Steven Cooper

Steven is a partner in the Global Commercial Disputes Group. He is an experienced trial lawyer with numerous successful verdicts for Reed Smith clients. Steven’s victory in the Leser v. U.S. Bank trial was recently inducted into the New York Law Journal Hall of Fame as the third-highest contract verdict. This year, he received the prestigious Thomson Reuters (f/k/a Acritas) Stand-Out Lawyer award, a client-nominated recognition. He has handled virtually all types of complex commercial litigation, class actions, and financial services litigation, for both plaintiffs and defendants, involving securities fraud, RICO, consumer fraud, breach of contract, corporate waste/mismanagement, the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, fraudulent transfer, intellectual property, breach of fiduciary duty, and theft of trade secrets. He has also been involved in a number of preliminary injunction hearings and arbitrations. He has served clients in the financial services, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, internet and technology, media, professional services, retail, real estate, and hospitality industries. Recently, Steven has been engaged by Fortune 200 companies to combat the counterfeiting of their products. Steven has argued numerous times before the U.S. Courts of Appeals and District Courts, the New York State Court of Appeals, the New York State Appellate Divisions, and the New York State Supreme Court. Steven serves on the New York City Bar Association’s “Committee on the Judiciary.” The Committee on the Judiciary evaluates candidates for election and appointment to judicial office in the federal and state courts in New York City. The Committee has been in existence for over 140 years, and seeks to ensure that candidates meet appropriate standards of professional competence and integrity, and are selected based on merit. Martindale-Hubbell gave Steven its highest ranking, signifying that his “legal abilities are of the very highest standard.”

Experience

Representative matters

Bloomfield Investment Resources Corp v. Daniloff - Represented Reuben Brothers-affiliated entity in a trial win that exceeded $34 million in the Southern District of New York, which included punitive damages, on claims for breach of contract and fraud against an investment advisor in relation to an oral loan agreement.

Leser v. U.S. Bank - Obtained verdict of $53 million on behalf of U.S. Bank in Eastern District of New York jury trial. Action concerned claims of forgery on certain bank guarantees for real estate loans.

Guzzini v. “Untitled by Rudolf Stingel 2012” - Dispute over ownership of prominent artwork based on fraud by art dealer. Bench trial settlement reached.

Castellotti v. Estate of Madeline Castellotti - Successfully represented Defendant in breach of promissory note claim. Case involved family members who own the well-known John’s Pizzeria. Unanimous favorable jury verdict in Eastern District of New York.

Chefs' Warehouse v. JZRM Corporation - Obtained verdict for plaintiffs in New York State Court trial involving defendants attempted enforcement of fraudulent contracts.

Sriraman v. Patel - Obtained favorable verdict after Eastern District of New York trial on behalf of partner in partnership dispute.

Emigrant Bank Fine Art Finance v. River North Collections ‒ Trial counsel for Emigrant Bank in multimillion-dollar Northern District of Illinois case concerning breaches of loan agreements and fraud.

Zegna v L&M 825 LLC – Trial counsel for Zegna in multimillion-dollar New York State Supreme Court trial concerning lease dispute for flagship retail property.

Pontone v. Matthews International Corporation - Defeated plaintiff's motion for a preliminary injunction which sought to free him from a non-competition agreement made with a large casket manufacturer.

American Self Storage Management Association, LLC v. Diamond - Represented respondent in seven-day arbitration hearing before three arbitrators, concerning claims for breach of partnership agreements and indemnification, involving management of parties’ real-estate holdings in New York area valued at $400 million.

RHS Ventures v. Plainfield Asset Management - Appeared as Plaintiff's counsel in a three week complex partnership dispute arbitration. The dispute was between a general partner and limited partner over a large real estate development in the Bahamas.

PPM America Inc. v. Marriott Corporation - Represented plaintiffs at a jury trial in a claim of securities fraud for non-disclosure of material inside information against Marriott Corporation and its principals. Obtained a favorable settlement after appealing to the Fourth Circuit.

The Bank of New York, et al. v. Meridien BIAO Bank Tanzania Limited, et al. - Represented Central Bank of Tanzania in a bench trial in defense of a claim asserting a pledge of a bank loan. Claims of fraudulent inducement, among other claims.

Frontline Communications Co. v. Sprint Communications Co., L.P. - Represented Sprint in a preliminary injunction hearing in a breach of contract and fraud case involving suspect reseller agreements. Obtained a case dispositive preliminary injunction on behalf of our client.

PleasrDAo v. Martin Shkreli - Represented digital crypto client to prevent “Pharma Bro” Martin Shkreli from possessing and disseminating Wu Tan Clan’s valuable one-of-a-kind “Once Upon a time in Shoalin” album. TRO and preliminary injunction obtained.

Stati v. National Bank of Kazakhstan – Represented defendant in connection with discovery request under 28 U.S.C. §1782.

Castellotti v. Free - Represented defendant in multi-claim dispute involving ownership rights in John’s Pizza.

Arminak v. Trimas Corp. - Represented Defendants in a series of lawsuits in New York and California State and Federal courts concerning breaches of earn-outs and restrictive covenants, tortious interference, breach of contract, defamation following purchase of Plaintiff’s company. Obtained preliminary injunction against Plaintiffs.

JFURTI, LLC v. Verschleiser - Represented Defendant in a series of lawsuits in New York State and Federal courts alleging claims for breach of partnership agreements, indemnification, tortious interference, privacy violations, defamation following the dissolution of the parties’ REIT.

Winter Investors v. Panzer - Represented Defendants in the SDNY on claims for securities law violations and breaches of operating agreements following the merger of real-estate financing company.

AT&T Corp. v. Sprint Corporation - Represented Sprint in defense of Lanham Act, misappropriation, and consumer fraud action between two major telecommunications carriers. Obtained a favorable settlement for client after having successfully argued in Second Circuit.

Commodities Future Trading Commission v. Wall Street Underground, Inc. - Represented Wall Street Underground in defense of fraud action brought by CFTC to enjoin the publication of financial newsletter. After preliminary injunction was granted, Steven argued appeal in the Tenth Circuit.

Perfect World Co, Ltd. - Represented Shareholders in major investigation of Chinese online gaming company’s activities and publicly-traded securities. Obtained a highly favorable settlement.

Bader/Auerbach v. Wells Fargo - Represented Wells Fargo in two consolidated litigations brought on behalf of brokers selling substantial bonus payments. Obtained summary judgment in favor of Wells Fargo.

The York Group, Inc. v. Batesville Casket Company, et al. - Represent plaintiffs in large commercial litigation involving claims of breach of contract, tortious interference, unfair competition, misappropriation of trade secrets, defamation, and misappropriation of likeness.

Milso Industries Corp. v. Liberty Casket Corp. - Obtained highly favorable settlement on behalf of plaintiffs in connection with claims for breach of contract, tortious interference and misappropriation of trade secrets.

International Union of Bricklayers v. Bank of New York Mellon - Represent BNYM in defense of action to recover pledged security supported real estate loans.

D & 0 Pharmachem, Inc. v. Pfizer Inc. - Represented Pfizer in defense of tortious interference, breach of contract and libel action. Obtained favorable settlement.

In re Bucyrus: Erie Company and B E Holdings, Inc. - Prevailed in litigation to reject plan at disclosure statement hearing. Litigated subsequent claims of fraud and malpractice to a series of successful settlements.

In re DVI, Inc. Creditors Committee – Represented the Creditors Committee in the bankruptcy case against DVI, a former health care company. Prosecuted a number of federal court actions on behalf of the Litigation Trustee of DVI, Inc. against the former directors, auditors and corporate counsel.

In re Owens Corning, et al., Chapter 11 – Special Counsel to the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors holding claims in Owens Corning’s bankruptcy. After successful pro-substantive consolidation ruling and appeal to the Third Circuit, filed a Petition for a Writ of Certiorari to the United States Supreme Court.

In re Pierre Foods (formerly known as Fresh Foods) - Represented the noteholders in a consent solicitation which implemented an out-of-court restructuring.

Kesman v. Sprint Corp. - Successfully represented Sprint Corp in the defense of a nationwide class action alleging deceptive practices under federal telecom law.

Woolsey Corporation v. Palm Entertainment Properties, LLC, et al. - Represented plaintiff, Woolsey Corp., in fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, alter ego action in connection with loan to defendant. Matter was settled favorably.

Represented high net worth English citizens in major fraud and breach of contract case involving investments in Russia.

Represented National Bank of Kazakhstan in connection with half-billion dollar enforcement and asset tracing actions in various jurisdictions respecting oil and gas investments.

Represented Japanese company in various fraud and contract actions, and DOJ investigations, involving corporate investments in Florida and New York.

Defended large Spanish company in connection with major RICO action commenced in New York.

Represented Chinese company with respect to various enforcement and asset tracing legal issues involving shipping in Africa.

Represented large American manufacturing company with respect to various legal issues involving the federal and state securities laws.

Steven was also involved in class action lawsuits on behalf of Holocaust survivors, and heirs of Holocaust victims.