Lawrence Portnoy

Partner

lawrence.portnoy@davispolk.com

Mr. Portnoy is a member of Davis Polk’s Litigation Department. He is a nationally recognized securities, M&A and general commercial litigator who represents clients in both federal and state courts, before various regulatory agencies and in arbitrations.

Contact

New York
450 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10017
P: 212-450-4874
F: 212-701-5874

Related Practices

Litigation

Bar Admissions

State of New York
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
U.S. District Court, Colorado
U.S. District Court, E.D. New York
U.S. District Court, S.D. New York

Education

B.A., University of Michigan, 1985
- with highest honors
J.D., Harvard Law School, 1988

Work Highlights

Recent Representations

Investment banks and other financial institutions as well as industrial and manufacturing companies in class action litigations in federal district courts in New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Texas, California, Puerto Rico, Florida and the District of Columbia
Clients in state court matters in New York, Delaware, California, Louisiana and South Carolina and Securities and Exchange Commission enforcement matters, grand jury investigations, internal investigations and in connection with inquiries from various bank regulators, including the Federal Reserve Banks of New York, San Francisco and Chicago
Representations have included acting for the Board of Bank of America in connection with securities and shareholder derivative litigation and investigations arising out of the Merrill Lynch acquisition; acting for CVS Caremark, BONY Mellon, JPMorgan Chase and Credit Suisse in securities class action litigation; and representing various financial institutions in SEC investigations
Other representative clients have included Morgan Stanley, Comcast, Roche, Deloitte & Touche, PepsiCo, ExxonMobil and Banco Santander

Recognition

Mr. Portnoy is consistently recognized as an authority in securities litigation matters in several leading industry publications, including:

Named “Litigator of the Week” by AmLaw Litigation Daily in January 2012 for his work with Credit Suisse
Named an “MVP of the Year” for Securities Litigation by Law360 in 2012
Member of Davis Polk’s Securities Litigation Group, which was named a “Securities Group of the Year” by Law360 for 2012
Ranked “Band 1” for Securities Litigation in New York by Chambers USA:
- He is “a terrific lawyer and great professional,” who is “focused, hardworking, and pays attention to clients’ needs.”
- Sources appreciate that he “keeps an eye on what you need to worry about.”
- He is a “powerful presence in securities litigation: ‘When he speaks, people really listen. He brings an interesting perspective to problems.’”
- He “impresses market sources with his ‘even-handed, low-key and deliberate approach.’”
- Clients described Mr. Portnoy as “the future of the practice” who is always “thoughtful and constructive.”
- Clients depicted him as a “talented and hardworking” securities lawyer “with a great touch.”
Recommended for his work in Shareholder Litigation by Legal 500 U.S.:
- He has “extensive courtroom experience and represents a wide range of high-profile clients.”
Ranked a “National Star” for General Commercial Litigation by Legal Media Group’s Benchmark Litigation
Endorsed by Practical Law Company’s Which lawyer? for Dispute Resolution: Securities Litigation
Listed in Woodward/White’s Best Lawyers in America for Securities, Mergers & Acquisitions, Regulatory Enforcement and Antitrust

Of Note

Memberships

Member, Committee on Securities Litigation, New York State Bar Association
Member, Committee on Class Actions & Derivative Suits, American Bar Association
Member, Committee on Pre-Trial Practice & Discovery, American Bar Association

Professional History

Partner, 1996-present
Associate, 1989-1996

Law Clerk, Hon. Ronald S.W. Lew, U.S. District Court, C.D. California 1988-1989

News

Davis Polk Named “Practice Group of the Year” in Securities Litigation and White Collar

Lawrence Portnoy Named MVP in Securities

Davis Polk Advises Dai-ichi Life on Its Strategic Alliance With Janus

View More > >

Client Publications

Recent Developments in Executive Compensation Litigation
Client Memorandum

SEC Announces First Whistleblower Program Award
Client Newsflash

Delaware Court of Chancery Awards $1.26 Billion in Entire Fairness Case
Client Newsflash

View More > >

Last Name
Title ALL TITLES Associate Consultant Counsel Counsel - Registered Foreign Lawyer Foreign Legal Consultant General Counsel Litigation Counsel Partner Registered Foreign Lawyer Regulatory Counsel Senior Counsel Special Counsel for Pro Bono
Offices ALL OFFICES Beijing Hong Kong London Madrid Menlo Park New York Paris São Paulo Tokyo Washington DC
Practices ALL PRACTICES Anti-Corruption and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Antitrust and Competition -- Litigation Asia Practice Bankruptcy Litigation Board of Directors Litigation and Strategic Counseling Capital Markets China Practice Commercial Dispute and Contract Compliance and Advisory Congressional Investigations Consumer Class Actions Consumer Products Corporate Corporate Governance Credit Derivatives and Structured Products Economic Sanctions and National Security Energy/Utilities Environmental Europe Practice Executive Compensation Financial Crisis Litigation Financial Institutions Health Care Health Care/Life Sciences Litigation Hedge Funds India Practice Insolvency and Restructuring Intellectual Property Intellectual Property Litigation Internal Investigations International International and Domestic Arbitration Investment Funds Litigation and Investigations Investment Management Japan Practice Leveraged Finance Litigation M&A-Related Litigation Mass Torts and Products Liability Media and Telecom Mergers and Acquisitions Private Equity Professional Liability Project Finance Real Estate Securities Enforcement Securities Litigation Spain and Latin America Practice Tax Tax Controversy Technology Trading and Markets Trusts and Estates White Collar Criminal Defense
Law School ALL SCHOOLS American University, Washington College of Law Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law Bond University Faculty of Law Bordeaux University Boston University School of Law BPP Law School Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School Brooklyn Law School Campus Law Centre, Delhi University Chicago-Kent College of Law - I.I.T. China University of Political Science and Law City University of Hong Kong Columbia Law School Cornell Law School Duke University School of Law Ecole de formation des Barreaux (EFB-Paris) Emory University School of Law Fordham University School of Law Frankfurt University, Institute for Law and Finance Fudan University Law School George Washington University Law School Georgetown University Law Center Harvard Law School Hofstra University School of Law Howard University School of Law Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po) Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, Faculty of Law King's College London School of Law King's College, University of London Leiden University London School of Economics London School of Economics and Political Science McGill University, Faculty of Law Murdoch University School of Law National Taiwan University (NTU Law) National University of Singapore Faculty of Law New York University School of Law Northwestern University School of Law Nottingham Law School Oberlandesgericht Koln Osgoode Hall Law School of York University Oxford Institute of Legal Practice Peking University Peking University Law School Pontificia Universidade Católica de São Paulo Faculdade Paulista de Direito Queensland University of Technology Renmin University of China Renmin University of China Law School Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Die Juristiche Fakultät Rutgers University School of Law - Camden Rutgers University School of Law - Newark School of Oriental & African Studies, University of London Seton Hall University School of Law Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade Shanghai University of Finance and Economics Sichuan University Southern Methodist University School of Law St. John's University School of Law Stanford Law School SUNY Buffalo Law School Tel Aviv University Transnational Law and Business University Trinity College, Dublin School of Law Trinity College, University of Cambridge Tsinghua University Tsinghua University, School of Law UC Berkeley - Boalt Hall School of Law UC Hastings College of the Law UCLA School of Law Universidad Carlos III de Madrid School of Social Sciences and Law Universidad Católica Argentina (Buenos Aires), Facultad de Derecho Universidad de Buenos Aires Universidad de Deusto Universität Zu Köln Université de Strasbourg - Faculté de Droit, Sciences Economiques et Gestion Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3 - Faculté de droit Université Nancy II - Faculté de Droit, Sciences Economiques et Gestion Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne Université Paris II Panthéon-Assas Université Paris II Panthéon-Assas Université Paris-Sud XI University at Buffalo Law School - SUNY University College London, Faculty of Laws University of Auckland University of Bristol School of Law University of British Columbia Faculty of Law University of Cambridge University of Cambridge, Faculty of Law University of Cape Town University of Cape Town, Faculty of Law University of Chicago Law School University of Cologne University of Connecticut School of Law University of Delhi Faculty of Law University of East Anglia University of Edinburgh School of Law University of Florida College of Law University of Georgia School of Law University of Groningen University of Helsinki, Faculty of Law University of Hong Kong University of Hong Kong, Faculty of Law University of Illinois College of Law University of International Business & Economics University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Law University of London University of Melbourne University of Melbourne Law School University of Miami School of Law University of Michigan University of Michigan Law School University of Minnesota Law School University of Munich, Faculty of Law University of Murcia University of Naples Federico II School of Law University of Natal, School of Law University of New South Wales University of North Carolina University of Notre Dame Law School University of Otago, Faculty of Law University of Oxford University of Pennsylvania Law School University of Pittsburgh School of Law University of Queensland University of Queensland, TC Beirne School of Law University of San Diego School of Law University of South Carolina School of Law University of St. Gallen University of Stellenbosch, Faculty of Law University of Sydney Law School University of Tel Aviv, The Buchmann Faculty of Law University of Texas School of Law University of the West of England, Bristol University of the Witwatersrand, Oliver Schreiner School of Law University of Tokyo, Faculty of Law University of Toronto, Faculty of Law University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law University of Virginia University of Virginia School of Law University of Warsaw, Faculty of Law and Administration University of Warwick University of Washington School of Law (Seattle) University of Western Australia University of Western Australia, Faculty of Law University of Western Ontario University of Wisconsin Law School Vanderbilt University Law School Washington & Lee University School of Law Washington University in St. Louis School of Law Wayne State University Law School Yale Law School
Clerkship ALL CLERKSHIPS Amon, Carol Bagley Aspen, Marvin E. Bates, John D. Becker, Edward R. Beezer, Robert Berman, Richard Bernstein, Stuart M. Bianco, Joseph F. Binnie, Ian Block, Frederic Boggs, Danny J. Bork, Robert H. Breitel, Charles D. Breyer, Stephen G. Brody, Morton A. Brown, Janice Rogers Buchwald, Naomi Reice Byrne, Jr., William Matthew Cabranes, José A. Cacheris, James C. Caffrey, Andrew A. Callinan, Ian Cardamone, Richard J. Casey, Richard Conway Castel, P. Kevin Cedarbaum, Miriam Goldman Chin, Denny Clark, Thomas A. Coffey, John L. Colloton, Steven M. Conboy, Kenneth Conner, William C. Cote, Denise Cyr, Conrad K. Drain, Robert D. Duffy, Kevin Thomas Edelstein, David N. Feinberg, Wilfred Fisher, Raymond C. Flannery, Thomas A. Gagliardi, Lee P Garaufis, Nicholas G. Garibaldi, Marie L. Ginsburg, Douglas H. Ginsburg, Ruth Bader Glasser, I. Leo Goettel, Gerard L. Goodwin, Alfred T. Gorenstein, Gabriel W. Greenberg, Morton I. Gregory, Roger L. Griesa, Thomas P. Grunis, Asher Guilford, Andrew J. Haight, Jr., Charles S. Hall, Janet C. Hays, Paul R. Henry, Robert H. Herndon, David R. Hornby, D. Brock Hurley, Denis R. Imber, Annabelle Clinton Irenas, Joseph E. Irizarry, Dora L. Jacobs, Dennis Jordan, Kent A. Judges' Chambers, Senior Kaplan, Lewis A. Karas, Kenneth M. Katzmann, Robert A. Kaufman, Chief Judge, Irving R. Kearse, Amalya L. Keeley, Irene M. Kelly, Jr., Paul J. Kennedy Jr., Henry H. Kennedy, Anthony M. Kennedy, Cornelia G. King, Carolyn Koeltl, John G. Korman, Edward R. Kravitch, Phyllis A. Laster, Travis Leaphart, W. William Lechner, Jr., Alfred J. Legg, Benson E. Leisure, Peter K. Leon, Richard J. Letts, J. Spencer Leval, Pierre N. Lew, Ronald S.W. Lipez, Kermit V. Lumbard, J. Edward Marshall, Thurgood Martone, Frederick J. Matsumoto, Kiyo A. Matthes, M.C. Mauskopf, Roslynn R. McLaughlin, Mary A. McMahon, Colleen Mosman, Michael Motz, J. Frederick Mukasey, Michael B. Murphy, Diana E. Nelson, David A. Newman, Jon O. Nickerson, Eugene Oakes, James L. O'Scannlian, Diarmuid F. Otis, Louise Parker, Barrington D. Patterson, Jr., Robert Pauley III, William H. Platt, Thomas C. Pogue, Donald C. Pooler, Rosemary S. Prado, Edward C. Raggi, Reena Rehnquist, William H. Robreno, Eduardo C. Roth, Jane R. Sand, Leonard B. Scalia, Antonin Scheindlin, Shira A. Seitz, Collins J. Sifton, Charles P. Silberman, Laurence Silberman, Laurence H. Smith, Jerry E. Snow, G. Murray Sprizzo, John E. Stahl, Norman H. Stanton, Louis L. Stotler, Alicemarie H. Straub, Chester J. Sullivan, Richard J. Thompson, David Townes, Sandra L. Trager, David G. Van Dusen, Francis L. Vance, Sarah Wallace, J. Clifford Walls, William H. Webster, William H. Weinfeld, Edward Weinstein, Jack B. Wellford, Harry W. Wesley, Richard C. White, Byron R. Widener, Jr., H.E. Wiener, Jr., Jacques L. Wilbur, Richard C. Williams, Richard L. Wilson, Charles R. Wisdom, John Minor Wolf, Mark L. Wright, Caleb M. Young, William G. ALL COURTS Delaware Court of Chancery District of Columbia Court of Appeals High Court of Australia Montana Supreme Court New Jersey Supreme Court New York Court of Appeals Quebec Court of Appeals Supreme Court of Arkansas Supreme Court of Canada Supreme Court of Israel U.S. Bankruptcy Court, S.D. New York U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit U.S. Court of International Trade U.S. District Court, Arizona U.S. District Court, C.D. California U.S. District Court, Connecticut U.S. District Court, Delaware U.S. District Court, District of Columbia U.S. District Court, E.D. Louisiana U.S. District Court, E.D. New York U.S. District Court, E.D. Pennsylvania U.S. District Court, E.D. Virginia U.S. District Court, Maine U.S. District Court, Maryland U.S. District Court, Massachusetts U.S. District Court, N.D. Illinois U.S. District Court, N.D. West Virginia U.S. District Court, New Jersey U.S. District Court, Oregon U.S. District Court, S.D. Illinois U.S. District Court, S.D. New York U.S. Supreme Court U.S. Tax Court