Holwell Shuster & Goldberg is widely revered as one of the preeminent litigation boutiques both in New York City’s congested market and nationally. Peers and clients stand united as admirers of the firm’s approach and litigation acumen. One client cheers the firm’s “client service, talent, bench strength, advocacy, professionalism and strategy.” A New York contemporary, meanwhile, voices respect for Holwell Shuster’s “top-to-bottom culture,” noting “a level of litigation excellence from the senior people to the up-and-comers – just a strong command and dedication.”
Continuing to serve at the forefront of the firm’s team, founding partner
Michael Shuster year after year cements his position further as a complex commercial authority, including landing himself a coveted position among Benchmark’s Top 100 Trial Lawyers in America. Among the most active of Holwell’s litigators, Shuster continues to offer representation to regular client Visa in numerous complex and long-running antitrust matters, both in the class-action and opt-out capacities. In the opt-out cases, the country’s leading merchants are challenging credit and debit card rules that go to the heart of the industry and seeking billions of dollars in damages, pre-trebling. Meanwhile, a putative equitable relief class on behalf of all merchants across the nation is seeking broad-ranging changes to Visa’s business model. In September 2018, the defendants reached a historic $5.6 billion settlement with one of the putative classes of merchants. An appeal was briefed in 2020 and argued in 2022, and in March 2023, the Second Circuit of New York upheld the now $5.6 billion antitrust class-action settlement with more than 12 million retailers. Shuster also currently serves as nationwide lead trial and appellate counsel to Chubb Ltd in all of the several insurance cases filed by pharmaceuticals titans – such as those filed by AmerisourceBergen, McKesson, and Rite Aid – as they seek insurance coverage from Chubb under unprecedented theories in connection with the widely reported opioid liability litigation currently unfolding in jurisdictions around the country.
Shuster is supported on these matters by partners
Blair Kaminsky and Daniel Sullivan. One client weighs in, “Michael Shuster is an excellent trial attorney who is supported by the legal expertise of Blair and Daniel.” Another says, “Daniel Sullivan is a well-respected insurance defense attorney handling complex legal issues involved with the opioid declaratory judgment litigation for Chubb. Dan prepared successful legal briefs, prepared, deposed, and cross-examined corporate and expert witnesses, preserved and argued appellate issues, and made compelling arguments during hearings, motions, and at trial.”
Greg Dubinsky served as lead counsel for the National Basketball Association in an antitrust suit brought by a person denied the opportunity to qualify as a player agent. The plaintiff in this case claimed that the NBA and the league’s players union violated the antitrust laws by barring him from taking an online exam for individuals attempting to be player agents.
Two partners making their respective debuts as future stars in this edition,
Scott Danner and Priyanka Timblo,
secured a $70 million win on behalf of investment fund client Melody Business Finance in a case involving loans defaulted on by former hedge fund billionaire Philip Falcone and several entities owned or controlled by him. In this high-profile case, filed shortly before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, the firm’s team represents Melody as plaintiff in various litigations and out-of-court foreclosures resulting from defaults under several loan agreements secured by collateral that includes multimillion-dollar luxury mansions, a collection of fine art – including paintings by Warhol and Degas – and jewellery. Timblo is championed by a client as “incredibly talented, driven, hungry, smart, dedicated, and hard working.”
