New York (HedgeCo.net) – In light of the new hedge fund regulatory changes, London-based Stewarts Law LLP, a Top 100 law firm and the UK’s largest litigation-only firm, has today announced the launch of Stewarts Law US LLP with offices in New York and Delaware.
Stewarts Law confirmed the appointment of litigators David Straite and Ralph Sianni as US Partners and Executive Committee Members of the US LLP.
The US practice will initially focus on investor protection litigation, including securities litigation, corporate governance and alternative entity litigation, as well as antitrust and commercial litigation. Other practice areas are likely to follow.
David and Ralph have represented some of the largest institutional investors in the United States and Europe in all aspects of investor protection litigation including hedge fund disputes, shareholder derivative actions and securities class actions.
David has worked in both the New York office of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and the Delaware office of Grant & Eisenhofer P.A., and is a graduate of Tulane and Villanova. Ralph is a graduate of Yale, Penn and Boston University, and also worked in G&E’s Delaware office. David will be resident in the New York office and head the new Investor Protection Litigation department. Ralph will manage the US offices and will be based in Delaware.
The US team is expected to be immediately involved in a number of heavyweight cases including: In re: Facebook Internet Tracking Litigation (N.D. Cal.); Peters v. JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd., et al. (S.D.N.Y.); Schad v. Harbinger Capital Partners LLC, et al. (S.D.N.Y.); and In re: Advance America Shareholders Litigation (Del. Chancery).
John Cahill, UK Managing Partner of Stewarts Law and Chairman of the US Executive Committee said, “I am delighted that David Straite and Ralph Sianni have agreed to lead the US practice. The opening of a US practice is an important strategic step for us. Expansion to the US will increase our global reach and international litigation capability.”
He added, “Our US practice will bridge a cultural gap for UK and European clients litigating in the US Courts. We will continue to work closely with those US firms who have a proven track record in our chosen specialisations. We plan to remain litigation-only, highly specialist, and conflict-free.”
David Straite commented, “Stewarts Law is an excellent fit and will enable Ralph and me to deliver outstanding litigation capability in the US for both UK and European institutional investor and corporate clients. We hope to provide a new voice for UK and European investors in the US courts.”
