Directors and Officers (D&O)

Defending Director and Officer Liability Lawsuits

In today’s challenging economic times, corporate directors and officers are increasingly at risk for becoming targets of legal claims and lawsuits. Officers and directors can be personally sued by shareholders, customers, members of the public, employees and other parties for allegedly negligent or wrongful actions performed as part of their corporate duties. Beyond the threat of legal exposure and liability, these types of lawsuits have the potential to destroy an individual’s reputation and career.

The lawyers in KDV’s Commercial Litigation Practice understand the challenges of these types of claims. Our lawyers counsel and defend directors and officers in state and federal courts across the nation as well as in arbitrations and other ADR proceedings. Our experienced team of commercial litigation lawyers are committed to successfully resolving these claims in a timely and cost-efficient manner.

Litigating a Wide Range of D&O Liability Cases

The attorneys at KDV defend clients in a broad range of complex, high stakes D&O liability cases. Our practice includes:

Representation of directors and officers in shareholder derivative suits alleging breach of fiduciary duties, fraud, corporate waste and other causes of actions.

Representation of directors and officers in connection with shareholder litigation (including class actions) relating to securities offerings which allege causes of action under federal and state law.

Representation of officers and directors in commercial, securities and bankruptcy litigation in which officers and directors are named individually, including claims relating to “piercing the corporate veil.”

Representation of college trustees in cases alleging violation of college policies.

In every case that we handle our attorneys work to quickly and accurately evaluate the issues so that we can build a solid plan of defense. We appreciate how disruptive accusations and legal actions against officers and directors can be and we focus on bringing these matters to a swift and favorable conclusion. Our lawyers aim to settle these cases at the earliest possible stage when early resolution is in the best interest of our clients. When a compromise is inadvisable or unattainable, our attorneys are fully prepared to litigate the matter in court. We are recognized as first-rate trial lawyers who know how to aggressively prepare and argue complex D&O cases before judges and juries.

ATTORNEY NAME	POSITION	OFFICE
Edward Patrick Abbott Edward Patrick Abbott Attorney View Bio	Attorney	Hackensack, New Jersey
Gregg Breitbart Gregg Breitbart Co-Managing Partner - Florida Office Co-Chair, Financial Services Practice Group View Bio	Co-Managing Partner - Florida Office Co-Chair, Financial Services Practice Group	Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Barry Z. Brodsky Barry Z. Brodsky Co-Managing Partner – Los Angeles Office View Bio	Co-Managing Partner – Los Angeles Office	Los Angeles, California
Daniel H. Brody Daniel H. Brody Partner View Bio	Partner	New York, New York
Catherine Casavant Catherine Casavant Attorney View Bio	Attorney	New York, New York
Louie H. Castoria Louie H. Castoria Partner & Co-Chair, Professional Liability/E&O Practice Group View Bio	Partner & Co-Chair, Professional Liability/E&O Practice Group	San Francisco, California
Katherine S. Catlos Katherine S. Catlos Managing Partner – San Francisco Office Diversity & Inclusion Committee Member View Bio	Managing Partner – San Francisco Office Diversity & Inclusion Committee Member	San Francisco, California
Tad A. Devlin Tad A. Devlin Partner View Bio	Partner	San Francisco, California
Avery A. Dial Avery A. Dial Partner View Bio	Partner	Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Ivan J. Dolowich Ivan J. Dolowich Co-Managing Partner of Kaufman Dolowich & Voluck Co-Chair of Insurance Coverage & Litigation Practice Group Diversity & Inclusion Committee Member View Bio	Co-Managing Partner of Kaufman Dolowich & Voluck Co-Chair of Insurance Coverage & Litigation Practice Group Diversity & Inclusion Committee Member	Woodbury, New York
Eileen M. Ficaro Eileen M. Ficaro Partner View Bio	Partner	Blue Bell, Pennsylvania
Gregory S. Hyman Gregory S. Hyman Co-Managing Partner, Pennsylvania Offices Co-Chair, Professional Liability/E&O Practice Group View Bio	Co-Managing Partner, Pennsylvania Offices Co-Chair, Professional Liability/E&O Practice Group	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania , Blue Bell, Pennsylvania , Hackensack, New Jersey
Kevin M. Mattessich Kevin M. Mattessich Co-Chair Insurance Coverage & Litigation Practice Group View Bio	Co-Chair Insurance Coverage & Litigation Practice Group	New York, New York
Adam M. Nicolazzo Adam M. Nicolazzo Attorney View Bio	Attorney	Woodbury, New York
Ellen R. Storch Ellen R. Storch Partner Co-Chair of KDV’s Women’s Initiative Diversity & Inclusion Committee Member View Bio	Partner Co-Chair of KDV’s Women’s Initiative Diversity & Inclusion Committee Member	Woodbury, New York
Anna María Tejada Anna María Tejada Partner Director of NJ Labor & Employment Group & Co-Chair of KDV’s Women’s Initiative Diversity & Inclusion Committee Member View Bio	Partner Director of NJ Labor & Employment Group & Co-Chair of KDV’s Women’s Initiative Diversity & Inclusion Committee Member	Hackensack, New Jersey
Andrew J. Waxler Andrew J. Waxler Co-Managing Partner – Los Angeles Office Co-Chair of Insurance Coverage & Litigation Practice Group View Bio	Co-Managing Partner – Los Angeles Office Co-Chair of Insurance Coverage & Litigation Practice Group	Los Angeles, California