strategic vision.' 'Boris Feldman is highly experienced and quickly puts the client at ease. He is a strategic thinker who is always two steps ahead of the adversary.'
Key clients
- Alphabet Inc. and several officers and directors Li-Cycle and several executives Lilium N.V. and several officers Centessa Pharmaceuticals, several officers and its Board Amarin Corp. PLC, several officers and its Board TriplePoint Venture Growth and several officers and directors Palantir, several officers and its Board Stem, Inc., certain officers and its Board Independent Directors of the Citigroup Board Roblox Corp., several officers and its Board CarLotz, Inc., several officers and its Board Rivian Automotive Inc., several officers and its Board Instacart, Inc., several officers and its Board Rent the Runway, Inc., several officers and its Board Moderna, several officers and its Board Stellantis N.V. and several executives J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and other financial institutions in the underwriting syndicate for InnovAge Acelyrin, Inc. and certain officers and directors Lightning eMotors
Work highlights
Representing Google-owner Alphabet in several high profile securities class actions and derivative lawsuits, including obtaining dismissal of the globally significant and industry-impactful AdTech litigation.