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 is a…
Read MoreSandy Litvack is a litigator who is comfortable in both the courtroom and the boardroom.
As the former general counsel of the Walt Disney Company and a fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, Sandy understands legal problems from the standpoint of both the trial lawyer and the corporate client. Also, having served as Chief of Corporate Operations for Disney, as well the Vice Chairman of its Board of Directors, he brings a rare combination of business skills and trial experience to each case and issue presented.
Although he has tried virtually every kind of corporate issue, Sandy’s substantive experience has been in the antitrust area, where he served as Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice under President Carter. In addition, he was selected by President George W. Bush to serve as a member of the Antitrust Modernization Commission.
Because of his boardroom experience, Sandy is often called upon to advise directors and lead internal investigations. As a former member of the boards of directors of Disney and Hewlett Packard, among others, he has first-hand experience, from the standpoint of a director, in dealing with sensitive issues and investigations. As a result, he is a key resource for companies embarking on these kinds of difficult issues.
His ability to view every issue with the background of a general counsel, a businessman, a director and a trial lawyer gives Sandy a unique advantage in analyzing and approaching the cases and problems presented.
Representative Matters
- Represented entertainment companies in major copyright and trademark cases, including claims under the Lanham Act and common law.
- Represented DHL Airways (now ASTAR) in a life-and-death struggle to retain its operating certificate as an air carrier, against FedEx and UPS.
- Represented an accounting firm in a suit claiming that the audit work performed did not comply with applicable auditing and accounting standards.
- Represented several former officers and directors of a bankrupt insurance company in claims by the commissioner of insurance.
- Represented an auto company in defending a claim of antitrust violations by one of its dealers.
Education
- LL.B., Georgetown University, 1959
- B.A., University of Connecticut, 1956
Admissions
- New York
- California
- District of Columbia Court of Appeals
- Virginia
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 6th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 10th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 3rd Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Central District of California
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
- U.S. Supreme Court