General Commercial Disputes

On March 20, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York granted summary judgment in favor of Cravath client Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd. (“KOM”), dismissing an action alleging claims for fraud, aiding and abetting fraud and conspiracy. Plaintiffs, a set of energy and investment funds managed by EIG Management Company, LLC (collectively, “EIG”) claimed that KOM failed to disclose that it was engaged in a bribery scheme with Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (“Petrobras”), the Brazilian oil company, and with a company under Petrobras’s control, Sete Brasil Participações, S.A. (“Sete”). According to EIG, this failure to disclose caused EIG to invest over $220 million in Sete, defrauding EIG.

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.

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.

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”).

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.

Cravath partners Gary A. Bornstein and Kevin J. Orsini were named to Crain’s New York Business’s list of “Notable Litigators and Trial Attorneys,” published on March 24, 2025. The list honors “a talented cohort” of litigators and trial attorneys who are “shaping precedent and advocating for their clients across industries and issues.”

On February 25, 2025, Cravath was featured by Law360 as a “Securities Practice Group of the Year.” The profile highlighted the Firm’s “reputation as one of the top law firms that companies rely on for representation when faced with derivative lawsuits, investor class actions and other securities‑related litigation,” and recognized in particular the Firm’s representation of Robinhood in the sprawling “Meme Stock” litigation; Forward Air in its amended agreement to acquire Omni Logistics, resolving previously announced litigation; Root in its Sixth Circuit win affirming the dismissal of a putative securities class action; and Mylan in its appellate win affirming summary judgment in a securities class action.

On February 20, 2025, Cravath was featured by Law360 as a “Competition Practice Group of the Year.” The profile highlighted the Firm’s representations across litigation and antitrust clearance, including a “trailblazing antitrust verdict” for Epic Games in its trial victory against Google and the Firm’s successful antitrust guidance of Cisco Systems in its $28 billion acquisition of Splunk and of Aon PLC in its $13 billion acquisition of NFP. The profile also recognized Cravath’s successful defense of Robinhood Markets Inc. in antitrust claims before the Eleventh Circuit and victories for Meta in putative class action and individual antitrust litigation resulting in the dismissal of all claims.

On February 13, 2025, Cravath was featured by Law360 as an “Energy Practice Group of the Year.” The profile highlighted the Firm’s “groundbreaking legal wins” for prominent companies in the energy sector, including its representation of The Williams Companies, Inc. in its Delaware Supreme Court victory affirming a trial win with $600 million judgment and PG&E in a victory before the California Supreme Court shielding the company from liability for public safety power shutoffs. The profile also recognized Cravath’s consistent work on multibillion‑dollar M&A and project finance deals across the sector, including the Firm’s representation of Brookfield Renewable in its and Cameco’s $7.875 billion acquisition of Westinghouse and its $2.8 billion acquisition of Duke Energy Renewables.

On January 30, 2025, Cravath was featured by Law360 as a “Media & Entertainment Practice Group of the Year.” The article highlights the Firm’s work across its Corporate and Litigation departments representing clients in the industry, including Disney in litigation stemming from its 2018 acquisition of Twenty‑First Century Fox, Inc., in which Cravath had also represented the company, and the Paramount Special Committee in connection with Paramount’s $28 billion merger agreement with Skydance.