Four Decades for Justice
Vanessa Lavely handles a wide variety of litigation cases, including antitrust, intellectual property, environmental, general commercial and securities matters. Her clients have included Atlas Air, Boehringer Ingelheim, Colgate‑Palmolive, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, NCR, Qualcomm and the Board of Directors of Tesla. Ms. Lavely has significant trial experience in federal and state court.
Ms. Lavely’s notable matters include:
-
Representing Tesla, Inc. CEO and board member Elon Musk and other current and former members of the Tesla Board of Directors in separate litigation matters filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery concerning Mr. Musk’s compensation package and the Board’s compensation.
-
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. Ms. Lavely continues to represent Mr. Musk on appeal.
- Representing Boehringer Ingelheim pharmaceutical group subsidiaries in connection with various proceedings relating to the antacid drug Zantac. She also represented Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in its expedited appeal to the Third Circuit from a preliminary injunction in litigation brought by GlaxoSmithKline concerning Boehringer’s marketing of its COPD inhaler, Respimat. The matter settled after Cravath filed the opening brief on appeal on behalf of Boehringer.
- Represented Qualcomm in several matters relating to the company’s patent licensing and chipset businesses, including an action filed by Apple in California federal court. Following opening statements at trial, the parties reached a global settlement that includes a payment from Apple to Qualcomm; the companies also reached a six‑year license agreement and a multi-year chipset supply agreement.
- Represented Colgate‑Palmolive in product liability lawsuits filed around the country concerning the company’s talcum powder products. Ms. Lavely has tried three cases for Colgate; one resulted in a unanimous verdict in Colgate’s favor after a three‑month jury trial, and the other two reached favorable settlements during trial.
- Represented NCR in several Superfund environmental actions relating to the remediation of Wisconsin’s Fox River and Michigan’s Kalamazoo River. Ms. Lavely has tried three cases for NCR in federal court in Wisconsin and Michigan. She also represented NCR in an appeal to the Seventh Circuit that resulted in a reversal of the district court’s summary judgment decision.
- Represented Minerals Technologies in an action brought by the bankruptcy estate of Novinda Corporation, alleging fraud, breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract. A three-week arbitration hearing was held in October 2019.
- Represented Morgan Stanley in a consolidated antitrust class action lawsuit alleging a conspiracy to restrain competition in connection with the trading of credit default swaps.
- Represented JPMorgan Chase and related entities (including Bear Stearns and Washington Mutual) in numerous residential mortgage‑backed securities actions filed across the country asserting claims for, among other things, alleged violations of federal and state securities laws, common law fraud and negligent misrepresentations.
- Represented Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings in connection with a dispute arising out of a purchase agreement for certain Boeing aircraft, securing a settlement on terms favorable to Atlas Air.
Ms. Lavely also devotes substantial time to pro bono service. She works extensively with Her Justice (f/k/a inMotion), a group that helps disadvantaged women find pro bono legal representation for a variety of family law matters, including child support and domestic violence cases.
Ms. Lavely is Co‑Chair of the Board of Advisors for UCLA School of Law and a member of the Board of Trustees for Deerfield Academy. She is also a member of the women’s network Chief.
Ms. Lavely is a fellow of the American Bar Foundation. She has been named to Business Insider’s list of “Rising Stars of the Courtroom” and included in Crain’s New York Business’s list of “Notable Women in Law.” The Am Law Litigation Daily has recognized Ms. Lavely as “Litigator of the Week” for her role in securing a trial win for Tesla, Inc. CEO and board member Elon Musk in a $13 billion stockholder derivative action related to Tesla’s acquisition of SolarCity Corporation. Ms. Lavely has also been named by Benchmark Litigation as a “Future Star” and included on its “40 & Under List.” She has also been named to Lawdragon’s “500 Leading Litigators in America” list. She was also recognized by The Legal 500 US for her work in antitrust, general commercial and patent litigation, and recommended by Best Lawyers in America for her work in commercial litigation.
Ms. Lavely received an A.B. degree magna cum laude from Harvard College in 2004, where she was captain of the Women’s Lacrosse Team and was awarded Academic All‑Ivy League. She received a J.D. from UCLA School of Law in 2008, where she served as the Editor‑in‑Chief of the Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif. After graduation, she served as a law clerk to Hon. Kim McLane Wardlaw of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Ms. Lavely joined Cravath in 2010 and was elected a partner in 2017. She serves as the partner in charge of data analytics and e‑discovery.
Ms. Lavely’s notable matters include:
-
Representing Tesla, Inc. CEO and board member Elon Musk and other current and former members of the Tesla Board of Directors in separate litigation matters filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery concerning Mr. Musk’s compensation package and the Board’s compensation.
-
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. Ms. Lavely continues to represent Mr. Musk on appeal.
- Representing Boehringer Ingelheim pharmaceutical group subsidiaries in connection with various proceedings relating to the antacid drug Zantac. She also represented Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in its expedited appeal to the Third Circuit from a preliminary injunction in litigation brought by GlaxoSmithKline concerning Boehringer’s marketing of its COPD inhaler, Respimat. The matter settled after Cravath filed the opening brief on appeal on behalf of Boehringer.
- Represented Qualcomm in several matters relating to the company’s patent licensing and chipset businesses, including an action filed by Apple in California federal court. Following opening statements at trial, the parties reached a global settlement that includes a payment from Apple to Qualcomm; the companies also reached a six‑year license agreement and a multi-year chipset supply agreement.
- Represented Colgate‑Palmolive in product liability lawsuits filed around the country concerning the company’s talcum powder products. Ms. Lavely has tried three cases for Colgate; one resulted in a unanimous verdict in Colgate’s favor after a three‑month jury trial, and the other two reached favorable settlements during trial.
- Represented NCR in several Superfund environmental actions relating to the remediation of Wisconsin’s Fox River and Michigan’s Kalamazoo River. Ms. Lavely has tried three cases for NCR in federal court in Wisconsin and Michigan. She also represented NCR in an appeal to the Seventh Circuit that resulted in a reversal of the district court’s summary judgment decision.
- Represented Minerals Technologies in an action brought by the bankruptcy estate of Novinda Corporation, alleging fraud, breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract. A three-week arbitration hearing was held in October 2019.
- Represented Morgan Stanley in a consolidated antitrust class action lawsuit alleging a conspiracy to restrain competition in connection with the trading of credit default swaps.
- Represented JPMorgan Chase and related entities (including Bear Stearns and Washington Mutual) in numerous residential mortgage‑backed securities actions filed across the country asserting claims for, among other things, alleged violations of federal and state securities laws, common law fraud and negligent misrepresentations.
- Represented Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings in connection with a dispute arising out of a purchase agreement for certain Boeing aircraft, securing a settlement on terms favorable to Atlas Air.
Ms. Lavely also devotes substantial time to pro bono service. She works extensively with Her Justice (f/k/a inMotion), a group that helps disadvantaged women find pro bono legal representation for a variety of family law matters, including child support and domestic violence cases.
Ms. Lavely is Co‑Chair of the Board of Advisors for UCLA School of Law and a member of the Board of Trustees for Deerfield Academy. She is also a member of the women’s network Chief.
Ms. Lavely is a fellow of the American Bar Foundation. She has been named to Business Insider’s list of “Rising Stars of the Courtroom” and included in Crain’s New York Business’s list of “Notable Women in Law.” The Am Law Litigation Daily has recognized Ms. Lavely as “Litigator of the Week” for her role in securing a trial win for Tesla, Inc. CEO and board member Elon Musk in a $13 billion stockholder derivative action related to Tesla’s acquisition of SolarCity Corporation. Ms. Lavely has also been named by Benchmark Litigation as a “Future Star” and included on its “40 & Under List.” She has also been named to Lawdragon’s “500 Leading Litigators in America” list. She was also recognized by The Legal 500 US for her work in antitrust, general commercial and patent litigation, and recommended by Best Lawyers in America for her work in commercial litigation.
Ms. Lavely received an A.B. degree magna cum laude from Harvard College in 2004, where she was captain of the Women’s Lacrosse Team and was awarded Academic All‑Ivy League. She received a J.D. from UCLA School of Law in 2008, where she served as the Editor‑in‑Chief of the Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif. After graduation, she served as a law clerk to Hon. Kim McLane Wardlaw of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Ms. Lavely joined Cravath in 2010 and was elected a partner in 2017. She serves as the partner in charge of data analytics and e‑discovery.
Education
-
J.D., 2008, UCLA School of LawOrder of the Coif
-
A.B., 2004, Harvard Collegemagna cum laude
Clerkships
- Hon. Kim M. Wardlaw, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Admitted Only In
- New York
Professional Affiliations
American Bar Foundation
- Fellow
Organizations
Law360
- Member, Editorial Advisory Board - Trials (2021)
Rankings
Benchmark Litigation
- Future Star (2023-2019)
- 40 & Under List (2022-2019)
Best Lawyers in America
- Commercial Litigation (2023)
Business Insider
- Rising Stars of the Courtroom (2022)
Crain’s New York Business
- Notable Women in Law (2022)
Lawdragon
- 500 Leading Litigators in America (2022)
The Legal 500 US
- Antitrust (2019)
- General Commercial (2022, 2020, 2019)
- Patent Litigation: Full (2019)
Deals & Cases
May 02, 2022
Tesla CEO Elon Musk Wins $13 Billion Delaware Chancery Suit Over Tesla’s SolarCity Deal
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
July 11, 2012
NCR Wins Trial on Arranger Liability under Superfund Statute
On July 3, 2012, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin ruled that Cravath client NCR Corporation was not liable as an “arranger” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), commonly known as the “Superfund Statute.” Based on testimony and evidence presented during a seven-day bench trial in February 2012, Judge William Griesbach decided that NCR and facilities previously owned by NCR had not “arranged” for the disposal of hazardous waste into the Fox River in Wisconsin through the sale of PCB-containing paper scrap that resulted from the manufacturing of carbonless copy paper. This ruling saves NCR from approximately $100 million in liability to other corporations for the remediation of the Fox River and may have important implications in other actions, including a pending lawsuit brought by corporations seeking reimbursement for remediation of the Kalamazoo River in Michigan.
Accolades
July 27, 2022
Benchmark Litigation Names 10 Partners to its 2022 “40 & Under List”
Cravath partners Margaret T. Segall, Vanessa A. Lavely, Lauren R. Kennedy, Michael P. Addis, Justin C. Clarke, Sharonmoyee Goswami, Lauren M. Rosenberg, Helam Gebremariam, David H. Korn and Brittany L. Sukiennik were named by Benchmark Litigation to its 2022 “40 & Under List.” The list honors the achievements of the nation’s most accomplished litigators of 40 years old and under who have worked on high stakes and precedent setting cases. The list was compiled through a process involving peer and client review, along with examination of individual cases.
Accolades
June 27, 2022
Vanessa Lavely Named a 2022 “Rising Star of the Courtroom” by Business Insider
Cravath partner Vanessa A. Lavely was named to Business Insider’s 2022 list of “Rising Stars of the Courtroom,” which was published on June 21, 2022. The feature recognizes “the next crop of great litigators” who are “driven by the thrill of a live courtroom and a sense of mission to help clients get their day in court.” Business Insider noted Vanessa’s successful representation of clients including Tesla, Qualcomm, Minerals Technologies Inc. and Colgate‑Palmolive, on a wide range of litigation matters, noting she “has worked on big cases but also had big roles in ones that have gone under the radar.” Cravath partner Evan Chesler spoke to Insider about impressive client feedback on Vanessa’s performance as a junior associate, which led to her being handed early responsibility for witness examination in a pivotal trial for client NCR.
Accolades
May 09, 2022
Cravath Team Named “Litigators of the Week” by The Am Law Litigation Daily for Successful Defense of Elon Musk in $13 Billion Delaware Chancery Suit
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
January 03, 2022
Cravath Partner Featured by Crain’s as 2022 “Notable Women in Law”
Cravath partner Vanessa A. Lavely was named to Crain’s New York Business’ 2022 list of “Notable Women in Law,” which was published on December 20, 2021. The feature honors lawyers for their “professional achievements and pro bono work or involvement with industry and community organizations.”
Accolades
July 21, 2021
Benchmark Litigation Names Eight Partners to its 2021 “40 & Under Hot List”
Cravath partners Omid H. Nasab, Margaret T. Segall, Rory A. Leraris, Vanessa A. Lavely, Lauren R. Kennedy, Michael P. Addis, Justin C. Clarke and Sharonmoyee Goswami were named by Benchmark Litigation to its 2021 “40 & Under Hot List.” The list honors the achievements of the nation’s most accomplished litigation partners of 40 years old and under who have worked on high‑stakes and precedent‑setting cases. The list was compiled through a process involving peer and client review, along with examination of individual cases.
Vanessa Lavely handles a wide variety of litigation cases, including antitrust, intellectual property, environmental, general commercial and securities matters. Her clients have included Atlas Air, Boehringer Ingelheim, Colgate‑Palmolive, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, NCR, Qualcomm and the Board of Directors of Tesla. Ms. Lavely has significant trial experience in federal and state court.
Ms. Lavely’s notable matters include:
-
Representing Tesla, Inc. CEO and board member Elon Musk and other current and former members of the Tesla Board of Directors in separate litigation matters filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery concerning Mr. Musk’s compensation package and the Board’s compensation.
-
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. Ms. Lavely continues to represent Mr. Musk on appeal.
- Representing Boehringer Ingelheim pharmaceutical group subsidiaries in connection with various proceedings relating to the antacid drug Zantac. She also represented Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in its expedited appeal to the Third Circuit from a preliminary injunction in litigation brought by GlaxoSmithKline concerning Boehringer’s marketing of its COPD inhaler, Respimat. The matter settled after Cravath filed the opening brief on appeal on behalf of Boehringer.
- Represented Qualcomm in several matters relating to the company’s patent licensing and chipset businesses, including an action filed by Apple in California federal court. Following opening statements at trial, the parties reached a global settlement that includes a payment from Apple to Qualcomm; the companies also reached a six‑year license agreement and a multi-year chipset supply agreement.
- Represented Colgate‑Palmolive in product liability lawsuits filed around the country concerning the company’s talcum powder products. Ms. Lavely has tried three cases for Colgate; one resulted in a unanimous verdict in Colgate’s favor after a three‑month jury trial, and the other two reached favorable settlements during trial.
- Represented NCR in several Superfund environmental actions relating to the remediation of Wisconsin’s Fox River and Michigan’s Kalamazoo River. Ms. Lavely has tried three cases for NCR in federal court in Wisconsin and Michigan. She also represented NCR in an appeal to the Seventh Circuit that resulted in a reversal of the district court’s summary judgment decision.
- Represented Minerals Technologies in an action brought by the bankruptcy estate of Novinda Corporation, alleging fraud, breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract. A three-week arbitration hearing was held in October 2019.
- Represented Morgan Stanley in a consolidated antitrust class action lawsuit alleging a conspiracy to restrain competition in connection with the trading of credit default swaps.
- Represented JPMorgan Chase and related entities (including Bear Stearns and Washington Mutual) in numerous residential mortgage‑backed securities actions filed across the country asserting claims for, among other things, alleged violations of federal and state securities laws, common law fraud and negligent misrepresentations.
- Represented Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings in connection with a dispute arising out of a purchase agreement for certain Boeing aircraft, securing a settlement on terms favorable to Atlas Air.
Ms. Lavely also devotes substantial time to pro bono service. She works extensively with Her Justice (f/k/a inMotion), a group that helps disadvantaged women find pro bono legal representation for a variety of family law matters, including child support and domestic violence cases.
Ms. Lavely is Co‑Chair of the Board of Advisors for UCLA School of Law and a member of the Board of Trustees for Deerfield Academy. She is also a member of the women’s network Chief.
Ms. Lavely is a fellow of the American Bar Foundation. She has been named to Business Insider’s list of “Rising Stars of the Courtroom” and included in Crain’s New York Business’s list of “Notable Women in Law.” The Am Law Litigation Daily has recognized Ms. Lavely as “Litigator of the Week” for her role in securing a trial win for Tesla, Inc. CEO and board member Elon Musk in a $13 billion stockholder derivative action related to Tesla’s acquisition of SolarCity Corporation. Ms. Lavely has also been named by Benchmark Litigation as a “Future Star” and included on its “40 & Under List.” She has also been named to Lawdragon’s “500 Leading Litigators in America” list. She was also recognized by The Legal 500 US for her work in antitrust, general commercial and patent litigation, and recommended by Best Lawyers in America for her work in commercial litigation.
Ms. Lavely received an A.B. degree magna cum laude from Harvard College in 2004, where she was captain of the Women’s Lacrosse Team and was awarded Academic All‑Ivy League. She received a J.D. from UCLA School of Law in 2008, where she served as the Editor‑in‑Chief of the Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif. After graduation, she served as a law clerk to Hon. Kim McLane Wardlaw of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Ms. Lavely joined Cravath in 2010 and was elected a partner in 2017. She serves as the partner in charge of data analytics and e‑discovery.
Ms. Lavely’s notable matters include:
-
Representing Tesla, Inc. CEO and board member Elon Musk and other current and former members of the Tesla Board of Directors in separate litigation matters filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery concerning Mr. Musk’s compensation package and the Board’s compensation.
-
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. Ms. Lavely continues to represent Mr. Musk on appeal.
- Representing Boehringer Ingelheim pharmaceutical group subsidiaries in connection with various proceedings relating to the antacid drug Zantac. She also represented Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in its expedited appeal to the Third Circuit from a preliminary injunction in litigation brought by GlaxoSmithKline concerning Boehringer’s marketing of its COPD inhaler, Respimat. The matter settled after Cravath filed the opening brief on appeal on behalf of Boehringer.
- Represented Qualcomm in several matters relating to the company’s patent licensing and chipset businesses, including an action filed by Apple in California federal court. Following opening statements at trial, the parties reached a global settlement that includes a payment from Apple to Qualcomm; the companies also reached a six‑year license agreement and a multi-year chipset supply agreement.
- Represented Colgate‑Palmolive in product liability lawsuits filed around the country concerning the company’s talcum powder products. Ms. Lavely has tried three cases for Colgate; one resulted in a unanimous verdict in Colgate’s favor after a three‑month jury trial, and the other two reached favorable settlements during trial.
- Represented NCR in several Superfund environmental actions relating to the remediation of Wisconsin’s Fox River and Michigan’s Kalamazoo River. Ms. Lavely has tried three cases for NCR in federal court in Wisconsin and Michigan. She also represented NCR in an appeal to the Seventh Circuit that resulted in a reversal of the district court’s summary judgment decision.
- Represented Minerals Technologies in an action brought by the bankruptcy estate of Novinda Corporation, alleging fraud, breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract. A three-week arbitration hearing was held in October 2019.
- Represented Morgan Stanley in a consolidated antitrust class action lawsuit alleging a conspiracy to restrain competition in connection with the trading of credit default swaps.
- Represented JPMorgan Chase and related entities (including Bear Stearns and Washington Mutual) in numerous residential mortgage‑backed securities actions filed across the country asserting claims for, among other things, alleged violations of federal and state securities laws, common law fraud and negligent misrepresentations.
- Represented Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings in connection with a dispute arising out of a purchase agreement for certain Boeing aircraft, securing a settlement on terms favorable to Atlas Air.
Ms. Lavely also devotes substantial time to pro bono service. She works extensively with Her Justice (f/k/a inMotion), a group that helps disadvantaged women find pro bono legal representation for a variety of family law matters, including child support and domestic violence cases.
Ms. Lavely is Co‑Chair of the Board of Advisors for UCLA School of Law and a member of the Board of Trustees for Deerfield Academy. She is also a member of the women’s network Chief.
Ms. Lavely is a fellow of the American Bar Foundation. She has been named to Business Insider’s list of “Rising Stars of the Courtroom” and included in Crain’s New York Business’s list of “Notable Women in Law.” The Am Law Litigation Daily has recognized Ms. Lavely as “Litigator of the Week” for her role in securing a trial win for Tesla, Inc. CEO and board member Elon Musk in a $13 billion stockholder derivative action related to Tesla’s acquisition of SolarCity Corporation. Ms. Lavely has also been named by Benchmark Litigation as a “Future Star” and included on its “40 & Under List.” She has also been named to Lawdragon’s “500 Leading Litigators in America” list. She was also recognized by The Legal 500 US for her work in antitrust, general commercial and patent litigation, and recommended by Best Lawyers in America for her work in commercial litigation.
Ms. Lavely received an A.B. degree magna cum laude from Harvard College in 2004, where she was captain of the Women’s Lacrosse Team and was awarded Academic All‑Ivy League. She received a J.D. from UCLA School of Law in 2008, where she served as the Editor‑in‑Chief of the Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif. After graduation, she served as a law clerk to Hon. Kim McLane Wardlaw of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Ms. Lavely joined Cravath in 2010 and was elected a partner in 2017. She serves as the partner in charge of data analytics and e‑discovery.
Education
-
J.D., 2008, UCLA School of LawOrder of the Coif
-
A.B., 2004, Harvard Collegemagna cum laude
Clerkships
- Hon. Kim M. Wardlaw, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Admitted Only In
- New York
Professional Affiliations
American Bar Foundation
- Fellow
Organizations
Law360
- Member, Editorial Advisory Board - Trials (2021)
Rankings
Benchmark Litigation
- Future Star (2023-2019)
- 40 & Under List (2022-2019)
Best Lawyers in America
- Commercial Litigation (2023)
Business Insider
- Rising Stars of the Courtroom (2022)
Crain’s New York Business
- Notable Women in Law (2022)
Lawdragon
- 500 Leading Litigators in America (2022)
The Legal 500 US
- Antitrust (2019)
- General Commercial (2022, 2020, 2019)
- Patent Litigation: Full (2019)
Deals & Cases
May 02, 2022
Tesla CEO Elon Musk Wins $13 Billion Delaware Chancery Suit Over Tesla’s SolarCity Deal
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
July 11, 2012
NCR Wins Trial on Arranger Liability under Superfund Statute
On July 3, 2012, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin ruled that Cravath client NCR Corporation was not liable as an “arranger” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), commonly known as the “Superfund Statute.” Based on testimony and evidence presented during a seven-day bench trial in February 2012, Judge William Griesbach decided that NCR and facilities previously owned by NCR had not “arranged” for the disposal of hazardous waste into the Fox River in Wisconsin through the sale of PCB-containing paper scrap that resulted from the manufacturing of carbonless copy paper. This ruling saves NCR from approximately $100 million in liability to other corporations for the remediation of the Fox River and may have important implications in other actions, including a pending lawsuit brought by corporations seeking reimbursement for remediation of the Kalamazoo River in Michigan.
Accolades
July 27, 2022
Benchmark Litigation Names 10 Partners to its 2022 “40 & Under List”
Cravath partners Margaret T. Segall, Vanessa A. Lavely, Lauren R. Kennedy, Michael P. Addis, Justin C. Clarke, Sharonmoyee Goswami, Lauren M. Rosenberg, Helam Gebremariam, David H. Korn and Brittany L. Sukiennik were named by Benchmark Litigation to its 2022 “40 & Under List.” The list honors the achievements of the nation’s most accomplished litigators of 40 years old and under who have worked on high stakes and precedent setting cases. The list was compiled through a process involving peer and client review, along with examination of individual cases.
Accolades
June 27, 2022
Vanessa Lavely Named a 2022 “Rising Star of the Courtroom” by Business Insider
Cravath partner Vanessa A. Lavely was named to Business Insider’s 2022 list of “Rising Stars of the Courtroom,” which was published on June 21, 2022. The feature recognizes “the next crop of great litigators” who are “driven by the thrill of a live courtroom and a sense of mission to help clients get their day in court.” Business Insider noted Vanessa’s successful representation of clients including Tesla, Qualcomm, Minerals Technologies Inc. and Colgate‑Palmolive, on a wide range of litigation matters, noting she “has worked on big cases but also had big roles in ones that have gone under the radar.” Cravath partner Evan Chesler spoke to Insider about impressive client feedback on Vanessa’s performance as a junior associate, which led to her being handed early responsibility for witness examination in a pivotal trial for client NCR.
Accolades
May 09, 2022
Cravath Team Named “Litigators of the Week” by The Am Law Litigation Daily for Successful Defense of Elon Musk in $13 Billion Delaware Chancery Suit
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
January 03, 2022
Cravath Partner Featured by Crain’s as 2022 “Notable Women in Law”
Cravath partner Vanessa A. Lavely was named to Crain’s New York Business’ 2022 list of “Notable Women in Law,” which was published on December 20, 2021. The feature honors lawyers for their “professional achievements and pro bono work or involvement with industry and community organizations.”
Accolades
July 21, 2021
Benchmark Litigation Names Eight Partners to its 2021 “40 & Under Hot List”
Cravath partners Omid H. Nasab, Margaret T. Segall, Rory A. Leraris, Vanessa A. Lavely, Lauren R. Kennedy, Michael P. Addis, Justin C. Clarke and Sharonmoyee Goswami were named by Benchmark Litigation to its 2021 “40 & Under Hot List.” The list honors the achievements of the nation’s most accomplished litigation partners of 40 years old and under who have worked on high‑stakes and precedent‑setting cases. The list was compiled through a process involving peer and client review, along with examination of individual cases.
Cravath Bicentennial
Celebrating 200 years of partnership. In 2019, we celebrated our bicentennial. Our history mirrors that of our nation. Integral to our story is our culture.
Attorney Advertising. © 2022 Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP.