Robin L. Alperstein
Robin Alperstein concentrates her practice in complex commercial litigation in federal and state courts, with a particular focus on disputes in the financial and technology sectors. She represents domestic and international clients on a range of commercial disputes, including contract claims, RICO violations, fraud, and other business torts; corporate governance matters; shareholder and partner disputes; securities fraud including class action defense; fraudulent conveyance; employment-related disputes; and unfair competition matters, including antitrust, theft of trade secrets, and non-competition agreements. Counseling her clients on strategic assessment of litigation risk and mitigation is also an important part of Ms. Alperstein’s practice. She handles civil cases as well as domestic and international arbitrations, represents clients before various federal and state regulatory bodies (including the FINRA and the Securities and Exchange Commission), conducts internal investigations, and advises boards of directors, majority and minority shareholders, management, and individual directors on corporate governance issues. Ms. Alperstein’s approach to dispute resolution is to listen carefully to the needs and goals of her clients, understand the business and other contexts and constraints under which they operate, and work with them to develop and implement creative, efficient, effective litigation strategies tailored specifically to meet those needs and goals.
Ms. Alperstein’s pro bono work includes asylum cases, civil rights work, and advice on behalf of victims of employment discrimination.
Ms. Alperstein has been recognized as a Super Lawyer every year since 2014 in the category of business litigation attorneys in New York City.
REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS
Defending witnesses before the SEC in connection with various investigations involving credit default swaps, CDOs, and CLOs.
Defending several hedge funds and a health care company in the Tribune fraudulent conveyance actions.
Defending several hedge funds in the Lyondell fraudulent conveyance actions.
Defending a holding company and individual against claims for conspiracy to commit fraud in connection with an alleged “pump and dump” market manipulation scheme on London and German stock exchanges.
Prosecuting claims on behalf of a foreign investment company in connection with losses sustained due to unauthorized trading and fraud by former consultant.
Representing structured products company in connection with corporate governance claims against a fund and its parent.
Defending publicly traded domestic company against wage and hour class action in New York state court.
Defeated derivative claims brought by former shareholder and director against technology company and its directors, after conducting internal investigation and advising special committee formed by Board of Directors.
On behalf of a credit derivative products company, obtained dismissal of several claims filed by Swiss bank and obtained favorable settlement.
On behalf of large private commercial real estate company, obtained favorable business resolution based on potential claims against foreign investment bank, without litigation.
Advised hedge fund in connection with investigation of Ponzi scheme and corporate governance issues.
Defeated securities fraud class action brought against foreign holding company and individual in District of Massachusetts.
Defeated market manipulation class action brought against foreign holding company and individual directors in Southern District of New York.
Defeated antitrust and RICO class actions claims brought against large domestic insurance company.
Defeated direct and derivative claims brought against domestic company and individual directors for breach of fiduciary duty in Delaware Chancery Court and obtained sanctions against plaintiff.
Won theft of trade secrets action in Northern District of California and obtained sanctions against defendant.
Defeated claims in arbitration brought by investor against foreign investment bank in connection with losses in fund.
On behalf of distributor, obtained favorable business resolution stopping anti-competitive conduct of manufacturer, without litigation.
CONTACT
EDUCATION
New York University School of Law, J.D., Order of the Coif; National Association of Women Lawyers Award, 1996
University of Chicago, Irving B. Harris School of Public Policy Studies, M.A., 1992
University of Virginia, B.A. in Modern Studies, 1987
ADMISSIONS
New York
United States District Courts for Southern District of New York and Eastern District of New York
United States Court of Appeals for the First, Second, Third, and Ninth Circuits
MEMBERSHIPS/PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
New York City Bar Association
New York State Bar Association
American Bar Association
Federal Bar Council
Co-Chair, Board of Directors, Community-Word Project (2017-present; member since 2011)
RECOGNITION
New York Super Lawyer 2014-present