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
Mary Jo Barry Mary Jo Barry Co-Managing Partner, New York City Office View Bio	Co-Managing Partner, New York City Office	New York, New York
Robert A. Berns Robert A. Berns Partner View Bio	Partner	Hackensack, New Jersey
Christopher D. Blum Christopher D. Blum Of Counsel View Bio	Of Counsel	Chicago, Illinois
Gregg Breitbart Gregg Breitbart Co-Managing Partner - Florida Offices Co-Chair of Financial Services Practice Group View Bio	Co-Managing Partner - Florida Offices Co-Chair of 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
David T. Brown David T. Brown Partner Co-Chair of Insurance Coverage & Litigation Practice Group View Bio	Partner Co-Chair of Insurance Coverage & Litigation Practice Group	Chicago, Illinois
Catherine Casavant Catherine Casavant Attorney View Bio	Attorney	New York, New York
Louie H. Castoria Louie H. Castoria Partner Co-Chair of Professional Liability Practice Group View Bio	Partner Co-Chair of Professional Liability Practice Group	San Francisco, California
Katherine S. Catlos Katherine S. Catlos Partner, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer View Bio	Partner, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer	San Francisco, California
Stefan R. Dandelles Stefan R. Dandelles Co-Managing Partner – Chicago Office Chair of Fidelity & Surety Practice Group View Bio	Co-Managing Partner – Chicago Office Chair of Fidelity & Surety Practice Group	Chicago, Illinois
Michael V. DeSantis Michael V. DeSantis Partner View Bio	Partner	Woodbury, New York
Tad A. Devlin Tad A. Devlin Partner View Bio	Partner	San Francisco, California
Avery A. Dial Avery A. Dial Partner Diversity & Inclusion Committee Member View Bio	Partner Diversity & Inclusion Committee Member	Fort Lauderdale, Florida , Tampa, Florida
Ivan J. Dolowich Ivan J. Dolowich Co-Managing Partner of Kaufman Dolowich & Voluck Diversity & Inclusion Committee Member View Bio	Co-Managing Partner of Kaufman Dolowich & Voluck Diversity & Inclusion Committee Member	Woodbury, New York
Eileen M. Ficaro Eileen M. Ficaro Partner View Bio	Partner	Blue Bell, Pennsylvania
David J. Gittines David J. Gittines Attorney View Bio	Attorney	Hackensack, New Jersey
Craig Glasser Craig Glasser Of Counsel View Bio	Of Counsel	Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Vincent S. Green Vincent S. Green Partner View Bio	Partner	Los Angeles, California
Barbara L. Harris Chiang Barbara L. Harris Chiang Partner Diversity & Inclusion Committee Member View Bio	Partner Diversity & Inclusion Committee Member	San Francisco, California
Gregory S. Hyman Gregory S. Hyman Co-Managing Partner, Pennsylvania Offices View Bio	Co-Managing Partner, Pennsylvania Offices	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania , Blue Bell, Pennsylvania , Hackensack, New Jersey
Christen Kalkanis Christen Kalkanis Attorney View Bio	Attorney	New York, New York
Michael A. Kaufman Michael A. Kaufman Co-Managing Partner of Kaufman Dolowich & Voluck Diversity and Inclusion Committee Member View Bio	Co-Managing Partner of Kaufman Dolowich & Voluck Diversity and Inclusion Committee Member	Woodbury, New York
Patrick M. Kennell Patrick M. Kennell Partner Co-Chair of Insurance Coverage & Litigation Practice Group View Bio	Partner Co-Chair of Insurance Coverage & Litigation Practice Group	New York, New York
Bruce S. Liebman Bruce S. Liebman Co-Managing Partner of Florida Offices Co-Chair of Labor & Employment Law Practice Group View Bio	Co-Managing Partner of Florida Offices Co-Chair of Labor & Employment Law Practice Group	Fort Lauderdale, Florida , Tampa, Florida
Kevin M. Mattessich Kevin M. Mattessich KDV General Counsel View Bio	KDV General Counsel	New York, New York
Samuel B. Menaged Samuel B. Menaged Attorney View Bio	Attorney	Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Adam M. Nicolazzo Adam M. Nicolazzo Attorney View Bio	Attorney	Woodbury, New York
Anthony J. Proscia Anthony J. Proscia Partner View Bio	Partner	New York, New York
Ross D. Roloff Ross D. Roloff Of Counsel View Bio	Of Counsel	Chicago, Illinois
Brett A. Scher Brett A. Scher Partner Chair of Professional Liability Practice Group View Bio	Partner Chair of Professional Liability Practice Group	New York, New York , Woodbury, New York
Robert S. Silver Robert S. Silver Partner View Bio	Partner	Chicago, Illinois
Lucas Sun Lucas Sun Attorney View Bio	Attorney	Chicago, Illinois
Anna María Tejada Anna María Tejada Partner Co-Chair of Labor & Employment Law Practice Group Co-Chair of KDV’s Women’s Initiative Diversity & Inclusion Committee Member View Bio	Partner Co-Chair of Labor & Employment Law Practice Group Co-Chair of KDV’s Women’s Initiative Diversity & Inclusion Committee Member	Hackensack, New Jersey , New York, New York
Christopher J. Tellner Christopher J. Tellner Partner View Bio	Partner	Blue Bell, Pennsylvania
Rita Y. Wang Rita Y. Wang Attorney View Bio	Attorney	New York, New York
Andrew J. Waxler Andrew J. Waxler Co-Managing Partner – Los Angeles Office View Bio	Co-Managing Partner – Los Angeles Office	Los Angeles, California
Michael L. Zigelman Michael L. Zigelman Co-Managing Partner of New York City Office Chair of General Liability Coverage Practice Group View Bio	Co-Managing Partner of New York City Office Chair of General Liability Coverage Practice Group	New York, New York