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Alan Levine is a partner in the Commercial Litigation, Securities Litigation and White Collar & Regulatory practice groups of the Firm's Litigation department, and he is partner in charge of the New York office. Mr. Levine serves on both the Executive Committee and Management Committee for the Firm. He joined Kronish Lieb Weiner & Hellman LLP in 1980, which was merged into Cooley Godward Kronish LLP in 2006. He is resident in the New York office, and he currently serves as Chair of the Board of The Legal Aid Society.
For nearly 30 years, Mr. Levine has represented individuals and companies in complex civil, criminal and regulatory matters. Mr. Levine has successfully tried numerous civil and criminal cases and appeared in federal and state courts throughout the country.
Recognized by the New York Law Journal for his prominence and experience in litigating cases involving complex financial transactions, Mr. Levine represented Sumitomo Corporation for five years in the well-publicized derivative copper trading scandal, commencing and successfully resolving multi-million dollar fraud claims against major financial institutions, and defending antitrust claims arising out of the scandal.
In the aftermath of the Enron bankruptcy, St. Paul Fire and Marine Company and Travelers Indemnity Company turned to Mr. Levine to defend them against claims made by JPMorgan Chase on surety bonds issued with respect to Enron's structured commodities business. Ultimately, JPMorgan Chase's claims totaling $1 billion were tried against nine of the nation's largest insurance companies with Mr. Levine as lead trial counsel. The case was settled following Mr. Levine's summation on terms favorable to his clients. Mr. Levine has also handled a number of litigations involving derivative trading practices and structured transactions for institutions such as Allied Irish Bank, Goldman Sachs, the former Republic National Bank of New York and hedge funds in the distressed transaction markets.
In addition, Mr. Levine has extensive experience representing clients in major government investigations conducted by federal and state grand juries, the SEC, and other regulatory agencies. Public companies, private companies and individuals in sensitive situations – some leading to litigation, some not – have retained Mr. Levine to analyze, solve, settle or litigate their matters to resolution. For example, in the 2004-2005 investigations into allegations of fraud and bid rigging in the insurance industry, Mr. Levine guided a major public company through subpoenas and potential litigation in 20 states without any charges being filed.
In the last several years, Mr. Levine has served as special counsel to Audit Committees directing investigations of accounting and transactional issues in conjunction with public accounting firms.
Recently, Mr. Levine has been engaged by numerous hedge funds dealing with SEC enforcement matters, internal investigations and litigation arising out of trading activities and proprietary investments. Over the years, Mr. Levine has represented clients in insider trading investigations, including a Goldman Sachs economist charged with trading on the termination of Treasury's 30-year bond. He has handled numerous criminal bank and tax fraud cases, including a three-month trial of a tax shelter promoter resulting in an acquittal. He successfully represented a senior executive of GAF Corporation through three trials and an appeal, and defended Con Edison Company when it was charged with environmental crimes. He has appeared in public corruption cases, including the successful defense at trial of a New York State Senate administrative aide on perjury charges, and has guided clients through criminal antitrust investigations involving many industries, including oil futures trading, car sales, food processing and linen supply.
Mr. Levine served for eight years (1998-2006) as Managing Partner of Kronish Lieb Weiner & Hellman LLP, a premier, 110-lawyer firm in Manhattan. Prior to joining Kronish Lieb, Mr. Levine served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York, where he played a key role in the investigation and prosecution of union corruption on the New York City waterfront.
He graduated from New York University School of Law, where he was a member of the Law Review. Mr. Levine earned his B.S. from University of Pennsylvania.
A Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, Mr. Levine has repeatedly been recognized by his peers, having been asked to assume leadership roles over his career in the American College of Trial Lawyers, The Legal Aid Society, the American Bar Association and the New York State Bar Association. In 2003, he was called upon to represent the Legal Services Corporation in a landmark case involving federal legal services funding, which he argued before the United States Supreme Court.
Mr. Levine is listed in Chambers USA – America's Leading Business Lawyers, New York Magazine – The New York Area's Best Lawyers, The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers, The International Who's Who of Commercial Litigators, Who's Who in American Law, Who's Who Legal, New York Super Lawyers and The Best Lawyers in America, as well as Who's Who in America.
In 2007, Chambers said of Mr. Levine, "...'standout' trial lawyer who demonstrates 'trademark panache and insight' in court. To a diet of high-profile work that includes representing individuals and institutions in complex civil, criminal and regulatory matters, he has added the prestigious position of chair of the Legal Aid Society."
Mr. Levine has long been active in civic and community affairs. He was named by former Governor George Pataki to serve as a member of the New York State Commission on Public Authority Reform, and in 2007 was elected as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Legal Aid Society. He is also a Board member of the Jewish Theological Seminary.
Mr. Levine has received numerous awards for his contributions including The Pro Bono Award from the Legal Aid Society, The Torch of Learning Award from American Friends of the Hebrew University and The Human Relations Award from the Anti-Defamation League. In 2006, the Police Athletic League honored Mr. Levine with The Robert M. Morgenthau Award for being "a tireless advocate for the community."
Mr. Levine is admitted to practice in New York.
Education- New York University School of Law
JD, 1973 - University of Pennsylvania
BS, 1970
Court Admissions
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
- United States Supreme Court
Admissions
Memberships
- American Bar Association
- American College of Trial Lawyers
- Legal Aid Society
- New York State Bar Association
- New York State Commission on Public Authority Reform
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