(NEW YORK) Katten announced today that a team of four prominent litigators — Eliot Lauer, Jacques Semmelman, Gabe Hertzberg and Julia Mosse — have joined Katten's New York office as partners in the Commercial Litigation practice, further growing the firm's East Coast presence.
"This is an accomplished team that brings a wealth of courtroom experience, spanning decades, which benefits our clients who seek our counsel in helping protect their business needs," said David Crichlow, chair of Katten's Commercial Litigation practice. "Their broad array of knowledge in civil, criminal, regulatory and investigative matters further enhances Katten's capabilities in handling complex proceedings strategically and efficiently."
Eliot Lauer has tried civil and criminal cases in the federal district and state courts involving mail and wire fraud, tax fraud, false statements to state and federal agencies, commodities fraud, transactions in government securities and commodity futures, market manipulation, accountants' and other professionals' liability, false advertising, contract and agency disputes involving real estate, product liability, and other commercial transactions. He is an accomplished appellate advocate who has argued appeals in multiple federal and state courts.
Lauer has managed a variety of bankruptcy-related litigation matters, as well as represented clients in investigations and proceedings conducted by the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), state attorneys general, state accountancy boards and other agencies. Specifically, he routinely evaluates and defends fraud, negligence and statutory claims, including in class actions, against corporate issuers, directors and accountants in matters relating to audits and presentation of financial statements and related corporate disclosures. For many years, he served as an active member of the arbitration panels of the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and several industry bodies. He has represented clients in multiple commercial arbitrations in the United States and various foreign jurisdictions.
Jacques Semmelman, a former assistant US attorney in the Eastern District of New York and a Harvard PhD, leverages his mathematical and scientific background in handling litigation involving complex quantitative, econometric, scientific and engineering issues. He has served as lead counsel in dozens of trials, arbitrations and appellate oral arguments. He also defends clients in government investigations and enforcement proceedings.
Semmelman's civil and criminal practice is wide-ranging, and includes significant matters involving antitrust, product liability, contracts, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, shareholder derivative and class action litigation, commodities, securities, commercial and governmental bribery, trademark, patent, computer hacking, and money laundering. He has particular experience handling the multi-faceted needs of pharmaceutical clients. He also is recognized as a leading attorney in the area of international extradition. He regularly advises clients on Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) compliance and on regulations issued by the US Department of the Treasury (OFAC) and the US Department of Commerce (BIS), and conducts internal investigations involving suspected violations of OFAC sanctions, the FCPA and other anti-bribery laws, and anti-money laundering laws.
Gabe Hertzberg is an experienced commercial litigator in high demand with investment advisors, entrepreneurs, corporate executives and foreign businesses drawn into US disputes. He focuses on partnership disputes under Delaware and New York law, debtor-creditor litigation and fiduciary matters involving claims of fraud and other business torts. Hertzberg appears frequently in federal and state courts throughout the country, and has considerable arbitration experience in matters before JAMS and AAA, and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).
Hertzberg counsels clients in matters involving enforcement of judgments in the United States, with deep experience in the area of recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards in US courts. In addition to his commercial disputes practice, he has considerable experience representing subjects and targets in government and regulatory investigations by DOJ, SEC, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), and state attorneys general.
Julia Mosse represents clients in a broad range of complex commercial disputes, including matters involving commercial contracts, financial services, energy, securities, commodities, bankruptcy, fraud and breach of fiduciary duty. Mosse appears regularly in federal and state courts throughout the country at both the trial and appellate levels and has significant experience representing clients in domestic and international commercial arbitrations.
In addition to her courtroom experience, Mosse also represents clients in internal investigations as well as investigations and proceedings conducted by the SEC, CFTC, DOJ and FINRA.
Prior to joining Katten in December, the group worked together for many years at Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle, where Lauer was co-chair of the Litigation practice.
Lauer, Semmelman, Hertzberg and Mosse are the latest partners to join Katten's New York office, which recently relocated to a newly renovated space at the iconic Rockefeller Center. Lateral partners new to Katten this past year in New York include Affordable Housing and Community Development co-chair Louise Carroll and partner Eddy Park, Commercial Litigation partner Geoffrey Young, Financial Markets and Funds partners Ilene Froom and Stephen Morris, Health Care partner James Saling, Mergers & Acquisitions/Private Equity partner Christopher Isaacs, Real Estate partner Julie Lee, and Securities Litigation partner Sarah Eichenberger.
"We are thrilled to welcome this extraordinary group to our New York office. Collectively, their reputation and credibility are highly respected in the legal industry and business community," said Chris DiAngelo, Katten's New York office managing partner. "They are great additions to our growing presence in New York, which enables us to more readily serve our clients in the world's top financial center."
