News

Leading Litigator Bruce Bernstein Joins Whiteford in DC

Whiteford is pleased to announce that Bruce D. Bernstein has joined the firm as a Litigation Partner in Washington, D.C. With over 25 years of experience as a commercial litigator and trial lawyer, both in private practice and with the Department of Justice, Mr. Bernstein has a track record of successfully litigating and prevailing in complex commercial direct and class actions, at all levels, including before the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as other federal and state courts. He has extensive experience advising both institutional and individual clients, as well as litigating and securing significant resolutions on their behalf. He has done so with respect to significant claims involving the federal securities laws, the False Claims Act, the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act, corporate governance issues, contractual disputes and other complex matters.    
 
“We are especially pleased to welcome Bruce to our litigation team,” said Steve Faraci, Co-Chair of the firm’s Business Litigation Group. “He’s a lawyer’s lawyer, with impressive commercial litigation experience, trial-tested courtroom credentials, and a tremendous reputation with clients who’ve seen him advocate on their behalf.”
 
Mr. Bernstein has litigated and resolved complex commercial legal claims across a wide range of industries, including banking, mortgage lending, automobile manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, insurance, media and healthcare. While at the Department of Justice (Civil Division, Fraud Section), he jointly oversaw litigation in Germany of securities and corporate governance-related claims against a multinational automobile manufacturer on behalf of the Thrift Savings Plan, the world's largest defined contribution plan with approximately $1 trillion in assets under management. In private practice, he was a central member of the team that secured a landmark, unanimous U.S. Supreme Court decision in Merck & Co., Inc. v. Reynolds, one of the largest securities fraud actions involving a pharmaceutical company ever litigated. He also played a lead role in the securities class action and corresponding $30 million resolution of claims against Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. and its former Chief Executive Officer, Martha Stewart. He is a regular speaker at global forums on complex litigation.

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About Whiteford: Whiteford provides comprehensive business law and litigation services to clients ranging from innovative start-ups to middle market companies to Fortune 100 enterprises. With a growing footprint of East Coast offices from New York to Florida, and a new office in Denver, Colorado, we serve clients regionally, nationally and internationally.