The securities litigation practice at Dentons is ‘very thorough and successful', who praise New York-based practice head Sandra Hauser, global co-head of financial services Douglas Henkin and co-chair of the global compliance and investigations practice David Kornblau. The firm is adept in navigating high-profile litigation and SEC disputes, a prime example being its work for Terraform Labs and its co-founder Do Kwon, which comprised the defense of an SEC action, and the defeat of a proposed class action concerning the stablecoin TerraUSD (UST), the cryptocurrency Luna, and its decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms Mirror Protocol and Anchor Protocol. Kornblau and Henkin took the lead in those matters. Chicago-based Stephen Senderowitz is another standout practitioner. Working with Hauser, he is currently representing CIBC in a securities fraud and market manipulation suit. Securities class action specialist Kenneth Pfaehler in Washington DC is also highly recommended.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Very thorough and has been successful in this dispute.'

Key clients

  • Terraform Labs and Do Kwon
  • First American Title Insurance Company
  • Constellation Network
  • Cantor Fitzgerald
  • CIBC World Markets
  • electroCore, Inc., its directors and two founding investors
  • Innocoll Holdings PLC
  • New York Life Insurance and NYLIFE Securities

Work highlights

  • Currently defending our clients in an action brought by the SEC that is scheduled for trial in January, 2024 in the Southern District of New York before Judge Jed Rakoff. Successfully defeated class action litigation in 2023 in the Northern District of California, related to the same issues.
  • Successfully defended San Francisco–based Constellation Network in one of the first investor class actions filed following the 2021 “cryptopocalypse,” Morgan et al v. Constellation Network, Inc. et al. At issue was Constellation’s issuance of two cryptocurrency tokens. The plaintiffs alleged more than 10 causes of action involving complicated issues related to cryptocurrency initial coin offerings (ICOs) and the cryptocurrency secondary market.
  • Completely vindicated long-time bioelectronic medicine and wellness client electroCore in securities class actions over the company’s 2018 initial public offering brought in the federal and state courts of New Jersey. The United States District for the District of New Jersey recently dismissed a second amended class action complaint, permitting the plaintiff thirty days to try to amend her complaint for a third time, while warning that “while the Plaintiff can change the words of the Complaint, Plaintiff cannot change the words of the Prospectus” written by Dentons Venture Technology partners. The Plaintiff decided not to replead or appeal.

Lawyers

Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Sandy Hauser

Other key lawyers

Stephen Senderowitz, Kenneth Pfaehler, Douglas Henkin, David Kornblau