About Geoffrey G. Young

Geoffrey Young is a seasoned litigator who offers skilled representation in a broad range of matters, providing strategic counseling and robust advocacy to protect his clients' interests. Geoff's experience covers complex commercial disputes, with a focus on disputes in the life sciences, financial services, and media and entertainment sectors. Geoff's experience includes litigating disputes related to pharmaceutical drugs and clinical trials, consumer class actions, financing agreements, media broadcasting services, technology services, and biometric-related regulations. He also has extensive experience prosecuting and defending intellectual property disputes, including copyright and trademark infringement.

A practice that reaches a variety of clients

Geoff has substantial experience in several state and federal courts across the country, as well as in domestic and international arbitrations. He has represented clients in a wide variety of industries that includes aviation, biotech, financial services and investment, mass media, oil and gas, public relations and communications, and transportation. High-net-worth individuals and public figures, including some in the entertainment industry, have also relied on him to resolve disputes inside and outside the courtroom. Geoff has also demonstrated a strong dedication to pro bono service and devoted considerable time to various matters, including capital punishment cases.

Having navigated cases through multiple jurisdictions, including New York state and federal courts, Geoff understands how to steer cases through varying court procedures and systems. He has counseled clients and managed disputes through pre-litigation and all phases of the litigation process, and has initiated and defended numerous actions seeking various forms of emergency relief. He has also handled domestic and international arbitrations subject to different rules, including those of JAMS, the American Arbitration Association (AAA), the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

Geoff is committed to advancing initiatives in the diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) space. Prior to joining Katten, he worked for a global law firm where he served in several DE&I leadership positions, including a role in which he guided the firm's strategy for recruiting diverse attorneys at all levels. Geoff has also held several DE&I leadership roles in the legal community.

Geoff served as a law clerk to the Honorable Sandra L. Townes of the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York. While in law school, he was a notes editor for the Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy and an editor for Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute.

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Practice Focus

  • Complex commercial litigation
  • Financial services litigation
  • Media and entertainment litigation
  • Trademark infringement and unfair competition
  • Class actions and multidistrict litigation
  • Arbitration proceedings
  • Biometric litigation

Representative Experience

  • Defend a global life sciences company against contract and tort claims arising from a clinical trial study.
  • Represented an affiliate of a global technology company in prosecution of an action seeking to collect on a defaulted loan provided to oil and gas affiliates of a Latin American country. Succeeded at trial, obtaining a judgment in excess of $166 million. *
  • Represented major New York City commuter transportation entities in connection with a significant fire that impacted the transit lines. *
  • Defended a global oil and gas company in actions brought by property owners seeking damages arising from alleged environmental contamination and remediation. *
  • Represented a global manufacturer and distributor of personal aircrafts in multiple lawsuits. Successfully defended the client against a variety of claims, including wrongful death claims. *
  • Represented a global technology/information management company and several of its customers in a complex insurance case against an insurance company that involved contract and tort claims, obtaining a successful outcome for the clients. *
  • Represented a global footwear company in a successful lawsuit alleging contract and tort claims against a third-party logistics company. *
  • Represented a cell phone manufacturer in a consumer class action and successfully defended against claims alleging deceptive business practices. *
  • Represented a musical artist in a copyright infringement action and successfully defended against allegations from the purported creator of a “hit” song. *
  • Represented a biotech company in an AAA arbitration proceeding involving a licensing dispute linked to a clinical manufacturing agreement and obtained a favorable resolution for the client. *
  • Represented a manufacturer of aircraft engine bearings in wrongful death litigation and successfully defended against manufacturing defect claims. *
  • Represented a financial services company in a summary proceeding brought by a state attorney general seeking damages for allegedly deceptive business practices. *
* Experience prior to Katten

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Practices
Industries
Education
  • Cornell Law School, JD
  • University of Kentucky, BA, magna cum laude
Bar Admissions
  • New York
Court Admissions
  • US District Court, Eastern District of New York
  • US District Court, Southern District of New York
  • US District Court, Northern District of New York
  • US District Court, Western District of New York
  • US Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
Community Involvements
  • American Lawyer's Young Lawyer Editorial Board
  • Cornell Law School's Alumni Association, Executive Board of Directors
  • Cornell Law School's DE&I Alumni Leadership Council
  • Cornell Mosaic
Recognitions
Recognized or listed in the following:
  • Minority Corporate Counsel Association
    Equity Track Program, Inaugural Class
  • National Bar Association
    40 Under 40 Nation's Best Advocates, 2019
  • Super Lawyers Rising Stars
    New York Metro, 2017–2021
  • The National Black Lawyers
    Top 100, 2020–2023
Award Methodologies