Complex Business Disputes

Since the early 1900’s, when Charles Evans Hughes, Sr. made his name as the most prominent advocate in private practice in the U.S., clients regularly turn to us for help with their highest-risk business litigation matters. Many of our largest commercial litigation clients have remained with us for decades, relying on our deep understanding of their businesses.

Hughes Hubbard’s Complex Business Disputes group comprises an interdisciplinary team of attorneys experienced in all phases of bet-the-company conflict, from crisis management and reputational defense through management of disputes fought on multiple judicial, arbitral and regulatory fronts. Client collaboration and teamwork shape our approach to litigation. We plan dispute avoidance and resolution strategy by understanding our clients’ businesses and appreciating their commercial objectives. The success of our overall approach is demonstrated by the high-profile disputes with which our clients entrust us. Recent examples include the following:

• Representing the Danish tax authority in federal and state courts seeking to recover funds wrongfully obtained through a “cum-ex” scheme involving fraudulent tax refund claims. To date, Hughes Hubbard has won a sweeping $500 million jury verdict, a $165 million bench trial victory, and obtained hundreds of millions of dollars more through settlement agreements.

• Winning dismissal of a $1.7 billion lawsuit for a global insurance leader and owner of Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers painting in a high-profile federal action.

• Representation of a Cantor Fitzgerald affiliate in a $300 million arbitration victory involving the Philippines’ first five-star hotel resort and casino.

• Representation of a multinational telecommunications company in actions to enforce an arbitral award rendered in its favor against India arising out of a telecommunications investment.

Our Complex Business Disputes practice encompasses the broad spectrum of legal areas at the trial and appellate levels, including securities, financial services and banking, corporate governance, LLC disputes, professional liability, bankruptcy-related matters, labor and employment, contract disputes, administrative law, art law, insurance disputes, intellectual property, white-collar crime and corporate compliance and antitrust. The practice dovetails with our market-leading practices in arbitration and other forms of alternative dispute resolution.