Renowned Trial Lawyer Sanford Litvack Joins Chaffetz Lindsey

Where Advocacy Meets Business

Renowned Trial Lawyer Sanford Litvack Joins Chaffetz Lindsey

by

February 2019 – Sanford (Sandy) Litvack, a renowned trial lawyer and former general counsel and vice-chairman of the Walt Disney Company, has become a partner of Chaffetz Lindsey, a leading trial and arbitration boutique in New York.

Sandy Litvack_Headshot_2.2019“Sandy is a giant of the business trial bar who has also served with distinction both in government and in senior management at Disney.  Our clients and our team will immediately benefit from his skill, experience and judgment,” said partner Peter Chaffetz.  “We are honored that Sandy has chosen to continue his career with us.”

“Chaffetz Lindsey is precisely the kind of firm that I wanted to use when I was general counsel — a high quality litigation boutique that can handle any type of commercial litigation,” said Litvack. “I believe companies are looking for firms that are large enough to handle bigger corporate matters while being small enough to be able to do it effectively and efficiently.  Chaffetz Lindsey is precisely that kind of firm, and I am excited to be joining it.”

A 1959 graduate of Georgetown University, Litvack served as an Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust under President Jimmy Carter.  As a private practice trial lawyer he has won a broad variety of corporate cases before juries and judges, including antitrust, contract, copyright and trademark disputes.  He is a Fellow of the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers.

In addition to his courtroom experience, Litvack also spent a decade at Disney, starting as general counsel in 1991 and rising to become chief of corporate operations and vice chairman of the board of directors.  While there, he spearheaded the acquisition of ABC and ESPN and oversaw the restructuring of Euro Disney. He has served as a director of both Disney and Hewlett Packard.  That experience has made him an invaluable strategic advisor to other boards and senior management.

Litvack was formerly senior counsel in the Litigation Practice at Hogan Lovells in New York.

Second Circuit Affirms Dismissal for Chaffetz Lindsey Client Zurich

by

December 2018 – The United States Court of Appeals for The Second Circuit ruled in favor of Chaffetz Lindsey’s client, Zurich American Insurance Company, affirming the dismissal of an Amended Complaint filed by Plaintiffs Keller Foundations, LLC, Keller Group PLC, and Hayward Baker, Inc.

Plaintiffs in the case were two construction companies and their parent who alleged Zurich breached its duties to them under an insurance policy by paying a claim to another insured under that policy.  While they argued that settling this claim might affect their coverage under the Policy, plaintiffs were actually unhappy with this claim payment because Zurich had billed and recovered a share of that claim from its reinsurer, which happened to be a wholly owned “captive” of the plaintiffs.  By reason of their intercompany arrangements with their captive, plaintiffs themselves had to fund that reinsurance payment.

The Second Circuit agreed with Chaffetz Lindsey’s argument that that plaintiffs failed to show: (i) how Zurich’s claim payment breached any obligation to plaintiffs under the contract; and (ii) that any damages arose from Zurich’s actions under the policy, rather than actions by the reinsurer under the separate Reinsurance Agreement.  The Second Circuit also affirmed dismissal of Plaintifffs’ claims for breach of the duty of good faith and declaratory judgement.

Cia Moss argued, and the Chaffetz Lindsey team included Peter Chaffetz, Karen Baswell (associate) and Oslen Grant (paralegal).  The full summary order and judgment can be found here.

Chaffetz Lindsey Promotes Erin Valentine and Gretta Walters to Counsel

by

December 2018 – Chaffetz Lindsey is pleased to announce that Erin Valentine and Gretta Walters have been promoted from Associate to Counsel effective January 1, 2019.  Erin has also been named as the Head of Client Development, a new role at the firm where she will be responsible for developing client and intermediary relationships and creating new business opportunities.

Erin Valentine_Headshot_12.2018 Counsel AnnouncementErin has been an Associate at Chaffetz Lindsey since May 2010 and has handled a variety of international arbitration, complex commercial litigation, and insurance coverage disputes during her tenure. She has represented individual and corporate clients as well as foreign sovereigns in U.S. courts and before arbitral tribunals.  Prior to joining Chaffetz Lindsey, Erin was an associate with the International Justice Network. Admitted to practice in New York, Erin earned her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where she was a James Wilson Scholar, Senior Editor of the University of Pennsylvania Journal of International Law, and a recipient of the Blank Rome Alvin Ackerman Prize, Foreign Public Interest Scholarship and Pro Bono Service Recognition Award. She received her B.A. at the University of California, Irvine.

Peter Chaffetz, a founding partner of the firm, said, “Erin has been a great citizen of the firm who has made herself indispensable to a succession of our most important cases.  Based on the following she has built among our clients, we thought it a great opportunity for her and for the firm to formalize her new client-development responsibilities as part of her practice.”

Gretta Walters_Headshot_12.2018 Counsel AnnouncementGretta joined Chaffetz Lindsey as an Associate in June 2014. She has represented a diverse range of domestic and international clients in commercial and investment disputes in arbitration and state and federal courts. Prior to joining Chaffetz Lindsey, Gretta was an Associate at Mayer Brown, Legal Counsel at the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, and a Visiting Lecturer at Stockholm University.  Gretta is Secretary of the International Commercial Disputes Committee of the New York City Bar and on the Global Advisory Board of the AAA/ICDR young practitioners group. She is an adjunct professor at New York University Law School, where she also co-coaches the Foreign Direct Investment and Vis International Commercial Arbitration moot court teams.  Gretta regularly speaks at international arbitration-related conferences and co-authored the recently published Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards and Judgments in New York (Kluwer 2018).  She earned her J.D., magna cum laude, from American University’s Washington College of Law in 2010, where she was the Articles Editor for the American University Law Review. She received her LL.M. in International Commercial Arbitration Law at Stockholm University in 2012 and graduated with a B.A., cum laude, from University of Maryland in 2005.

According to James Hosking, also a founding partner, “Gretta has become an integral part of the firm’s expanding international arbitration team.  She’s a brilliant lawyer who has played a leading role in some of our most complex cases.  We look forward to her continued success at the firm and as one of the growing number of top women arbitration lawyers in New York.”

About Chaffetz Lindsey

Chaffetz Lindsey is a leading international arbitration and litigation boutique committed to providing business-minded solutions for our clients.  From its New York base, the firm helps American and overseas clients resolve complex disputes before US courts and in front of arbitral tribunals around the world.

Global Arbitration Review reported on the counsel promotion. The article can be found by clicking here.

Chaffetz Lindsey Team Obtains Preliminary Injunction in Aid of Arbitration

by

September 2018 – A Chaffetz Lindsey team, led by Andy Frischknecht and Ted DeBonis, obtained a preliminary injunction on behalf of Rodenstock GmbH.  Rodenstock, Germany’s leading manufacturer of ophthalmic lenses and frames, is engaged in arbitration with Tuscany Eyewear, Rodenstock’s former exclusive distributor of Porsche Design-branded products in the U.S. and Canada.  Following termination of the parties’ distribution agreement and initiation of arbitration, Tuscany attempted to liquidate the balance of its Porsche Design inventory in a manner inconsistent with the premium brand.  Rodenstock sought a preliminary injunction to stop Tuscany from causing the brand and Rodenstock irreparable harm.  A federal judge in the Southern District of Florida agreed with Rodenstock, enjoining Tuscany from selling its remaining inventory of Porsche Design eyewear or marketing itself as an exclusive distributor of the products (order).

Chaffetz Lindsey worked with Janet Munn at Rasco Klock Perez & Nieto in Miami.

Wolters Kluwer Publishes “Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards and Judgments in NY”

by

June 2018 – Chaffetz Lindsey lawyers Andreas Frischknecht, Yasmine Lahlou, Gretta Walters, and Andrew Poplinger are delighted to announce that Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards and Judgments in New York has been published by Wolters Kluwer and is now available for purchase.

More thoroughly than any other source, this book shows practitioners how to navigate the enforcement landscape in New York. A favorable arbitral award or judgment at the end of a dispute holds little value unless the prevailing party is able to enforce it, and this book provides an in-depth analysis of all aspects of enforcement and execution, covering U.S. civil procedure, statutes, and case law on enforcement of foreign arbitral awards and judgments, the nuances of the New York courts’ interpretations of the New York and Panama Conventions on arbitral award enforcement, and the practicalities of ultimately obtaining payment on a foreign award or judgment. New York is a leading global financial center known for its pro-enforcement policies and the powerful discovery tools it makes available to creditors. No other resource explores the current state of the law in New York as comprehensively as this book.

In fact, David Spector (Partner at Schiff Hardin) says of the book, “It fills a deep need, both for the legal profession generally and for my practice in particular.  It is a very impressive job.”

What’s in this book:Frischknecht_EFAA (9789041186249)_Final cover

Beyond its sheer practical significance given the likelihood of debtors having assets in (or routing U.S. dollar transactions through) New York, this book provides creditors and their counsel with the critical information they need to define their global enforcement strategy and facilitate their enforcement efforts not only in New York but potentially worldwide. Among the issues and topics that the book tackles are the following:

  • review of the fundamentals of U.S. practice and procedure for non–New York practitioners;
  • easy to understand, jargon-free explanation of the often daunting state and federal procedures for enforcement;
  • up-to-date, clear presentation of the relevant case law, including key state and federal decisions;
  • explanation of how state and federal laws intersect with international law;
  • review of significant recent developments impacting a creditor’s ability to reach foreign defendants and their assets outside the U.S. in post-judgment execution proceedings; and
  • comprehensive advice on the practicalities of executing a judgment.
  • In a broader sense, this book aims to become the go-to resource for creditors and debtors (and their counsel) contemplating potential enforcement proceedings in New York—a key global enforcement jurisdiction.

How this will help you:

Given the critical role, New York plays in a host of cross-border transactions and its status as a hub for worldwide judgment and award enforcement, the demand to better understand the laws and judicial system within the state has never been higher. This comprehensive yet practical guide to navigating award and judgment enforcement in New York provides the understanding of both the basics and the nuances in this area that is critical for any domestic or international practitioner when advising a client as to the likelihood of collection in or through New York.

For more information, or to purchase a copy of Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards and Judgments in New York, click here.

Chaffetz Lindsey Sponsors 14th Annual ICDR Y&I Coffee House Debate

by

March 2018 – Chaffetz Lindsey was proud to sponsor the ICDR’s Annual Y&I Coffee House Debate that took place in Vienna on March 25th at Palais Daun-Kinsky on the occasion of the 25th annual Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot. The event was co-hosted by YAS (Young Arbitrators Sweden).  Chaffetz Lindsey attorney Gretta Walters spoke on a panel that debated the following topics:

Who´s paying for the coffee? Debate proposition: Third party funding creates arbitrator conflicts that must be disclosed

The café selects the baristas, not the customer! Debate proposition: Only institutions should appoint arbitrators as party appointments imperil legitimacy

This was the 14th anniversary of the event, of which Chaffetz Lindsey partner James Hosking was a co-founder.  James and Gretta both attended the Vis moot as judges and as co-coaches of, respectively, Harvard Law School and NYU.

For more details about the event, click here.

Chaffetz Lindsey Team Obtains Dismissal Of Suit Under FRCP 12(B)(6)

by

May 2017 – A Chaffetz Lindsey team led by partner Cecilia Moss and senior associate Karen Baswell has successfully obtained an order dismissing the Complaint in the Southern District of New York against our client Zurich American Insurance Company for failure to state a claim.

Plaintiff policyholders had alleged breach of contract of an insurance policy issued by Zurich, and breach of the duty of good faith and fair dealing arising out of Zurich’s settlement of claims with an alleged additional insured under the policy.  The federal district court dismissed the Complaint under FRCP 12(b)(6), noting plaintiffs failed to allege a breach of Zurich’s obligations, or any resulting harm.  The dismissal is without prejudice.

Gretta Walters Selected for ICDR Y&I Global Advisory Board

by

March 2017 – Associate Gretta Walters was recently selected to serve as a member of the Global Advisory Board of the International Centre for Dispute Resolution Young & International (“ICDR Y&I”) for a three-year term from 2017-2019.  The ICDR Y&I is a professional-development organization for international dispute resolution practitioners under the age of 40.  It was created to provide opportunities for younger members in the field to meet, exchange ideas with, and learn from peers and more senior practitioners.  The Global Advisory Board focuses on regional network-building by raising awareness of the ICDR Y&I in the broader arbitration community, encouraging membership, and organizing events around the world.

Gretta has experience representing individual and corporate clients in international and cross-border disputes in arbitration and state and federal court.  Prior to joining Chaffetz Lindsey, she was an Associate at Mayer Brown, Legal Counsel at the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, and a Visiting Lecturer at Stockholm University.  Gretta is also Secretary of the International Commercial Disputes Committee of the New York City Bar. She co-coaches the Foreign Direct Investment and Vis International Commercial Arbitration moot court teams at New York University Law School.

Chaffetz Lindsey Team Wins Motion to Compel Arbitration of a Reinsurance Dispute Under FAA §3

by

February 2017 – A Chaffetz Lindsey team consisting of partners Cecilia Moss and Peter Chaffetz, and associate Karen C. Baswell, obtained an order from a New York federal court granting a motion to stay litigation and compel arbitration under the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. § 3, filed on behalf of our client, Lexington Insurance Company.  The decision is HDI Global SE v. Lexington Insurance Company, No. 16-CV-07241 (CM)(AJP), — F. Supp. 3d —-, 2017 WL 699818 (Feb. 7, 20017 S.D.N.Y.).

Lexington initially commenced arbitration seeking reinsurance payments from HDI Global SE pursuant to the arbitration clause in a facultative reinsurance certificate between the parties.  HDI responded by filing suit, seeking a declaration that the facultative certificate was void for lack of mutual assent, and claiming that this issue of contract formation should be decided by the court.

The Chaffetz Lindsey team argued that there was no question of contract formation, and that HDI’s claims were subject to arbitration under the arbitration clause.  The court agreed, and granted the motion to stay the litigation and compel arbitration.

Law360 Quotes James Hosking in Articles Addressing Recent International Arbitration News

by

January 2017 – Legal publication Law360 has recently quoted Chaffetz Lindsey co-founder and partner James Hosking in two separate International Arbitration-related articles.

Published on December 22, 2016, “The Top International Arbitration Decisions Since Midyear” provided commentary on the top four international arbitration-related U.S. court decisions in the second half of 2016.

James commented on one of those decisions, In re: Ex Parte Application of Kleimar NV, in which the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York permitted a litigant to obtain discovery in the U.S. for use in London-seated arbitration, based on Section 1782 of the U.S. Code.  James noted the “long-standing debate in the Second Circuit” on whether Section 1782 allows discovery in aid of a foreign arbitration.  If appealed, he opined that there is a “strong argument” that the Second Circuit should directly overrule an old 1999 precedent.  To read the Law360 article in its entirety, please click here (a subscription may be required).

Law360 also quoted James in an article titled “3 International Arbitration Trends To Watch In 2017.”  The article noted that gender diversity amongst arbitrators has been an important focus of the arbitration community in 2016.  James considered that it will “continue to be a big issue” in the new year, and suggested that in addition to counsel taking initiatives to promote diversity, corporate users of arbitration also needed to take action.  To read the Law360 article in its entirety, please click here (a subscription may be required).

James Hosking has 20 years of international dispute resolution experience.  He is a recognized expert in international arbitration, having handled disputes under the rules of all the leading institutions, including ICC, AAA/ICDR, SIAC, LCIA, WIPO, CRCICA and ICSID, as well as the UNCITRAL Rules.  His recent cases have involved international commercial contracts, corporate acquisitions, construction/engineering, insurance and reinsurance, licensing, energy/power projects, JV/shareholder disputes, mining, and investment treaty claims.  James also sits as an arbitrator, having been appointed in arbitrations under the ICC, ICDR, AAA and CRCICA Rules.  He has experience as a sole arbitrator, chairperson, co-arbitrator and emergency arbitrator.

Chaffetz Lindsey Promotes Andrew Poplinger to Counsel

by

January 2017 – Chaffetz Lindsey is pleased to announce that Andrew (Drew) Poplinger has been promoted from Associate to Counsel.

According to Peter Chaffetz, one of the firm’s founding partners, “Drew has made himself an invaluable mainstay of the firm and its success.”

Drew joined Chaffetz Lindsey in 2012 following his clerkship with the Hon. Richard K. Eaton of the U.S. Court of International Trade. He represents clients in insurance/reinsurance disputes, international arbitration and commercial litigation.

“From the beginning Drew has demonstrated great skill, judgment and enthusiasm. He has delivered great service to our clients and is on his way to a distinguished career,” said David Lindsey, also a founding partner.

Admitted to practice in New York and Texas, Drew earned his J.D. from Albany Law School, summa cum laude, in 2006 where he was also Senior Editor for the Albany Law Review. He obtained his B.A. and M.A. in political communication from State University of New York at Albany in 2003.

Chaffetz Lindsey has delivered first tier litigation and arbitration service from a smaller, more client-friendly New York platform since it was founded in 2009. The firm helps American and overseas clients in disputes before US courts and arbitral tribunals around the world.

Who’s Who Legal Recognizes Chaffetz Lindsey’s Arbitration Expertise

by

December 2016 – Chaffetz Lindsey partners David Lindsey, Peter Chaffetz, James Hosking and Aníbal Sabater have been named to the Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration list.  As a mark of the depth of our team, Aníbal and partner Yasmine Lahlou have also been named to the inaugural “Future Leaders – Arbitration” list.

Who’s Who Legal surveys and analyzes the opinions of general counsel and law firm lawyers from around the world to put together a list of practitioners who are considered experts in their practice area.  The “Future Leaders” list was created to recognize partners and non-partners aged 45 or under who are seen as the future leading figures of the international arbitration community.  Who’s Who Legal is a sister publication of the Global Arbitration Review.  David, James and Aníbal have all previously been included in Global Arbitration Review’s “45 Under 45,” a list published every five years to identify authorities in the international arbitration field who are under 45.

Subscribe to Updates

Stay informed of Chaffetz Lindsey’s updates, new articles, and events invitations by subscribing to our mailing list.

Subscribe

Slogan

Where Advocacy Meets Business

Credit

Designed by Knapp Marketing

Address, Phone & Copyright

LinkedIn

Chaffetz Lindsey LLP
1700 Broadway, 33rd Floor
New York, NY 10019
tel: +1 212 257 6960
fax: +1 212 257 6950

©2025 Chaffetz Lindsey LLP
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Slogan

Where Advocacy Meets Business