Four Decades for Justice
Over the course of Daniel Slifkin’s 30 years at the Firm, he has tried numerous cases in state and federal courts, as well as in domestic and international arbitrations. He is one of Benchmark Litigation’s “Top 100 Trial Lawyers in America” and repeatedly has been recognized as The Am Law Litigation Daily’s “Litigator of the Week.”
Notably, Mr. Slifkin is among the few litigators to have ever taken a securities fraud class action through jury verdict, having tried two closely watched securities cases on behalf of Vivendi. And he has extensive additional experience litigating securities and derivative matters, including for Alcoa, Anadarko Petroleum, DLJ, First Solar, JPMorgan Chase, Juno Therapeutics, Lucent Technologies, Morgan Stanley, Occidental Petroleum, Priceline.com, Robinhood and the Board of Directors of Tesla.
Mr. Slifkin also has substantial experience in antitrust matters, arbitrations and bankruptcy proceedings, as well as general commercial litigation, and he has represented clients in regulatory investigations by the DOJ, SEC and European Union. In particular, Mr. Slifkin has considerable knowledge of the financial services industry, having represented numerous of the world’s leading financial institutions in a wide range of matters.
New York Law Journal has named Mr. Slifkin a “Distinguished Leader of the Year” and The Am Law Litigation Daily has recognized him as “Litigator of the Week” on three occasions, including most recently for his successful defense of Tesla, Inc. CEO and board member Elon Musk in In re Tesla Motors, Inc. Stockholder Litigation. The Financial Times’ U.S. Innovative Lawyers Report likewise has featured Mr. Slifkin’s work multiple times. Lawdragon has named Mr. Slifkin a nationwide “Legend” and continually selected him as one of the “500 Leading Lawyers in America.” He also was included in Lawdragon’s list of the “500 Leading Litigators in America” and its list of the “100 Lawyers You Need to Know in Securities Litigation.” Chambers USA consistently ranks him as a leading securities litigator. The Legal 500 US has repeatedly recognized Mr. Slifkin for his work in financial services and securities litigation, including naming him a “Leading Lawyer” for securities litigation and a “Leading Trial Lawyer,” while also recommending him for his work in antitrust litigation, commercial litigation and white collar criminal defense. In addition to being included in Benchmark Litigation’s list of the “Top 100 Trial Lawyers in America,” the publication has named Mr. Slifkin a “National Star” in general commercial litigation and securities litigation. The Best Lawyers in America has named him a leader in commercial litigation, securities, antitrust and banking and finance litigation.
Mr. Slifkin’s representative matters include:
Securities and Derivative
Representing Tesla, Inc. CEO and board member Elon Musk and other current and former members of the Tesla Board of Directors in a derivative action filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery concerning Mr. Musk’s compensation package.
Represented Mr. Musk in winning a complete trial victory to defeat a $13 billion stockholder derivative action filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery related to Tesla’s $2.1 billion acquisition of SolarCity Corporation. Following a highly publicized 11‑day trial, the court granted judgment in favor of Mr. Musk on all counts, and the judgment was affirmed by the Delaware Supreme Court.
Representing select members of SunPower Corporation’s Board of Directors in a stockholder derivative action filed in connection with the sale of SunPower’s commercial and industrial business to a subsidiary of TotalEnergies.
Representing Robinhood in putative class action securities litigation—part of multidistrict litigation involving dozens of class actions centralized in Florida federal court—arising out of Robinhood’s decision to temporarily place certain limits on trading in certain securities in the face of unprecedented market volatility.
Antitrust
Arbitration
Bankruptcy
General Commercial
Mr. Slifkin is a fellow of the American Bar Foundation and a member of the International Bar Association. He is Vice‑Chairman of the Board of Americans for Oxford. He is also a board member of Legal Services NYC, the National Center for Law and Economic Justice and the Federal Bar Council.
Mr. Slifkin was born in London, England. He received a B.A., with first class honors, from Oxford University in 1987; a B.C.L., with first class honors, from Oxford University in 1988; and a J.D. magna cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1991, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review and a Sears Prize winner.
Mr. Slifkin joined Cravath in 1991 and was elected a partner in 1997. He served as Head of the Litigation Department from September 2016 to February 2021.
Mr. Slifkin also has substantial experience in antitrust matters, arbitrations and bankruptcy proceedings, as well as general commercial litigation, and he has represented clients in regulatory investigations by the DOJ, SEC and European Union. In particular, Mr. Slifkin has considerable knowledge of the financial services industry, having represented numerous of the world’s leading financial institutions in a wide range of matters.
New York Law Journal has named Mr. Slifkin a “Distinguished Leader of the Year” and The Am Law Litigation Daily has recognized him as “Litigator of the Week” on three occasions, including most recently for his successful defense of Tesla, Inc. CEO and board member Elon Musk in In re Tesla Motors, Inc. Stockholder Litigation. The Financial Times’ U.S. Innovative Lawyers Report likewise has featured Mr. Slifkin’s work multiple times. Lawdragon has named Mr. Slifkin a nationwide “Legend” and continually selected him as one of the “500 Leading Lawyers in America.” He also was included in Lawdragon’s list of the “500 Leading Litigators in America” and its list of the “100 Lawyers You Need to Know in Securities Litigation.” Chambers USA consistently ranks him as a leading securities litigator. The Legal 500 US has repeatedly recognized Mr. Slifkin for his work in financial services and securities litigation, including naming him a “Leading Lawyer” for securities litigation and a “Leading Trial Lawyer,” while also recommending him for his work in antitrust litigation, commercial litigation and white collar criminal defense. In addition to being included in Benchmark Litigation’s list of the “Top 100 Trial Lawyers in America,” the publication has named Mr. Slifkin a “National Star” in general commercial litigation and securities litigation. The Best Lawyers in America has named him a leader in commercial litigation, securities, antitrust and banking and finance litigation.
Mr. Slifkin’s representative matters include:
Securities and Derivative
Representing Tesla, Inc. CEO and board member Elon Musk and other current and former members of the Tesla Board of Directors in a derivative action filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery concerning Mr. Musk’s compensation package.
Represented Mr. Musk in winning a complete trial victory to defeat a $13 billion stockholder derivative action filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery related to Tesla’s $2.1 billion acquisition of SolarCity Corporation. Following a highly publicized 11‑day trial, the court granted judgment in favor of Mr. Musk on all counts, and the judgment was affirmed by the Delaware Supreme Court.
Representing select members of SunPower Corporation’s Board of Directors in a stockholder derivative action filed in connection with the sale of SunPower’s commercial and industrial business to a subsidiary of TotalEnergies.
Representing Robinhood in putative class action securities litigation—part of multidistrict litigation involving dozens of class actions centralized in Florida federal court—arising out of Robinhood’s decision to temporarily place certain limits on trading in certain securities in the face of unprecedented market volatility.
Antitrust
Arbitration
Bankruptcy
General Commercial
Mr. Slifkin is a fellow of the American Bar Foundation and a member of the International Bar Association. He is Vice‑Chairman of the Board of Americans for Oxford. He is also a board member of Legal Services NYC, the National Center for Law and Economic Justice and the Federal Bar Council.
Mr. Slifkin was born in London, England. He received a B.A., with first class honors, from Oxford University in 1987; a B.C.L., with first class honors, from Oxford University in 1988; and a J.D. magna cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1991, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review and a Sears Prize winner.
Mr. Slifkin joined Cravath in 1991 and was elected a partner in 1997. He served as Head of the Litigation Department from September 2016 to February 2021.
American Bar Association
International Bar Association
New York City Bar Association
New York State Bar Association
American Bar Foundation
Americans for Oxford
Federal Bar Council
Legal Services NYC
National Center for Law and Economic Justice
Benchmark Litigation
Best Lawyers in America
Chambers USA
Lawdragon
Leaders League Litigation & International Arbitration Report
The Legal 500 US
New York Law Journal
Deals & Cases
June 09, 2023
On June 6, 2023, the Delaware Supreme Court affirmed the Delaware Court of Chancery’s judgment in favor of Cravath client Elon Musk on all counts in a stockholder derivative suit related to Tesla, Inc.’s (“Tesla”) 2016 acquisition of SolarCity Corp. (“SolarCity”).
Deals & Cases
March 31, 2023
On Friday, March 24, a three‑judge panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled in favor of Cravath client Morgan Stanley, banks Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan and UBS, and EquiLend, a provider of electronic stock lending services.
Deals & Cases
May 02, 2022
On April 27, 2022, the Delaware Court of Chancery granted judgment in favor of Cravath client Elon Musk on all counts in a stockholder derivative suit regarding the 2016 acquisition of SolarCity Corp. (“SolarCity”) by Tesla, Inc. (“Tesla”). The Court of Chancery’s 131‑page opinion in favor of Mr. Musk followed a highly publicized 11‑day trial in July and August 2021, and post‑trial briefing and oral argument held in January 2022.
Deals & Cases
October 06, 2021
On October 1, 2021, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York dismissed consolidated antitrust suits brought by the parent company of an electronic stock‑loan trading platform, SL‑x IP S.á.r.l., and its subsidiaries, against Cravath client Morgan Stanley, banks Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan and UBS, and EquiLend, a provider of electronic stock lending services.
Deals & Cases
April 07, 2018
On March 26, 2018, Cravath client Akorn, Inc. (“Akorn”), a U.S.-based manufacturer and marketer of prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceutical products, reached a settlement in a civil action brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The complaint alleged financial reporting, books and records, and internal accounting controls violations in connection with Akorn’s accounting restatements for the fiscal year 2014. Akorn cooperated with the SEC and, pursuant to the settlement, did not admit or deny the SEC's allegations or pay any financial sanction.
Accolades
October 10, 2022
The 2023 edition of Benchmark Litigation named Cravath partners Evan R. Chesler, Daniel Slifkin, Gary A. Bornstein and Kevin J. Orsini to its list of the “Top 100 Trial Lawyers in America.” This is the ninth consecutive year in which Evan has been recognized, the third year in which Daniel and Kevin have been recognized and the second year in which Gary has been named to the list.
Accolades
May 09, 2022
On May 6, 2022, The Am Law Litigation Daily featured a Cravath team as “Litigators of the Week” for its successful defense of client Elon Musk in a stockholder derivative suit in the Delaware Court of Chancery related to Tesla’s 2016 acquisition of SolarCity, in which Plaintiffs sought $13 billion in damages. The publication noted that the Court’s decision in favor of Mr. Musk followed an 11‑day trial held in July and August 2021 and additional oral argument in January 2022, and in the Q&A feature, Cravath partners Evan R. Chesler, Daniel Slifkin and Vanessa A. Lavely spoke about the Firm’s introduction to the case; the collaborative approach of the team, which also included partner Helam Gebremariam; key themes that emerged over the course of the trial; as well as important takeaways from the decision, including as they relate to corporate governance.
Accolades
October 22, 2021
The 2022 edition of Benchmark Litigation ranked Cravath in the first tier nationally for antitrust, general commercial and securities litigation. This is the 15th consecutive year in which the Firm has received first‑tier recognition for general commercial and securities litigation since the publication launched, and the ninth consecutive year the Firm has been ranked in the top tier for antitrust. Cravath also ranked among leading firms in the nation in intellectual property and white collar crime/enforcement/investigations. Cravath has been a “Highly Recommended” firm (the highest tier) for New York litigation for the past 15 years, and the Firm was ranked for the second consecutive year as a national “Top 20 Trial Law Firm.”
Accolades
October 14, 2021
The 2022 edition of Benchmark Litigation named Cravath partners Evan R. Chesler, Daniel Slifkin, Gary A. Bornstein and Kevin J. Orsini to its list of the “Top 100 Trial Lawyers in America.” This is the eighth consecutive year in which Evan has been recognized, the second year in which Daniel and Kevin have been recognized and the first year in which Gary has been named to the list.
Over the course of Daniel Slifkin’s 30 years at the Firm, he has tried numerous cases in state and federal courts, as well as in domestic and international arbitrations. He is one of Benchmark Litigation’s “Top 100 Trial Lawyers in America” and repeatedly has been recognized as The Am Law Litigation Daily’s “Litigator of the Week.”
Notably, Mr. Slifkin is among the few litigators to have ever taken a securities fraud class action through jury verdict, having tried two closely watched securities cases on behalf of Vivendi. And he has extensive additional experience litigating securities and derivative matters, including for Alcoa, Anadarko Petroleum, DLJ, First Solar, JPMorgan Chase, Juno Therapeutics, Lucent Technologies, Morgan Stanley, Occidental Petroleum, Priceline.com, Robinhood and the Board of Directors of Tesla.
Mr. Slifkin also has substantial experience in antitrust matters, arbitrations and bankruptcy proceedings, as well as general commercial litigation, and he has represented clients in regulatory investigations by the DOJ, SEC and European Union. In particular, Mr. Slifkin has considerable knowledge of the financial services industry, having represented numerous of the world’s leading financial institutions in a wide range of matters.
New York Law Journal has named Mr. Slifkin a “Distinguished Leader of the Year” and The Am Law Litigation Daily has recognized him as “Litigator of the Week” on three occasions, including most recently for his successful defense of Tesla, Inc. CEO and board member Elon Musk in In re Tesla Motors, Inc. Stockholder Litigation. The Financial Times’ U.S. Innovative Lawyers Report likewise has featured Mr. Slifkin’s work multiple times. Lawdragon has named Mr. Slifkin a nationwide “Legend” and continually selected him as one of the “500 Leading Lawyers in America.” He also was included in Lawdragon’s list of the “500 Leading Litigators in America” and its list of the “100 Lawyers You Need to Know in Securities Litigation.” Chambers USA consistently ranks him as a leading securities litigator. The Legal 500 US has repeatedly recognized Mr. Slifkin for his work in financial services and securities litigation, including naming him a “Leading Lawyer” for securities litigation and a “Leading Trial Lawyer,” while also recommending him for his work in antitrust litigation, commercial litigation and white collar criminal defense. In addition to being included in Benchmark Litigation’s list of the “Top 100 Trial Lawyers in America,” the publication has named Mr. Slifkin a “National Star” in general commercial litigation and securities litigation. The Best Lawyers in America has named him a leader in commercial litigation, securities, antitrust and banking and finance litigation.
Mr. Slifkin’s representative matters include:
Securities and Derivative
Representing Tesla, Inc. CEO and board member Elon Musk and other current and former members of the Tesla Board of Directors in a derivative action filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery concerning Mr. Musk’s compensation package.
Represented Mr. Musk in winning a complete trial victory to defeat a $13 billion stockholder derivative action filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery related to Tesla’s $2.1 billion acquisition of SolarCity Corporation. Following a highly publicized 11‑day trial, the court granted judgment in favor of Mr. Musk on all counts, and the judgment was affirmed by the Delaware Supreme Court.
Representing select members of SunPower Corporation’s Board of Directors in a stockholder derivative action filed in connection with the sale of SunPower’s commercial and industrial business to a subsidiary of TotalEnergies.
Representing Robinhood in putative class action securities litigation—part of multidistrict litigation involving dozens of class actions centralized in Florida federal court—arising out of Robinhood’s decision to temporarily place certain limits on trading in certain securities in the face of unprecedented market volatility.
Antitrust
Arbitration
Bankruptcy
General Commercial
Mr. Slifkin is a fellow of the American Bar Foundation and a member of the International Bar Association. He is Vice‑Chairman of the Board of Americans for Oxford. He is also a board member of Legal Services NYC, the National Center for Law and Economic Justice and the Federal Bar Council.
Mr. Slifkin was born in London, England. He received a B.A., with first class honors, from Oxford University in 1987; a B.C.L., with first class honors, from Oxford University in 1988; and a J.D. magna cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1991, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review and a Sears Prize winner.
Mr. Slifkin joined Cravath in 1991 and was elected a partner in 1997. He served as Head of the Litigation Department from September 2016 to February 2021.
Mr. Slifkin also has substantial experience in antitrust matters, arbitrations and bankruptcy proceedings, as well as general commercial litigation, and he has represented clients in regulatory investigations by the DOJ, SEC and European Union. In particular, Mr. Slifkin has considerable knowledge of the financial services industry, having represented numerous of the world’s leading financial institutions in a wide range of matters.
New York Law Journal has named Mr. Slifkin a “Distinguished Leader of the Year” and The Am Law Litigation Daily has recognized him as “Litigator of the Week” on three occasions, including most recently for his successful defense of Tesla, Inc. CEO and board member Elon Musk in In re Tesla Motors, Inc. Stockholder Litigation. The Financial Times’ U.S. Innovative Lawyers Report likewise has featured Mr. Slifkin’s work multiple times. Lawdragon has named Mr. Slifkin a nationwide “Legend” and continually selected him as one of the “500 Leading Lawyers in America.” He also was included in Lawdragon’s list of the “500 Leading Litigators in America” and its list of the “100 Lawyers You Need to Know in Securities Litigation.” Chambers USA consistently ranks him as a leading securities litigator. The Legal 500 US has repeatedly recognized Mr. Slifkin for his work in financial services and securities litigation, including naming him a “Leading Lawyer” for securities litigation and a “Leading Trial Lawyer,” while also recommending him for his work in antitrust litigation, commercial litigation and white collar criminal defense. In addition to being included in Benchmark Litigation’s list of the “Top 100 Trial Lawyers in America,” the publication has named Mr. Slifkin a “National Star” in general commercial litigation and securities litigation. The Best Lawyers in America has named him a leader in commercial litigation, securities, antitrust and banking and finance litigation.
Mr. Slifkin’s representative matters include:
Securities and Derivative
Representing Tesla, Inc. CEO and board member Elon Musk and other current and former members of the Tesla Board of Directors in a derivative action filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery concerning Mr. Musk’s compensation package.
Represented Mr. Musk in winning a complete trial victory to defeat a $13 billion stockholder derivative action filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery related to Tesla’s $2.1 billion acquisition of SolarCity Corporation. Following a highly publicized 11‑day trial, the court granted judgment in favor of Mr. Musk on all counts, and the judgment was affirmed by the Delaware Supreme Court.
Representing select members of SunPower Corporation’s Board of Directors in a stockholder derivative action filed in connection with the sale of SunPower’s commercial and industrial business to a subsidiary of TotalEnergies.
Representing Robinhood in putative class action securities litigation—part of multidistrict litigation involving dozens of class actions centralized in Florida federal court—arising out of Robinhood’s decision to temporarily place certain limits on trading in certain securities in the face of unprecedented market volatility.
Antitrust
Arbitration
Bankruptcy
General Commercial
Mr. Slifkin is a fellow of the American Bar Foundation and a member of the International Bar Association. He is Vice‑Chairman of the Board of Americans for Oxford. He is also a board member of Legal Services NYC, the National Center for Law and Economic Justice and the Federal Bar Council.
Mr. Slifkin was born in London, England. He received a B.A., with first class honors, from Oxford University in 1987; a B.C.L., with first class honors, from Oxford University in 1988; and a J.D. magna cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1991, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review and a Sears Prize winner.
Mr. Slifkin joined Cravath in 1991 and was elected a partner in 1997. He served as Head of the Litigation Department from September 2016 to February 2021.
American Bar Association
International Bar Association
New York City Bar Association
New York State Bar Association
American Bar Foundation
Americans for Oxford
Federal Bar Council
Legal Services NYC
National Center for Law and Economic Justice
Benchmark Litigation
Best Lawyers in America
Chambers USA
Lawdragon
Leaders League Litigation & International Arbitration Report
The Legal 500 US
New York Law Journal
Deals & Cases
June 09, 2023
On June 6, 2023, the Delaware Supreme Court affirmed the Delaware Court of Chancery’s judgment in favor of Cravath client Elon Musk on all counts in a stockholder derivative suit related to Tesla, Inc.’s (“Tesla”) 2016 acquisition of SolarCity Corp. (“SolarCity”).
Deals & Cases
March 31, 2023
On Friday, March 24, a three‑judge panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled in favor of Cravath client Morgan Stanley, banks Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan and UBS, and EquiLend, a provider of electronic stock lending services.
Deals & Cases
May 02, 2022
On April 27, 2022, the Delaware Court of Chancery granted judgment in favor of Cravath client Elon Musk on all counts in a stockholder derivative suit regarding the 2016 acquisition of SolarCity Corp. (“SolarCity”) by Tesla, Inc. (“Tesla”). The Court of Chancery’s 131‑page opinion in favor of Mr. Musk followed a highly publicized 11‑day trial in July and August 2021, and post‑trial briefing and oral argument held in January 2022.
Deals & Cases
October 06, 2021
On October 1, 2021, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York dismissed consolidated antitrust suits brought by the parent company of an electronic stock‑loan trading platform, SL‑x IP S.á.r.l., and its subsidiaries, against Cravath client Morgan Stanley, banks Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan and UBS, and EquiLend, a provider of electronic stock lending services.
Deals & Cases
April 07, 2018
On March 26, 2018, Cravath client Akorn, Inc. (“Akorn”), a U.S.-based manufacturer and marketer of prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceutical products, reached a settlement in a civil action brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The complaint alleged financial reporting, books and records, and internal accounting controls violations in connection with Akorn’s accounting restatements for the fiscal year 2014. Akorn cooperated with the SEC and, pursuant to the settlement, did not admit or deny the SEC's allegations or pay any financial sanction.
Accolades
October 10, 2022
The 2023 edition of Benchmark Litigation named Cravath partners Evan R. Chesler, Daniel Slifkin, Gary A. Bornstein and Kevin J. Orsini to its list of the “Top 100 Trial Lawyers in America.” This is the ninth consecutive year in which Evan has been recognized, the third year in which Daniel and Kevin have been recognized and the second year in which Gary has been named to the list.
Accolades
May 09, 2022
On May 6, 2022, The Am Law Litigation Daily featured a Cravath team as “Litigators of the Week” for its successful defense of client Elon Musk in a stockholder derivative suit in the Delaware Court of Chancery related to Tesla’s 2016 acquisition of SolarCity, in which Plaintiffs sought $13 billion in damages. The publication noted that the Court’s decision in favor of Mr. Musk followed an 11‑day trial held in July and August 2021 and additional oral argument in January 2022, and in the Q&A feature, Cravath partners Evan R. Chesler, Daniel Slifkin and Vanessa A. Lavely spoke about the Firm’s introduction to the case; the collaborative approach of the team, which also included partner Helam Gebremariam; key themes that emerged over the course of the trial; as well as important takeaways from the decision, including as they relate to corporate governance.
Accolades
October 22, 2021
The 2022 edition of Benchmark Litigation ranked Cravath in the first tier nationally for antitrust, general commercial and securities litigation. This is the 15th consecutive year in which the Firm has received first‑tier recognition for general commercial and securities litigation since the publication launched, and the ninth consecutive year the Firm has been ranked in the top tier for antitrust. Cravath also ranked among leading firms in the nation in intellectual property and white collar crime/enforcement/investigations. Cravath has been a “Highly Recommended” firm (the highest tier) for New York litigation for the past 15 years, and the Firm was ranked for the second consecutive year as a national “Top 20 Trial Law Firm.”
Accolades
October 14, 2021
The 2022 edition of Benchmark Litigation named Cravath partners Evan R. Chesler, Daniel Slifkin, Gary A. Bornstein and Kevin J. Orsini to its list of the “Top 100 Trial Lawyers in America.” This is the eighth consecutive year in which Evan has been recognized, the second year in which Daniel and Kevin have been recognized and the first year in which Gary has been named to the list.
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