Partner

Jean-Marie L. Atamian

Commercial Litigation, Banking & Finance Litigation, Securities Litigation & Enforcement

Overview

Jean-Marie L. Atamian is co-chair of Mayer Brown's Partner Promotion Committee and has held several additional management positions in his career at the Firm. He is an experienced trial lawyer whose practice focuses on complex commercial, financial services and bankruptcy litigation before state and federal trial and appellate courts. He has extensive banking litigation experience, which has included representing domestic and foreign banks in lender liability, securities fraud, and common law fraud actions. His securities fraud experience has included representation of corporations, financial services firms, and individuals in structured finance, Rule 10b-5, control person, insider trading, stock manipulation, and RICO actions. He has defended financial institutions in multi-billion dollar actions arising from their sale of RMBS prior to the Great Recession. He has represented insurers and reinsurers in coverage and indemnification disputes in the property (catastrophe bonds), life and health businesses. He has also represented energy companies, banks and individuals in internal investigations and corporate governance matters.

Experience

  • In re Adelphia Communications Securities Litigation, US District Court, Southern District of New York: Represented Bank of Montreal (BMO) and its investment banking affiliate in numerous consolidated securities fraud actions and a lender liability action arising from the bankruptcy filing by and corporate scandal surrounding Adelphia.  The various actions alleged that financial institutions, including BMO, assisted in the multi-billion dollar fraud against Adelphia and its shareholders committed by Adelphia executives and board members.
  • Fontainebleau v. Bank of America, et al, US District Court, Southern District of Florida: Obtained the pre-answer dismissal of Sumitomo Mitsui, one of several syndicate lenders in a $2 billion credit facility, in a high profile lender liability action and several related actions in connection with the construction of a massive resort and casino complex in Las Vegas.
  • Langenstein v. Bank of Nova Scotia, Supreme Court of the State of New York: Obtained the pre-answer dismissal, with prejudice, of a $2.8 billion action against Bank of Nova Scotia for alleged breaches of fiduciary duty, fraud and conversion of hundreds of millions of dollars from bank accounts in the Cayman Islands and Panama.
  • ABN AMRO Bank, N.V., et al v. MBIA Inc. et al, Supreme Court of the State of New York: Secured a $1 billion payment on behalf of Morgan Stanley in challenging a transaction that stripped $5.4 billion from an insurance company for the benefit of its parent company and to protect one group of policyholders to the detriment of its structured finance policyholders.  In particular, Morgan Stanley (and a number of other banks) alleged that the New York Department of Insurance, in approving the transaction, acted arbitrarily and capriciously in favoring one group of policyholders. 
  • FHFA v. Ally Financial Inc., et al, US District Court, Southern District of New York: Represented Ally Financial Inc. in an action for misstatements in, and material omissions from, offering materials and for control person liability under the 1933 Securities Act, in connection with the purchase by Freddie Mac of $6 billion in RMBS.

Education

  • Columbia Law School, JD
  • Columbia College, BA summa cum laude (economics)
    Phi Beta Kappa, Dean's List

Admissions

  • New York

Courts

  • US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
  • US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
  • US District Court for the District of Colorado
  • US District Court for the Eastern District of New York
  • US District Court for the Southern District of New York

Languages

  • English
  • French

Professional & Community Involvement

  • Board of Directors of Columbia College
  • Vice President of Development for the Columbia College Fund
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