John N. Orsini

John Orsini is a seasoned trial lawyer representing and advising major public companies, private firms, entrepreneurs, and high-ranking executives in the financial services, technology, aerospace, hospitality, non-profit, and other industries. He represents clients as plaintiffs and defendants in complex business and financial disputes in federal and state trial and appellate courts, and before FINRA, AAA, the ICC, and other arbitral tribunals. He excels in understanding and effectively conveying clients’ positions and advocating for legal solutions that advance their business objectives.

John’s matters involve diverse issues and claims, including breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, securities fraud, and business divorces. He has represented a number of companies and individuals in connection with the movement among firms of high-producing financial services professionals and other employees, including in emergency hearings for immediate injunctive relief. He also regularly counsels clients pre-litigation concerning strengths and weaknesses of potential claims and defenses, and he has successfully resolved numerous disputes through mediation.

Representative Matters

• Lead trial counsel in a recent S.D.N.Y. bench trial on behalf of the founder of the leading United States aerospace supplier management company in an eight-figure earn-out dispute arising from the sale of his company to an international transportation industry servicer conglomerate.
• Trial counsel in a five-month New Jersey state court jury trial, one of the longest in the court’s history, defending a prominent financial services company against billion-dollar claims of civil racketeering and unfair competition. John cross-examined more than ten witnesses, including plaintiff’s CEO. The court ultimately dismissed plaintiff’s civil racketeering claims after the close of evidence, and the case settled favorably while the jury was deliberating.
• Trial counsel for one of the world’s most prominent inter-dealer brokerage firms in eight consolidated FINRA arbitrations, defending against claims of “raiding,” unfair competition, breach of non-competition and non-solicitation agreements, misappropriation of trade secrets, and other business torts. The panel ultimately awarded plaintiffs a fraction of the damages they sought, and awarded significant damages to employees hired by the client.
• Trial counsel at a lengthy FINRA arbitration hearing on behalf of a C-suite executive at a global Wall Street investment bank over his executive compensation.
• Representation of one of the largest proprietary trading firms in the world in litigations regarding SPAC and PIPE transactions and other securities related disputes.
• Representation of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation as Receiver for Signature Bank, First Republic Bank, and Republic First Bank in numerous civil litigations in which plaintiffs asserted breach of contract, tort, and statutory claims arising from alleged pre-failure conduct at each bank.
• Representation of a leading waste and recycling solutions provider in a multimillion-dollar fee dispute with a global investment bank arising from the bank’s underwriting of a SPAC IPO and involvement in the de-SPAC business combination transaction.
• Representation of high-ranking financial service professionals and their employers in state and federal courts and arbitral tribunals regarding post-termination restrictive covenants and misappropriation claims, and the forfeiture of vested incentive and carry rights. A notable example included an emergency preliminary evidentiary hearing in federal court, at the conclusion of which the court vacated a TRO previously entered against the clients, denied the former employer’s motion for a preliminary injunction, and later affirmed both decisions on plaintiff's motion for reconsideration.
• Defense of current and former senior public company executives against class action claims of securities fraud and control person liability, including a successful motion to dismiss all securities fraud claims against a client and the defeat of class plaintiff’s subsequent motion to amend the complaint to reinstate claims.
• Representation of an Ad Hoc Committee of First Lienholders in the Frontier Communications Corporation Chapter 11 bankruptcy, opposing the debtors’ proposed DIP financing that would have improperly primed our client group’s liens.
• Representation of a leading medical device innovator in litigation against an investment bank related to a dispute arising from a fund-raising engagement letter.
• Representation of the principals of a real estate investment firm in a breach of contract action asserting claims against a large hedge fund relating to the parties’ agreement to release each other from legal claims relating to potential transactions with another party.
• Representation of a major NYC-based operator of award-winning restaurants in New York and elsewhere in disputes with landlords, employees, insurers, and partners.
• Representation of a well-known toy inventor in litigation over restrictive covenants that were terms of his sale of his company to a leading toy manufacturer.
• Representation of hedge funds in asserting securities fraud and negligence claims seeking to recover $116 million in losses from Madoff feeder funds’ management and their accountants.