David N. Luder

David Luder is the firm’s managing partner.  He maintains a nationwide arbitration and litigation practice covering a broad spectrum of industries and disputes.  A key focus of David’s practice is financial services arbitration and litigation.  He regularly represents domestic and international broker-dealers, cryptocurrency exchanges, banks, hedge funds and registered investment advisors in arbitrations across the country and institutional clients and individuals before regulatory bodies at all stages.  David also represents European clients in commercial and regulatory matters in connection with their U.S. business interests as well as their international matters.  He serves on the AAA Roster of Commercial and Consumer Arbitrators.

David holds full law degrees from Northwestern University School of Law, Chicago, and the University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. He began his career with one of the top firms in Zurich, Switzerland, where he maintained a broad cross-border arbitration and litigation practice with a heavy focus on the financial services industry.  Prior to joining the firm, he practiced as an associate in the international arbitration and securities litigation groups of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, in New York.  David clerked at both the trial and appellate level, with clerkships at the District Court of Zurich, in Zurich, Switzerland (in German) and at the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, in New Orleans.  David repeatedly has been selected to The Best Lawyers in America and as a Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation.  He also has been named to Lawdragon: 500 Leading Litigators in America the past three years.

David is a dual citizen of both the United States and Switzerland.  Born and (mostly) raised in Zurich, Switzerland, David retains a keen interest in European business and political affairs.  David is fluent in English, German, and French.

• Representing or represented clients in several 100 arbitrations under the auspices of the American Arbitration Association (International Dispute Resolution Procedures of the International Centre for Dispute Resolution, the Commercial Arbitration Rules, the Consumer Arbitration Rules, and the Construction Industry Arbitration Rules), FINRA Dispute Resolution, the International Chamber of Commerce, the JAMS Comprehensive Arbitration Rules & Procedures, and the Zurich Chamber of Commerce (Swiss Arbitration Rules).
• Act as lead counsel in several consumer arbitration dockets across the country in close coordination with in-house and other outside counsel.
• Represented as first chair and obtained full defense award in favor of crypto exchange in a $1.5M AAA consumer arbitration involving EFTA, fraud, negligence and breach of contract claims by customer.
• Represented as first chair and obtained full defense award in favor of national registered investment advisor in a $10M AAA commercial arbitration involving breach of contract, business torts and discrimination claims by former advisor.
• Representing financial services conglomerate in a variety of FINRA arbitrations arising out of fixed income products under the FINRA Rules.
• Representing and represented European individuals and financial services clients in pre-arbitration disputes and litigation before state and federal courts across the country, as well as cross-border regulatory and compliance matters.
• Representing or represented individual and institutional clients in regulatory, enforcement and litigation matters involving the sale and marketing of cryptocurrencies.
• Represented broker-dealer in dozens of FINRA arbitrations across the U.S. arising out of the sale of proprietary mutual funds in connection with alleged losses arising out of the credit crisis.
• Represented broker-dealer in securities litigation arising out of failed hedge funds with approximately $300 – $400 million in alleged damages.
• Represented senior executive of national broker-dealer in SEC and FINRA regulatory and enforcement proceedings and civil litigation arising out of the multi-billion-dollar Allen Stanford Ponzi scheme.
• Participated in the defense of several large financial institutions in multi-billion-dollar securities litigations arising out of the subprime crisis in the New York federal courts resulting in a series of favorable settlements.

David is a member of the New York City Bar Association, the Louisiana State Bar Association, and the New Orleans Bar Association. Throughout his career, he has participated in pro bono efforts involving a broad array of topics with a particular focus on indigent post-trial relief efforts in state and federal courts.

Presentations

• “Traps in U.S. Litigation,” Europa Institut, Zurich, Switzerland (October 14, 2016)

• Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, New York
• Meyer Muller Eckert Partners (now MME Legal Tax Compliance), Zurich