Josh Sohn

Partner

Overview

Josh Sohn is a first-chair trial lawyer with a client-first focus. He places a high priority on cultivating relationships and helping clients identify and achieve their goals in the face of litigation. Through over 25 years of experience, Josh has developed a broad and refined skillset for solving complicated problems.

Josh’s practice encompasses complex disputes for a broad range of clients, including those in the financial services, real estate, employment, construction, and securities industries. The diversity of his practice reflects the multi-faceted approach he takes to litigation, always keeping his clients’ interests at the forefront of legal strategy. As a general commercial litigator, he regularly handles complex breach of contract, business fraud, corporate governance disputes, and corporate divorce cases for foreign and domestic clients. As a securities litigator, he handles SEC enforcement actions and investigations, federal securities class actions, private investment disputes, and directors’ and officers’ liability cases. In his real estate practice, he advises clients and litigates joint venture partner disputes, defaults and loan accelerations, and commercial lease disputes involving both domestic and overseas parties on behalf of banks, developers, owners, corporate tenants, and public agencies. Josh is a tireless advocate for his clients, and his work has consistently resulted in favorable outcomes amidst challenging legal battles.

Josh tries cases and argues appeals in New York state and federal courts. He arbitrates cases before regulatory bodies and private tribunals and negotiates resolution of disputes before, during, and after litigation.

Legal recognition for Josh includes being ranked in Legal 500, having received the New York State Bar Association's President's Pro Bono Award.

Career & Education

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    • Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University, J.D., Managing Editor, Cardozo Law Review; Samuel Belkin Award for outstanding contribution to the law school, 1997
    • University of Michigan, B.A., 1994
    • Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University, J.D., Managing Editor, Cardozo Law Review; Samuel Belkin Award for outstanding contribution to the law school, 1997
    • University of Michigan, B.A., 1994
    • New York
    • Utah
    • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
    • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
    • U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York
    • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York
    • U.S. District Court for the District of Utah
    • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
    • Supreme Court of the United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
    • New York
    • Utah
    • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
    • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
    • U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York
    • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York
    • U.S. District Court for the District of Utah
    • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
    • Supreme Court of the United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit

Representative Matters

Securities Litigation and Securities Enforcement

  • Defended a former-CFO in a formal SEC investigation into financial reporting issues, resulting in no enforcement action.
  • Successfully represented brokers in insider trading investigations by the SEC’s Boston office and NYSE, with no disciplinary actions taken.
  • Obtained a favorable settlement for underwriters in section 11 & 12 securities class action in the Southern District of New York.

Real Estate/Real Estate Finance Litigation

  • Represented a hotel owner in disputes with minority investor.
  • Litigation for a developer over entitlement to deposit from aborted $122 million deal to purchase Washington, D.C. office building.
  • Represented a public agency in breach-of-contract arbitration regarding compliance with construction conditions under a private development agreement.
  • Defended a public agency in a $3.5 billion arbitration brought by a private developer over an alleged breach of a development agreement.

Fiduciary Duty/Officers & Directors Litigation

  • Defended former officers and directors of a private company in breach of fiduciary duty action brought by the company’s trustee in bankruptcy, successfully obtaining a reversal by the Second Circuit.
  • Represented former directors of a public company in defamation and 10b-5 actions.

Employment Matters

  • Lead counsel for plaintiff class in employment discrimination case against New York City Board of Education, recovering $2 billion for the class.
  • Represented employees in employment contract negotiations with private equity and hedge fund employers.
  • Arbitration representation for staffing company against management members alleging breaches of employment agreements and fiduciary duties.

Cross-Border Matters

  • Represented an African media company in a breach of contract action against an international media company.
  • Defended a UK law firm in litigations and arbitrations against former U.S. partners.
  • Represented Jamaican fishermen in litigation against the United States Coast Guard over detention conditions.

Recognition

  • Legal 500
  • New York State Bar Association, President’s Pro Bono Award
  • Center for Constitutional Rights, President’s Award
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