Overview
Adam B. Weiss is a complex commercial litigation partner who represents and advises financial services, law firm, e-commerce, and other clients in high-stakes and sensitive litigations and investigations.
He has extensive experience leading teams handing clients’ most important matters at all stages in federal and state courts nationwide, as both plaintiff and defendant, to and through trial, as well as leading clients’ most sensitive internal investigations.
Adam has represented and advised Wall Street banks, broker dealers, asset managers, investment firms, and other financial institutions in connection with substantial (including multibillion-dollar) claims and investigations arising out of the purchase, sale and trading of complex financial products, contractual disputes, warranty issues, allegations of fraud and misdealing, securities law issues, mergers and acquisitions, and related matters.
In addition, he has deep experience representing and advising clients across a range of industries in a variety of other areas, with particular focus on representing law firms in professional liability and other of their most sensitive matters, as well as e-commerce and other companies in unfair competition and false advertising matters.
Adam is a co-chair of the firm’s associate review committee.
He is actively involved in his community and, in his free time, enjoys spending time with his two daughters and rooting for all things Boston sports.
Experience
Financial Services Litigation and Investigations
Recent representative matters handled by Adam include:
A prominent national broker-dealer, as plaintiff, in obtaining a full victory at summary judgment, on the eve of trial, in a precedent-setting Uniform Commercial Code warranty matter against a regional bank.
Multiple financial institutions in sensitive internal investigations arising out of allegations of potential misconduct or misdealing in connection with the origination, purchase, sale, or trading of complex financial products or instruments.
Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, First Franklin Financial Corporation, Wells Fargo and other entities in numerous cases brought by securitization trustees, bond insurers, and others seeking billions of dollars on claims arising out of the purchase and sale of mortgage-backed securities, including Bank of America in a $10 billion lawsuit brought by American International Group (AIG) alleging fraud in connection with AIG’s investments in residential mortgage-backed securities.
Multiple financial institutions in connection with favorable settlements with private parties and government regulators of threatened claims related to the issuance of complex financial products.
A hedge fund manager in connection with a number of disputes, including arbitration, with his partners, resulting in a client-favorable resolution.
Other Complex Commercial Disputes and Counseling
Recent representative matters handled by Adam include:
Susman Godfrey LLP, in challenging a presidential executive order revoking security clearances for its employees, restricting its access to federal government buildings and federal government officials, and instructing federal agencies to terminate federal contracts with the firm and its clients. Adam was one of the leaders of the team that brought suit on behalf of Susman Godfrey within 48 hours of issuance of the executive order and, immediately thereafter, successfully obtained a ruling enjoining its implementation and enforcement.
Numerous nonprofits, AmLaw 100 law firms, and other entities – advising, on a confidential basis, in preparing for potential challenges, and managing their internal responses, to presidential executive orders or other adverse executive action.
FIGS, a medical apparel company, and its co-founders against Lanham Act false advertising, intentional interference, California Unfair Competition Law, and California False Advertising Law claims brought by the industry incumbent, resulting in a full and complete defense verdict following a three-week federal jury trial, which achieved American Lawyer Litigator of the Week Runner-Up recognition and designation by the Daily Journal as a Top Defense Verdict of the year.
A leading private university against putative class action claims alleging false advertising and unfair competition in the marketing of certain online degree programs.
A global business services and solutions company in litigation arising out of the sale of part of its business to a privately held investment firm, including as counterclaim plaintiff in advancing more than $70 million in counterclaims.
More
- Member, Board of Trustees, John Thomas Dye School.
- Member, Board of Directors, Teach Democracy (f/k/a Constitutional Rights Foundation)
- Member, Leadership Council, Public Counsel
- Leader, Los Angeles Working Group for the American Bar Association’s Judicial Intern Opportunity Program
- Past Co-Chair, Federal Practice Task Force of the American Bar Association’s Section of Litigation, 2019-2022
Publications
- Co-author, “4 Paths to Defending Calif. Unfair Competition Claims,” Law360, June 14, 2023
