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Aryeh S. Portnoy

Partner

Overview

Reliability, rigor, responsiveness, and results are why clients have entrusted their legal needs to Aryeh Portnoy. Aryeh’s robust litigation and counseling practice spans industries and continents. He heads Crowell & Moring’s Hospitality Practice and co-chairs its Terrorism Litigation Practice. He also represents companies and higher education institutions in all forms of commercial disputes, and he counsels domestic and non-United States clients in litigation and business matters raising complex questions of sovereign immunity. Companies, sovereign entities, and individuals come to Aryeh with their most complex legal matters, and they rely on him as their outside general counsel to address or channel legal issues as they arise.

Aryeh represents hospitality companies in domestic and international litigation and arbitration matters, including disputes regarding management agreements and development projects, government contract disputes, and class action litigation. He also represents clients across industries in commercial litigation, including post-M&A disputes, securities litigation, and general business disputes. Aryeh regularly litigates on behalf of universities in Title IX and race and sex discrimination matters, and he works closely with clients to identify and implement the best business and legal solutions. Whether pursuing affirmative litigation strategies for early resolution, developing and implementing the best defense, or negotiating settlements, Aryeh’s focus is always on achieving the best and most efficient results.    

For more than two decades, Aryeh has successfully represented hundreds of victims of state-sponsored terrorism in litigation and post-litigation efforts to obtain both recognition and compensation for their injuries and losses. Clients appreciate his relentless pursuit of justice on their behalf in making sure they and their loved ones are never forgotten.  

Clients also rely on Aryeh to counsel them and represent their interests when issues of sovereign immunity arise. He has litigated extensively under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act and counsels sovereign clients, including central banks, on the intersection of sovereign immunity and government business.

Aryeh also is an integral part of Crowell’s recovery practice, including health care recovery matters specifically. Most recently, he served as trial counsel in multiple arbitrations to obtain recovery of substantial funds wrongfully obtained from health plans.

Throughout his career, Aryeh has prioritized giving back to the community. Having handled over 50 contested custody cases on behalf of indigent clients in the District of Columbia, often as guardian ad litem for children, he has worked to help children and families on the path to a better a life. Aryeh’s pro bono custody efforts have been recognized by the Legal Aid Society and the Washington, D.C., chapter of City Year.

Aryeh is a partner in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office.

Career & Education

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    • Columbia University, magna cum laude, 1995
    • New York University School of Law, 1998
    • Columbia University, magna cum laude, 1995
    • New York University School of Law, 1998
    • New York
    • District of Columbia
    • U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
    • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
    • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
    • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Southern District of New York
    • U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
    • New York
    • District of Columbia
    • U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
    • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
    • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
    • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Southern District of New York
    • U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
  • Professional Activities and Memberships

    Professional Activities and Memberships

    • French
    • Hebrew
    • French
    • Hebrew
Being an attorney is about service and trust. Clients need someone who they know will take the call, thoughtfully consider the issue and identify creative solutions, assemble the right team, and deliver the best result. I treat my clients’ legal needs as if they were my own. When ownership and duty meet creativity and experience, that is the path to success.

Aryeh's Insights

Client Alert | 4 min read | 10.23.23

Holding Iran Accountable for Hamas Terrorist Attacks

The world has watched in horror as tragedy has unfolded in Israel because of the brutal terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas.  Nothing can compensate for the devastating loss of life, for the trauma suffered by those injured or kidnapped, or for the grief, sorrow, fear, and anger felt by family members.  For the past twenty-five years, American victims or family members have held Iran accountable in U.S. courts for its sponsorship and support of murderous and terrorist acts like those carried out by Hamas in Israel.  The U.S. legal system may again be a vehicle to hold Iran and its proxies to account today....

Representative Matters

  • Representation of major hotel management company in dispute with Owner over termination of management agreement for Caribbean resort.
  • Representation of a South American Central Bank in litigation with global bank over alleged violations of investment guidelines for securities lending program.
  • Representation of major U.S. energy company in multi-million-dollar tax dispute.
  • Representation of victims of terrorism in FSIA litigation arising from attacks on U.S. embassy and U.S. embassy annex in Beirut, Lebanon.
  • Representation of victims of terrorism in FSIA litigation arising from attack on U.S. embassy in Nairobi, Kenya.
  • Successful representation of CFO in securities fraud class action brought pursuant to the PSLRA.
  • Successful representation of major hotel management company in multi-million dollar dispute over applicability of performance standard in hotel management agreement.
  • Successful representation of major hotel management company in dispute over development of 1,200 room luxury convention-center hotel.
  • Pugh v. Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, et al. (D.D.C.) ($6.1 billion judgment arising from terrorist bombing of UTA 772 in September 1989).
  • Smith v. Hope Village, Inc. , 481 F. Supp.2d 172 (defeating summary judgment motion by DC Halfway House in litigation arising from murder of 9-year old girl by previously released resident).
  • In re Iraq and Afghanistan Detainees Litig. , 479 F. Supp.2d 85 (dismissal of all claims against former Army Brigadier General in litigation arising from war in Iraq).
  • Carney v. United States , 182 Fed. Appx. 295 (affirmance of dismissal of all claims against current and former agents of Office of Thrift Supervision).

Aryeh's Insights

Client Alert | 4 min read | 10.23.23

Holding Iran Accountable for Hamas Terrorist Attacks

The world has watched in horror as tragedy has unfolded in Israel because of the brutal terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas.  Nothing can compensate for the devastating loss of life, for the trauma suffered by those injured or kidnapped, or for the grief, sorrow, fear, and anger felt by family members.  For the past twenty-five years, American victims or family members have held Iran accountable in U.S. courts for its sponsorship and support of murderous and terrorist acts like those carried out by Hamas in Israel.  The U.S. legal system may again be a vehicle to hold Iran and its proxies to account today....

Recognition

  • Law360 Hospitality: Editorial Advisory Board Member, 2015-2016
  • Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia: Klepper Prize for Volunteer Excellence, April 2011
  • Congregation Beth El of Montgomery County: Kavod Award for Distinguished Service, May 2009
  • City Year Idealist of the Year Award, May 2008
  • Crowell & Moring Pro Bono Award, 2005

Aryeh's Insights

Client Alert | 4 min read | 10.23.23

Holding Iran Accountable for Hamas Terrorist Attacks

The world has watched in horror as tragedy has unfolded in Israel because of the brutal terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas.  Nothing can compensate for the devastating loss of life, for the trauma suffered by those injured or kidnapped, or for the grief, sorrow, fear, and anger felt by family members.  For the past twenty-five years, American victims or family members have held Iran accountable in U.S. courts for its sponsorship and support of murderous and terrorist acts like those carried out by Hamas in Israel.  The U.S. legal system may again be a vehicle to hold Iran and its proxies to account today....

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Aryeh's Insights

Client Alert | 4 min read | 10.23.23

Holding Iran Accountable for Hamas Terrorist Attacks

The world has watched in horror as tragedy has unfolded in Israel because of the brutal terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas.  Nothing can compensate for the devastating loss of life, for the trauma suffered by those injured or kidnapped, or for the grief, sorrow, fear, and anger felt by family members.  For the past twenty-five years, American victims or family members have held Iran accountable in U.S. courts for its sponsorship and support of murderous and terrorist acts like those carried out by Hamas in Israel.  The U.S. legal system may again be a vehicle to hold Iran and its proxies to account today....