Charles A. Michael

Partner

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Areas of Work

Commercial Trials & Litigation, Appeals & Advocacy, Securities Enforcement, White-Collar Defense

Overview

Charles Michael is an accomplished commercial litigator who resolutely defends clients in high stakes disputes and arbitrations. He has successfully represented both plaintiffs and defendants in a wide range of business disputes across the country. Charles has considerable experience representing insurance companies in coverage disputes and other commercial litigation, and in representing cryptocurrency clients. He has also represented clients across many sectors in litigation relating to business partnerships that have soured, and litigation following mergers and acquisitions (such as escrow or indemnification disputes).

Charles is also experienced in regulatory and criminal investigations, and represents clients under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Charles is the founder and editor of Steptoe's widely read SDNY Blog, which covers civil litigation and trial practice in the Southern District of New York.

New York

Hon. Edith B. Clement, US Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, 2002-2003
Hon. Victor Marrero, US District Court, Southern District of New York, 2003-2004

J.D., New York University School of Law, 2002, magna cum laude; Order of the Coif
B.A., Cornell University, 1999

Areas of Work

Representative Matters

Represent insurer in $400 million fine art coverage dispute .
Represent insurer in corporate raiding and theft of trade secrets litigation.
Obtained, after a contested hearing, ICDR arbitration award of $50 million in breach of contract dispute between satellite companies.
Defended largest Bitcoin exchange in Martin Act related litigation brought by the New York Attorney General.
Obtained federal court confirmation of a $200 million arbitration award for an international diamond business against the client's former business partners, and pursued collection efforts that resulted in a favorable settlement.
Represent national health insurer in regulatory proceedings relating to opioid crisis.
Represented leading healthcare app developer in commercial contract dispute.
Represent property insurer in dozens of business interruption lawsuits arising from COVID-19.
Obtained dismissal of claims brought by a Singaporean billionaire against a global investment bank over losing currency trades, and successfully enjoined parallel proceedings before the CFTC.
Represented the Korea Deposit Insurance Corporation in efforts to enforce approximately $85 million in judgments against a Korean national with assets in the United States.
Defeated a Japanese billionaire's federal court petition to force a US-based global investment bank to produce, for purposes of a Japanese litigation, extensive discovery from the bank's Japanese broker-dealer.
Represented a private equity firm in a bench trial in which the client obtained a complete victory in a suit seeking $120 million relating to a collateralized debt obligation (CDO) transaction.
Represented clients in various disputes over purchase price calculations in M&A deal documents.
Represented a special servicer in litigation in Delaware over multiple billion-dollar CMBS transactions.
Won numerous lawsuits and appeals seeking to hold a private equity firm responsible for its portfolio companies' liabilities as an alter ego.

Speaking Engagements

"Fundamentals of Taking and Defending Depositions," Practising Law Institute, March 10, 2017
"Fundamentals of Taking and Defending Depositions," Practising Law Institute, July 1, 2015