Lawrence T Gresser
Partner, New York, London
Lawrence T Gresser
Partner, New York, London
Lawrence T. Gresser is the co-founder and Managing Partner of the firm, and practices in New York and London. Larry advises clients on complex commercial matters, including international litigation and arbitration, securities law, real estate litigation, partnership and LLC law, executive compensation, and private equity transactions. He serves as outside general counsel to a number of private companies and private equity funds.
Larry is a magna cum laude graduate of the University of Michigan Law School, where he received the Order of the Coif and was an Executive Note Editor of the Law Review. Following graduation, Larry served as a Law Clerk to Honorable William C. Canby, Jr. of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and practiced with Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton.
Larry has been recognized by Chambers USA in the general commercial litigation category and by The Legal 500 U.S. in general commercial disputes category. Chambers USA has described him as “substantively strong and commercially savvy” and as “a very sophisticated lawyer who speaks the language. He gets clients comfortable, he’s really able to connect with them and get to a resolution.” Larry has been named one of New York’s Super Lawyers for business litigation each year since 2007, and has been selected by Super Lawyers as one of the top 100 lawyers in the New York metropolitan area. He has also been recognized by Benchmark Litigation as a Local Litigation Star for New York and in the Best Lawyers in America guide for commercial litigation. He is a past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, a Trustee of the Citizens Budget Commission, and a member of the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
Lawrence T. Gresser is the co-founder and Managing Partner of the firm, and practices in New York and London. Larry advises clients on complex…
Education
University of Michigan Law School (J.D., magna cum laude, 1986; Executive Note Editor, Michigan Law Review); Columbia University (B.A. 1982)
Bar Admissions
New York State; U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
Activities and Affiliations
Past Chairman of the Board of Directors, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest
Co-Chair, English-American Litigation Forum 2018 and 2019 Steering Committees
Member, Forum on Defense Class Action 2017 Steering Committee
Member, New York City Bar Association
Member, Federal Bar Council (Program Committee and Winter Bench and Bar Committee)
Member, American Bar Association
Member, International Bar Association (Arbitration Committee, Corporate and M&A Law Committee, Litigation Committee, Law Firm Management Committee)
Trustee, Citizens Budget Commission
Litigation
Represent leading U.S. broker-dealer in multiple securities litigation and arbitration matters, including class action litigation arising from offering of mortgage pass-through certificates.
Defended a major Houston-based oil and gas production and marketing company in litigation in the Southern District of New York alleging breach of contract, fraud, and conversion in connection with a series of complex oil and gas financing transaction. Case dismissed in its entirety.
Defended leading Korean technology company in major international arbitration under UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules. Representation led to selection as principal outside U.S. counsel to client, including defense of client in major patent litigations and class action product defect cases.
Regularly represent financial advisors employed by major financial institution in litigation and arbitrations.
Successfully represented clients in over 100 mediations to resolve contract disputes, partnership disputes, and products liability cases.
Read MoreCorporate
Serve as principal outside counsel to international private equity fund specializing in commodities-related transactions.
Serve as principal outside counsel to technology-focused venture capital fund.
Serve as principal outside counsel to several companies in the technology sector.
Represented substantial private medical group in sale of practice to public company.
Served as principal outside counsel to European venture capital fund and handled range of legal and business matters, including fund formation, selection and management of portfolio companies, sale of portfolio companies, and other general fund matters.
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Super Lawyers named C&G cofounder Mark S. Cohen one of the Top 10 lawyers in the New York metropolitan area. Partners Jonathan S. Abernethy and Karen H. Bromberg have also been named to the Super Lawyers list of the Top 100 lawyers in the New York metropolitan area. Additionally, Karen has been recognized as one of the Top 50 women lawyers within the same region.
Super Lawyers and Rising Stars are annual lists of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only 5 percent of the lawyers in each state are selected as Super Lawyers, and only 2.5 percent are selected as Rising Stars.
The C&G lawyers recognized on the New York Metro Super Lawyers list are:
- Jonathan S. Abernethy, Criminal Defense: White Collar
- Kwaku Andoh, Mergers & Acquisitions
- Luke Appling, Civil Litigation: Defense
- Elizabeth Bernhardt, Business Litigation
- Colin C. Bridge, Criminal Defense: White Collar
- Karen H. Bromberg, Intellectual Property
- Jason Brown, Criminal Defense: White Collar
- Damir Cefo, Intellectual Property Litigation
- Joanna K. Chan, Securities Litigation
- Mark S. Cohen, Business Litigation
- S. Gale Dick, Business Litigation
- Christian R. Everdell, Criminal Defense: White Collar
- Robert J. Gavigan, Mergers & Acquisitions
- Lawrence T. Gresser, Business Litigation
- Oliver S. Haker, Business Litigation
- Johannes Jonas, Mergers & Acquisitions
- Nicholas J. Kaiser, Real Estate
- Jeffrey I. Lang, Civil Litigation: Defense
- David F. Lisner, Business Litigation
- Ellen Paltiel, General Litigation
- Douglas J. Pepe, Business Litigation
- Matthew V. Povolny, Business Litigation
- Nathaniel P. T. Read, Business Litigation
- Bonnie J. Roe, Securities & Corporate Finance
- Stephen M. Sinaiko, Business Litigation
- Mark Spatz, Civil Litigation: Defense
- C. Evan Stewart, Securities Litigation
- Daniel H. Tabak, Business Litigation
- Scott D. Thomson, Business Litigation
- Alexandra Wald, Business Litigation
The C&G lawyers recognized on the New York Metro Rising Stars list are:
- Sharon L. Barbour, Criminal Defense: White Collar
- Randall W. Bryer, Business Litigation
- Shannon A. Daugherty, Business Litigation
- Drew S. Dean, General Litigation
- Jesse Greenwald, Criminal Defense: White Collar
- Christine M. Jordan, General Litigation
- William Kalema, Business Litigation
- Sri Kuehnlenz, Civil Litigation: Defense
- Marvin J. Lowenthal, Criminal Defense: White Collar
- Barbara K. Luse, Criminal Defense: White Collar
- Benjamin Zhu, General Litigation
Six C&G attorneys are recognized by their peers as “Best Lawyers” in their practice areas:
- Mark S. Cohen – Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Lawrence T. Gresser – Commercial Litigation
- Jonathan S. Abernethy – Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Colin Bridge – Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Jason A. Brown – Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Mark Spatz – Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
Eight attorneys are recognized as “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch” in their practice areas:
- Luke Appling – Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Securities
- Sharon L. Barbour – Commercial Litigation and Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- William E. Kalema – Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Phoebe King – Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Barbara K. Luse – Commercial Litigation and Corporate Law
- Alexandra K. Theobald – Commercial Litigation and Corporate Law
- Eszter Vincze – Commercial Litigation and Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Benjamin Zhu – Criminal Defense: White-Collar
The guide highlights C&G’s “elite group of practitioners” and use of advanced machine learning techniques and notes that the firm “handle[s] cases that are every bit as complex and challenging as big, national law firms.” Commentators noted that the firm “punches way above its weight” in litigation and investigation matters.
C&G Co-Founder Mark S Cohen is one of only two lawyers in the United States to be recognized as a “Leading Lawyer” in both Securities Litigation: Defense and Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense. Commentary from The Legal 500 recognizes Mark as a “top-tier advocate” who is “at the top of the profession” and “can litigate with the best of them.”
For the first time, C&G’s Antitrust practice has been recognized in Antitrust: Civil Litigation/Class Actions: Defense for its handling of class action cases concerning allegations of cartel behavior, monopolization, and other exclusionary conducts. The Legal 500 cites the leadership of Melissa H Maxman and the addition of “heavyweight” lawyer John Roberti as key reasons for the practice’s recognition.
C&G is again recognized in the Advice to Individuals and Advice to Corporates categories of the Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense section. The Legal 500 commentary notes that the practice is led by “partners with deep experience who obtain excellent results for clients” and is “well placed to handle transatlantic cases” with offices in New York, Paris, and London, and has “particular expertise in financial crime, antitrust enforcement, public corruption, and tax issues.”
The guide has also recognized C&G once again in the General Commercial Disputes category, praising the practice for showing the “discipline and focus necessary to win a case.” Testimonials from the guide highlight the team’s ability to “handle large and complex matters” with “experienced people, good judgment,” and “better use of technology.”
For the 10th consecutive year, C&G has been recognized in the Securities Litigation: Defense category for the firm’s “expertise in the financial services sector” and “recognized trial expertise” in cross-border and domestic securities litigation and enforcement proceedings. The Legal 500 emphasizes the team’s “strong practitioners” and “attentiveness to clients” in the 2022 guide.
Recognized Practices:
- Antitrust: Civil Litigation/Class Actions: Defense
- Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense: Advice to Individuals
- Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense: Advice to Corporates
- General Commercial Disputes
- Securities Litigation: Defense
Antitrust: Civil Litigation/Class Actions: Defense
- Melissa H Maxman
- John Roberti
- Ronald F Wick
- Jonathan S Abernethy
- Jason Brown
- Mark S Cohen
- S Gale Dick
- Jeffrey I Lang
- Melissa H Maxman
- Reggie Schafer
- Mark S Cohen
- S Gale Dick
- Lawrence T Gresser
- Melissa H Maxman
- Daniel H Tabak
- Jonathan S Abernethy
- Mark S Cohen
- S Gale Dick
- Lawrence T Gresser
The Legal 500 analyzes the capabilities of law firms across the world. Its rankings “highlight the practice area teams who are providing the most cutting edge and innovative advice to corporate counsel.”
C&G’s Commercial Litigation practice is once again ranked in Litigation: General Commercial: Highly Regarded. The practice is recognized for being “regularly sought after by individuals and corporates for representation in securities class actions and derivative matters, as well as various shareholder and product litigation.” Clients note that the team is comprised of “litigators that you don’t want to mess with” and is one that “you can rely on.”
C&G’s White Collar Defense & Regulation practice is ranked in Chambers USA for the ninth consecutive year. The practice maintains its position as one of the “Elite” firms in Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations. Chambers highlights the practice’s “talented pool of litigators with a wealth of government experience” and its “international presence” as key reasons for its continued ranking. Commentary from the guide notes that the practice is “a substantial player in the New York white-collar world” that has “burst onto the scene with strong former prosecutors” and “good results for their clients.”
Ranked Departments:
- Litigation: General Commercial: Highly Regarded
- Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations: The Elite
District of Columbia
Antitrust: Litigation Specialists
New York
Litigation: General Commercial
Litigation: Securities Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations
Francisco Partners, which specializes in partnering with technology and technology-enabled businesses, soon after merged the two acquired entities to create TS Imagine, a dynamic end-to-end trading and portfolio management software platform that is now used by 500 financial institutions worldwide. In awarding the “Deal of the Year” distinction, the magazine praised the deal’s formation of a “singular company poised for growth across both the buy and sell-side.”
The C&G team representing Imagine Software included Lawrence T Gresser, Kwaku Andoh, Karen H Bromberg, Bonnie J Roe, Nicholas J Kaiser, Ronald F Wick, Alexandra K Theobald, and Drew S Dean. Learn more about the deal in Francisco Partners’ press release and C&G’s news alert.
Mergers & Acquisitions, founded in 1965, is the oldest trade brand for the dealmaker community and is where private equity professionals, strategic acquirers and advisors turn for news, analysis, data and community around deals and dealmakers.
- Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense: Advice to Individuals
- Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense: Advice to Corporates
- General Commercial Disputes
- Securities Litigation: Defense
- Litigation: General Commercial: Highly Regarded
- White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations: The Elite
- Corporate Investigations and White Collar Criminal Defense: Advice to Individuals
- Corporate Investigations and White Collar Criminal Defense: Advice to Corporates
- General Commercial Disputes
- Securities Litigation: Defense
Chambers has recognized Cohen & Gresser in its 2020 USA guide for its achievements in General Commercial Litigation and White Collar Crime & Government Investigations. Chambers commentary highlights the firm's "thoroughness, quality, responsiveness, client care and availability,” noting that "the level of service is stellar, the work product is uniformly superb,” and that C&G is "a great firm with high quality across the board."
Chambers also recognized the following individuals: Jonathan S Abernethy for White Collar Crime & Government Investigations; Karen H Bromberg for Intellectual Property: Patent; Mark S Cohen for Securities Litigation and White Collar Crime & Government Investigations; and Lawrence T Gresser for Commercial Litigation.
- Corporate Investigations/White Collar
- Corporate Investigations/White Collar – Advice to Individuals
- General Commercial Disputes
- Securities Litigation Defense
For the seventh consecutive year, Cohen & Gresser has been ranked as a recommended New York law firm by Benchmark Litigation. In addition to the firm’s ranking, Mark S Cohen, Lawrence T Gresser, and Daniel H Tabak were all individually recognized in the publication’s 2019 guide.
- Corporate Investigations/White Collar – Advice to Corporates
- Corporate Investigations/White Collar – Advice to Individuals
- General Commercial Disputes
- Securities Litigation Defense
C&G co-founders Mark S Cohen, JD '87 and Lawrence T Gresser, JD '86 have established the Cohen & Gresser Scholarship Fund at their alma mater, the University of Michigan Law School. The merit scholarship will support students enrolled in law school at the University of Michigan.
For the sixth consecutive year, Cohen & Gresser has been ranked as a recommended New York law firm by Benchmark Litigation. In addition to the firm’s ranking, partners Mark S Cohen, Lawrence T Gresser, and Daniel H Tabak were all individually recognized in the publication’s 2018 guide.
Law360's coverage of Cohen & Gresser's newest partner, Steve Sinaiko.
Goldman Escapes MBS Class Action Over Lack Of Evidence.
The Legal 500 United States ranked Cohen & Gresser for its achievements in securities litigation in its recently released 2015 guide. The guide notes Cohen & Gresser’s “extraordinary team of attorneys, who present cases in the best and most efficient manner practicable.” Partners Mark S. Cohen, Lawrence T Gresser, S Gale Dick, C Evan Stewart, and Daniel H Tabak were also noted as “impressive” attorneys in this field. The Legal 500 offers nationwide rankings by reviewing the strengths and strategies of law firms across the country. Founded in 1987, Legalease, publisher of the Legal 500 directories, is a leader in the provision of legal market information, offering authoritative and in-depth analysis and commentary across a broad portfolio of publications, spanning directories, magazines, journals, textbooks, and online. The Legal 500 U.S. 2015 Guide offers nationwide rankings by reviewing the strengths and strategies of law firms across the country.
The New York Lawyers for the Public Interest (NYLPI), chaired by Lawrence T Gresser, honored Don Liu of Xerox and Carey Dunne of Davis Polk & Wardwell at their 22nd annual Law & Society Awards Luncheon.
Click here to watch a short video about NYLPI’s unique civil rights model and impact in 2014.
Cohen & Gresser has been ranked as a "Recommended" New York law firm in the 2015 edition of Benchmark Litigation. In addition to the firm’s ranking, partners Mark S Cohen, Lawrence T Gresser, C Evan Stewart, and Karen H Bromberg were all individually recognized by the publication. Benchmark Litigation is a leading guide to top litigation firms and attorneys in the United States and bases its rankings on extensive face-to-face interviews around the country over a six-month period with the nation's leading private practice attorneys and in-house counsel.
On July 1, 2014, Cohen & Gresser’s managing partner Lawrence T Gresser became the Chairman of the Board of Directors of New York Lawyers for the Public Interest (NYLPI), one of the premier public interest law organizations in the country. NYLPI (www.nylpi.org) was founded in 1976 to serve the legal needs of underserved, underrepresented New Yorkers and their communities, and has grown into an unparalleled resource for low income communities, particularly in the areas of health justice, disability justice and environmental justice. NYLPI is a recipient of the New York Times Award for Nonprofit Excellence.
C&G Managing Partner and NYLPI Board member, Lawrence T Gresser, attends the awards ceremony honoring Dechert partner, Hector Gonzalez, for his service as NYLPI's board chairman.
The Legal 500 United States ranked Cohen & Gresser for its achievements in securities litigation in its recently released 2014 guide. Legal 500 noted that the firm is "young and nimble," naming Mark S Cohen as the leader of a team of "experienced lawyers who work at a more palatable price than competing firms." Lawrence T Gresser and Daniel H Tabak are also recommended in light of their successful dismissal of a short swing profits case for Goldman Sachs, and C Evan Stewart was highlighted in the report as an "incredible trial lawyer with big case experience."
C&G's managing partner Lawrence T Gresser and other top Manhattan attorneys, weigh in on why the decision in Halliburton Co. et al. v. Erica P. John Fund is significant.
A recent InsideCounsel editorial about the possible Sears data breach cited Lawrence T Gresser and Karen H Bromberg's article "Litigation: Minimizing the Risk of Data Breach Class Actions from Target's Example".
C&G's Managing Partner, Lawrence T Gresser, talks to Law360 about the new Paris office and its lead partner, Johannes Jonas.
Law360's coverage of the recent Second Circuit ruling which affirmed Wednesday that Goldman Sachs Group Inc. won't have to disgorge nearly $2 million in short-swing trade profits of Leap Wireless International Inc. derivatives, finding Goldman wasn't a statutory Leap insider when it purchased the options in question.
The Felix A. Fishman Award for Extraordinary Advocacy honors two individuals yearly for their outstanding contributions to expanding access to justice. Lawrence T. Gresser, the firm's Managing Partner and NYPLI Chairman-elect was in attendance as this year's recipients, Steven Choi and Jonathan Westin, were honored at the New York City Bar.
Gresser emphasizes being organized and offers insightful tips throughout the article. His final word of advice, "Where possible, take apps, not paper," said Gresser. "I download as many documents as possible onto an app called GoodReader on my iPad."
Lawrence T Gresser and Marvin J Lowenthal highlight the ways in which artificial intelligence may affect the law firms of the future in their most recent article for the New York Law Journal.
This article addresses the lower courts’ application of the Supreme Court’s recent class action securities decision in Halliburton Co. v. Erica P. John Fund, Inc., 134S.Ct. 2398, 2412 (2014), which permits defendants to rebut fraud-on-the-market reliance at the class certification stage. The article will also seek to provide securities litigators with the lay of the land post-Halliburton.
This fifth article in a series exploring trends in class action law examines the ultimate meaning of Comcast as applied to products class actions. It concludes that the Supreme Court may simply be waiting for more circuit courts to weigh in on the meaning of Comcast before issuing a clarifying decision.
The Target data breach made headlines across the country and resulted in over fifty purported class action suits against the retailer. This is a warning shot over the bow for other companies. Privacy class actions are on the rise.
Regardless of which side ultimately benefits, the Supreme Court's message for antitrust litigants is clear: Class action is an exception to the usual rule.
A discussion about the erroneous predictions made about the outcomes of this case. Why were they made and how can we learn from these examples?
A discussion on how choosing an office space perfectly suited for your firm’s corporate culture can boost morale, productivity, and most importantly the bottom line.
This alert discusses the importance of oral advocacy in any case and what improvements are needed in order save this method of argument from extinction.
A helpful guide for hedge funds to remain compliant and mitigate risk of investigation, specifically under the heavy hand of recent regulatory legislation.
Managing Partner Lawrence T Gresser spoke on an roundtable titled, “Managing Partner Roundtable: Best Practices for Hiring and Retaining Millennials,” which examined how law firms should approach recruiting and retaining the next generation of lawyers. This CLE was a part of the ABA's Law Practice Management Committee Annual Meeting.
C&G co-founder and Managing Partner Lawrence T Gresser led a discussion on “The Business of Law” at the Cambridge Forum on English-American Litigation on June 5, 2018 in Middleburg, Virginia. He also serves as the Co-Chair of the Forum’s 2018 Steering Committee.
Lawrence T Gresser participated on a panel titled “Everything You Know Is Wrong: A Strategic Overview of Current Trends in the Two Jurisdictions” at the English-American Litigation Forum. The discussion covered trends and events including Brexit and the election of President Trump and their implications on the business and practice of law.
This program explored the rules of professional conduct as applied to contract negotiation and performance.
Mortgage-backed securities have played a prominent role in the wave of financial litigation, and claims have raised a complex web of legal questions. This program explored these claims and analyzed the recent trends in some of the most high profile cases to date. Issues explored included: an explanation of the typical structure of an RMBS transaction; more advanced concepts in put-back and monoline litigations such as statistical sampling as a method for proving defaults; issues related to claims stemming from violations of federal and state securities laws; statute of limitations issues; loss-causation standards and recent settlements in the MBS space.
Topics covered included client expectations and priorities and the future of the legal market.