Lara Samet Buchwald
Litigates complex and high-stakes commercial and bankruptcy matters in courts nationwide, from dispositive motions and discovery through trial and appeal.
Lara has deep experience in commercial disputes, class actions, bankruptcy litigation, tax litigation, shareholder derivative litigation, mass torts and real estate disputes. She has significant trial experience and regularly argues before state and federal trial courts, bankruptcy courts and appellate courts across the country. Clients also turn to her for advice on a wide range of civil litigation, arbitration and other advisory matters.
The American Lawyer named Lara a nationwide finalist for “Young Lawyer of the Year – Litigation” in 2023. Her work is also recognized by Chambers USA, where a source says Lara “gets ahead of issues,” “has a steady hand at the wheel” and “is just really easy to work with, even on difficult issues.” She is one of Davis Polk’s two hiring partners, a member of the joint local rules committee for SDNY and EDNY, a member of the International Commercial Disputes Committee of the New York City Bar and a vice chair of the board of the Legal Aid Society.
Experience
Complex Commercial and Class Action Litigation
- Citi in a range of matters, including dismissal of a securities litigation and successful resolution of a fraudulent transfer litigation arising out of the Millennium Health bankruptcy
- Crestview in litigations arising out of the merger of two banks, including successful resolution of a putative class action challenging merger consideration
- Major global airline in contract termination dispute with a supplier
- Multinational pharmaceutical company in a variety of complex litigations, including successful defense of efforts to enjoin the supply of vaccines and dismissal of a putative class action
- Multiple major financial institutions in successful defense of fraudulent transfer litigation seeking clawback of loan repayments
- Major financial institution in various commercial and class action litigations, including successful defense of a contract termination dispute, dismissal of petitions for extraterritorial discovery, dismissal of aiding and abetting claims in a shareholder derivative action
- Directors and officers of various public companies in successful resolutions of shareholder derivative and securities litigations
Energy Sector Litigation
- Con Edison in a variety of major litigations, including successful defense of mass-action civil litigation arising out of a steam main rupture in Manhattan
- EdgeMarc Energy in litigation arising out of the rupture of a midstream pipeline
- ExxonMobil in tax litigation relating to an offshore gas project
- A group of lenders in litigation and arbitration relating to a hydroelectric project in Chile
Bankruptcy Litigation
- Trial counsel to Arch Coal in its chapter 11 cases
- Trial counsel to Bonanza Creek Energy in its chapter 11 cases
- Lead litigation counsel to EdgeMarc Energy in its chapter 11 cases
- Lead litigation counsel for an ad hoc group of bondholders in the chapter 11 cases of Alta Mesa Resources
- A multinational pharmaceutical company in the chapter 11 cases of Barretts Minerals
- A major global airline in the chapter 11 cases of LATAM Airlines Group
Tax Litigation
- Trial counsel to Bats Global Markets in a case of first impression concerning the application of section 199 tax deductions
- Trial counsel to ExxonMobil in a case concerning section 636(a) tax deductions
News
Recognition
Chambers USA – Litigation: General Commercial, New York, Up and Coming
Benchmark Litigation – New York, Future Star; “40 & Under – Northeast”
American Lawyer – “Young Lawyer of the Year – Litigation” finalist, 2023
Crain’s New York Business – “Notable Women in Law,” 2022
Bloomberg Law – “They’ve Got Next: The 40 Under 40,” 2021
Law360 – “Rising Star: Bankruptcy,” 2018
Legal Aid Society – Pro Bono Publico Award, 2009-2010, 2012-2018
Davis Polk Pro Bono Award, 2016
A description of the selection methodology for the awards listed above can be found at the links for the respective awards. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
Education
- cum laude
- Articles Editor, New York University Annual Survey of American Law
- magna cum laude
Clerkships
Qualifications and admissions
- District of Columbia Court of Appeals
- State of New Jersey
- State of New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, E.D. Michigan
- U.S. District Court, E.D. New York
- U.S. District Court, New Jersey
- U.S. District Court, S.D. New York
- U.S. Tax Court