Four Decades for Justice
Cravath has a long and distinguished history representing clients involved in a wide variety of general commercial disputes. All of the Firm’s litigators are trained as generalists with the tools to tackle complex cases from every angle. As a result, our “standout bench of litigators” is able to devise novel solutions and speak across disciplines to convey complex information clearly and concisely to judges and juries. (Chambers USA)
We regularly represent clients in bringing and defending actions involving alleged breaches of contract and the ever-evolving category of business torts, such as fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, tortious interference with contract, tortious interference with prospective business relations, employee “raiding” claims and unfair competition claims. Frequently, such claims arise in the context of wider litigation, involving related claims under various antitrust, securities or intellectual property laws or the RICO or FCPA statutes.
Because Cravath’s litigators have experience across a broad range of practice areas, the same team can handle general commercial claims alongside claims in more specialized areas of the law, enabling us to identify and develop innovative arguments and to use smaller, more cost-effective teams. Together with members of the Cravath Corporate Department, Cravath’s litigators also advise corporate clients on how to structure business arrangements and practices in order to avoid litigation.
Cravath has repeatedly been recognized as “General Commercial Firm of the Year” by Benchmark Litigation and was named the publication’s 2021 “Trial Firm of the Year.” In 2021, we also were awarded “Law Firm of the Year” for Commercial Litigation by Best Lawyers Best Law Firms, and our team is consistently ranked in the top tier of Chambers USA and The Legal 500 US. In addition, Cravath was named New York Law Journal’s “Litigation Department of the Year” in 2022 and 2019 and its “Class Action Litigation Department of the Year” in 2021. Cravath also received Legalweek’s 2023 Leaders in Tech Law Award for “Litigation and E‑Discovery,” and has earned recognition from the Financial Times as both “Most Innovative Law Firm for Legal Expertise” and “Most Innovative for Dispute Resolution.”
Our team has earned repeated praise from clients and the market, including:
We regularly represent clients in bringing and defending actions involving alleged breaches of contract and the ever-evolving category of business torts, such as fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, tortious interference with contract, tortious interference with prospective business relations, employee “raiding” claims and unfair competition claims. Frequently, such claims arise in the context of wider litigation, involving related claims under various antitrust, securities or intellectual property laws or the RICO or FCPA statutes.
Because Cravath’s litigators have experience across a broad range of practice areas, the same team can handle general commercial claims alongside claims in more specialized areas of the law, enabling us to identify and develop innovative arguments and to use smaller, more cost-effective teams. Together with members of the Cravath Corporate Department, Cravath’s litigators also advise corporate clients on how to structure business arrangements and practices in order to avoid litigation.
Cravath has repeatedly been recognized as “General Commercial Firm of the Year” by Benchmark Litigation and was named the publication’s 2021 “Trial Firm of the Year.” In 2021, we also were awarded “Law Firm of the Year” for Commercial Litigation by Best Lawyers Best Law Firms, and our team is consistently ranked in the top tier of Chambers USA and The Legal 500 US. In addition, Cravath was named New York Law Journal’s “Litigation Department of the Year” in 2022 and 2019 and its “Class Action Litigation Department of the Year” in 2021. Cravath also received Legalweek’s 2023 Leaders in Tech Law Award for “Litigation and E‑Discovery,” and has earned recognition from the Financial Times as both “Most Innovative Law Firm for Legal Expertise” and “Most Innovative for Dispute Resolution.”
Our team has earned repeated praise from clients and the market, including:
Deals & Cases
January 24, 2024
On January 22, 2024, Forward Air Corporation (“Forward”) announced an agreement with Omni Logistics, LLC (“Omni”), a private company that is majority owned by Ridgemont Equity Partners and EVE Partners, LLC, to amend the terms of the existing merger agreement relating to their previously announced acquisition. This agreement ends the litigation between the parties, which will now be dismissed. Under the terms of the amended merger agreement, Omni shareholders will receive $20 million in cash, instead of the $150 million initially agreed, and 35% of Forward’s pro forma common equity (on a fully‑diluted, as‑converted basis), as compared to the 37.7% of Forward’s pro forma common equity (on a fully‑diluted, as‑converted basis) contemplated by the original agreement. Cravath is representing Forward in connection with the transaction and related litigation.
Deals & Cases
November 27, 2023
On November 20, 2023, the California Supreme Court held that Cravath client PG&E, the country’s largest utility, cannot be sued for losses incurred by customers during public safety power shutoffs that complied with the guidelines set forth by its regulator, the California Public Utilities Commission (“PUC”). In a unanimous decision, the Court held that such claims are barred because their adjudication would interfere with the PUC’s comprehensive supervision and regulation of safety shutoffs.
Deals & Cases
November 15, 2023
On November 13, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida denied plaintiffs’ motion to certify a class asserting market manipulation claims under the federal securities laws against Cravath clients Robinhood Markets, Inc., Robinhood Financial LLC and Robinhood Securities, LLC (together, “Robinhood”).
Deals & Cases
October 12, 2023
On October 10, 2023, following a full trial on the merits and an appeal to the Delaware Supreme Court, Cravath client The Williams Companies, Inc. (“Williams”) secured a victory resulting in a judgment of more than $600 million.
Deals & Cases
October 09, 2023
On September 22, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts ruled in favor of Cravath clients Abiomed, Inc. and Abiomed Europe GmbH (together, “Abiomed”), denying a motion to dismiss litigation brought by Abiomed against German defendants Enmodes GmbH and its CEO Tim Kaufmann.
Activities & Publications
February 07, 2024
On February 6, 2024, Cravath published the latest edition of its Quarterly Review, which examines the Q4 2023 M&A, activism and corporate governance landscape. The Review provides an overview of activity in those areas and discusses other fourth quarter highlights, including the FTC and DOJ’s finalized merger guidelines, recent Delaware cases and related jurisprudence, findings from the FTC and DOJ Antitrust Division’s Hart‑Scott‑Rodino Annual Report and recent rule adoptions related to corporate governance matters.
Accolades
December 07, 2023
On December 4, 2023, The American Lawyer profiled Cravath’s litigation department in connection with its recognition as a finalist for the publication’s biennial “Litigation Department of the Year” award. The feature, entitled “Busier Than Ever: How Cravath’s Litigation Team Has Grown Into an Industry Powerhouse,” noted that “Cravath’s litigators have consistently landed on some of the country’s most high‑profile cases with the most at stake” over the past two years and praised the department as “at the ready to handle any complex, pivotal case that comes its way.” Speaking to the publication, partner Kevin J. Orsini discussed the breadth of the Firm’s recent successes, including representing Tesla CEO Elon Musk at trial to defeat a $13 billion derivative suit concerning Tesla’s SolarCity acquisition; Illumina and Louis Dreyfus Company each in separate trial wins against the government in respective FTC and DOJ antitrust merger challenges; Starz in a precedent-setting Ninth Circuit win against MGM; and Blue Cross Blue Shield in securing a summary judgment victory within one of the largest class actions in the country. Kevin also discussed the Firm’s commitment to “collaboration and connectivity” in its partnership, as well as the department’s unique ability to “handle a wide range of subject matters” in an era of increasing specialization.
Accolades
December 04, 2023
On November 29, 2023, The Am Law Litigation Daily featured Cravath partner Omid H. Nasab as “Litigator of the Week” for his representation of client PG&E, the country’s largest utility, in a victory at the California Supreme Court. In a unanimous decision, the Court held that PG&E cannot be sued for losses incurred by customers during public safety power shutoffs that complied with the guidelines set forth by its regulator, the California Public Utilities Commission. Cravath also served as lead counsel for PG&E in related proceedings before the United States Bankruptcy Court, the United States District Court and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Accolades
November 29, 2023
On November 20, 2023, Cravath partner David R. Marriott was featured as a 2023 “Litigator of the Year” by The American Lawyer. The accompanying profile highlights his role in helping Illumina secure a trial win against the FTC before the commission’s own administrative law judge, which the publication notes as “a rare, if not unprecedented, instance of antitrust litigation involving primarily pre-commercial products,” as well as his trial victory for Louis Dreyfus Company defeating the DOJ’s attempt to block the company’s sale of Imperial Sugar to U.S. Sugar – “a rare agency loss in a horizontal merger case.” The profile also recognizes Dave’s representation of Viatris which earned a summary judgment victory in a securities class action, representing “one of the few resolutions of a federal securities fraud litigation at summary judgment entirely in favor of defendants.”
Activities & Publications
November 13, 2023
On November 9, 2023, Cravath published the latest edition of its Quarterly Review, which examines the Q3 2023 M&A, activism and corporate governance landscape. The Review provides an overview of activity in those areas and discusses other third quarter highlights, including the FTC and DOJ’s proposed changes to merger guidelines, recent Delaware cases and related jurisprudence, findings from CFIUS’s Annual Report and recent rule adoptions and proposals related to corporate governance matters.
Deals & Cases
January 24, 2024
On January 22, 2024, Forward Air Corporation (“Forward”) announced an agreement with Omni Logistics, LLC (“Omni”), a private company that is majority owned by Ridgemont Equity Partners and EVE Partners, LLC, to amend the terms of the existing merger agreement relating to their previously announced acquisition. This agreement ends the litigation between the parties, which will now be dismissed. Under the terms of the amended merger agreement, Omni shareholders will receive $20 million in cash, instead of the $150 million initially agreed, and 35% of Forward’s pro forma common equity (on a fully‑diluted, as‑converted basis), as compared to the 37.7% of Forward’s pro forma common equity (on a fully‑diluted, as‑converted basis) contemplated by the original agreement. Cravath is representing Forward in connection with the transaction and related litigation.
Deals & Cases
November 27, 2023
On November 20, 2023, the California Supreme Court held that Cravath client PG&E, the country’s largest utility, cannot be sued for losses incurred by customers during public safety power shutoffs that complied with the guidelines set forth by its regulator, the California Public Utilities Commission (“PUC”). In a unanimous decision, the Court held that such claims are barred because their adjudication would interfere with the PUC’s comprehensive supervision and regulation of safety shutoffs.
Deals & Cases
November 15, 2023
On November 13, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida denied plaintiffs’ motion to certify a class asserting market manipulation claims under the federal securities laws against Cravath clients Robinhood Markets, Inc., Robinhood Financial LLC and Robinhood Securities, LLC (together, “Robinhood”).
Deals & Cases
October 12, 2023
On October 10, 2023, following a full trial on the merits and an appeal to the Delaware Supreme Court, Cravath client The Williams Companies, Inc. (“Williams”) secured a victory resulting in a judgment of more than $600 million.
Deals & Cases
October 09, 2023
On September 22, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts ruled in favor of Cravath clients Abiomed, Inc. and Abiomed Europe GmbH (together, “Abiomed”), denying a motion to dismiss litigation brought by Abiomed against German defendants Enmodes GmbH and its CEO Tim Kaufmann.
Activities & Publications
February 07, 2024
On February 6, 2024, Cravath published the latest edition of its Quarterly Review, which examines the Q4 2023 M&A, activism and corporate governance landscape. The Review provides an overview of activity in those areas and discusses other fourth quarter highlights, including the FTC and DOJ’s finalized merger guidelines, recent Delaware cases and related jurisprudence, findings from the FTC and DOJ Antitrust Division’s Hart‑Scott‑Rodino Annual Report and recent rule adoptions related to corporate governance matters.
Accolades
December 07, 2023
On December 4, 2023, The American Lawyer profiled Cravath’s litigation department in connection with its recognition as a finalist for the publication’s biennial “Litigation Department of the Year” award. The feature, entitled “Busier Than Ever: How Cravath’s Litigation Team Has Grown Into an Industry Powerhouse,” noted that “Cravath’s litigators have consistently landed on some of the country’s most high‑profile cases with the most at stake” over the past two years and praised the department as “at the ready to handle any complex, pivotal case that comes its way.” Speaking to the publication, partner Kevin J. Orsini discussed the breadth of the Firm’s recent successes, including representing Tesla CEO Elon Musk at trial to defeat a $13 billion derivative suit concerning Tesla’s SolarCity acquisition; Illumina and Louis Dreyfus Company each in separate trial wins against the government in respective FTC and DOJ antitrust merger challenges; Starz in a precedent-setting Ninth Circuit win against MGM; and Blue Cross Blue Shield in securing a summary judgment victory within one of the largest class actions in the country. Kevin also discussed the Firm’s commitment to “collaboration and connectivity” in its partnership, as well as the department’s unique ability to “handle a wide range of subject matters” in an era of increasing specialization.
Accolades
December 04, 2023
On November 29, 2023, The Am Law Litigation Daily featured Cravath partner Omid H. Nasab as “Litigator of the Week” for his representation of client PG&E, the country’s largest utility, in a victory at the California Supreme Court. In a unanimous decision, the Court held that PG&E cannot be sued for losses incurred by customers during public safety power shutoffs that complied with the guidelines set forth by its regulator, the California Public Utilities Commission. Cravath also served as lead counsel for PG&E in related proceedings before the United States Bankruptcy Court, the United States District Court and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Accolades
November 29, 2023
On November 20, 2023, Cravath partner David R. Marriott was featured as a 2023 “Litigator of the Year” by The American Lawyer. The accompanying profile highlights his role in helping Illumina secure a trial win against the FTC before the commission’s own administrative law judge, which the publication notes as “a rare, if not unprecedented, instance of antitrust litigation involving primarily pre-commercial products,” as well as his trial victory for Louis Dreyfus Company defeating the DOJ’s attempt to block the company’s sale of Imperial Sugar to U.S. Sugar – “a rare agency loss in a horizontal merger case.” The profile also recognizes Dave’s representation of Viatris which earned a summary judgment victory in a securities class action, representing “one of the few resolutions of a federal securities fraud litigation at summary judgment entirely in favor of defendants.”
Activities & Publications
November 13, 2023
On November 9, 2023, Cravath published the latest edition of its Quarterly Review, which examines the Q3 2023 M&A, activism and corporate governance landscape. The Review provides an overview of activity in those areas and discusses other third quarter highlights, including the FTC and DOJ’s proposed changes to merger guidelines, recent Delaware cases and related jurisprudence, findings from CFIUS’s Annual Report and recent rule adoptions and proposals related to corporate governance matters.
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