Labaton Sucharow Expands Securities Litigation Practice with Four New Attorneys in NY and DC

NEW YORK, June 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Labaton Sucharow LLP announced today that the Firm has expanded its Securities Litigation Practice by four, with partner Mark S. Willis, and of counsel Mark Bogen, James McGovern, and David J. Schwartz. The Firm’s continued growth comes on the heels of its recent expansion of its renowned Whistleblower Representation Practice, which gained three partners from prominent positions in the Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The new attorneys both deepen Labaton Sucharow’s bench of outstanding litigators in New York and also fortify the Firm’s foothold in its newly opened Washington, D.C. office.

With nearly three decades of experience, partner Mark S. Willis advises leading pension funds, investment managers, and other institutional investors from around the world on their legal remedies when impacted by securities fraud and corporate governance breaches. Focusing on domestic and international securities litigation, Willis will oversee the Firm’s global actions practice and also serve as an integral part of its Case Development Team. Over the years, he has assisted clients in many large U.S. actions, as well as investor actions brought in various overseas jurisdictions. For example, Willis led In re Converium Holding AG Securities Litigation, where he represented a Greek institution in a nearly four-year battle that eventually became the first U.S. class action settled on two continents—a $145 million transatlantic result, which was approved by a federal court in New York, and the rest by the Amsterdam Court of Appeal. He has also represented U.S. and overseas investors in corporate governance matters and currently represents clients from around the world in the BP action in Texas. Willis, Bogen, and McGovern join the Firm from the formerly named Spector Roseman Kodroff & Willis, P.C.

Of counsel Mark Bogen advises leading pension funds and other institutional investors on issues related to corporate fraud in domestic and international securities markets. His work focuses on securities, antitrust, and consumer class action litigation, representing Taft-Hartley and public pension funds across the country. Among his many efforts to protect his clients’ interests and maximize shareholder value, he recently helped bring claims against and secure a settlement with Abbott Laboratories’ directors, whereby the company agreed to implement sweeping corporate governance reforms, including an extensive compensation clawback provision going beyond the requirements under the Dodd-Frank Act.

James McGovern joins the Firm’s ranks as of counsel. He has spent nearly 15 years protecting his clients against corporate malfeasance, and he has worked on a number of large securities class action matters, including In re Worldcom, Inc. Securities Litigation, the second-largest securities class action settlement since the passage of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act; In re Parmalat Securities Litigation; and In re American Home Mortgage Securities Litigation, among others. He has represented pension funds and asset managers across the country and has addressed the members of several public pension associations. McGovern has expanded his practice in creative ways to ensure that his clients’ investments are fully protected. After the takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which caused tens of billions of dollars of shareholder losses, he brought a complex takings class action against the federal government for depriving Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac shareholders of their property interests in violation of the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Of counsel David J. Schwartz, a seasoned litigator with nearly a decade of experience, focuses on event-driven and special situation litigation, using legal strategies to enhance clients’ investment returns. His extensive experience includes prosecuting as well as defending against securities and corporate governance actions for an array of institutional clients, including pension funds, hedge funds, mutual funds, and asset management companies. He played a pivotal role against real estate service provider Altisource Portfolio Solutions, where he helped achieve a $32 million cash settlement. Schwartz has also done substantial work in mergers and acquisitions appraisal litigation, representing institutional clients in connection with the $8.9 billion merger of Towers Watson & Co. with Willis Group Holdings plc.; the $15 billion acquisition of Jarden Corporation by Newell Rubbermaid Inc.; the $13 billion acquisition of Columbia Pipeline Group, Inc. by TransCanada Corporation; and the $2.2 billion acquisition of Diamond Resorts by Apollo Global. Schwartz joins the Firm from Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann LLP.

About Labaton Sucharow LLP
Labaton Sucharow prosecutes precedent-setting class actions, recovering billions of dollars on behalf of defrauded investors and consumers. The Firm’s successful reputation is built not only on its team of more than 60 attorneys, but also on its industry-leading in-house investigators, financial analysts, and forensic accountants. The Firm litigates in the areas of securities, antitrust, corporate governance and shareholder rights, and consumer protection law, as well as whistleblower representation. Offices are located in New York, NY, Washington, D.C., Wilmington, DE, and Chicago, IL. For more information, follow us @LabatonSucharow or visit labaton.com. 

Contact:
                    Ivette Delgado
                    212-907-0634
                    idelgado@labaton.com