Amelia T.R. Starr
  1. Partner
  1. New York
+1 212 450 4516

Ms. Starr is a partner in Davis Polk’s Litigation Department. Her practice focuses on a wide variety of commercial litigation, securities litigation, regulatory enforcement proceedings and insolvency matters.

Ms. Starr has represented a diverse array of financial institutions, including banks, private equity firms and hedge funds. She has a detailed knowledge of the funds industry, representing the largest fund managers on issues revolving around breach of contract, breaches of fiduciary duty, valuation disputes, trade allocation practices, securities and fraud claims, insider trading and other misconduct. Ms. Starr also frequently represents boards of directors, officers, and special committees in connection with their most crucial and complex litigations and investigations.

She has deep experience in litigating her matters on the trial and appellate levels in both state and federal court. In the past two years, she has led several successful trial teams in the insolvency space and prevailed in an important securities law appeal in the Florida state court.

Work Highlights

Recent Representations
  • Successful appeal of a judgment against J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and two J.P. Morgan executives in a Florida state securities law litigation related to claims of overly optimistic projections and failing to disclose certain SEC comment letters
  • Obtained complete dismissal of claims against CT Energy in federal securities litigation
  • Magnetation LLC in Chapter 11 proceedings on a variety of litigation issues, including two successful trials on contract assumption and a 363 Sale; as a result the client was able retain its sole source of revenue and successfully sell off its remaining assets
  • Representation of secured lender steering committee in connection with C&J’s Chapter 11 proceedings
  • Successful representation of Pinnacle Airlines in connection with their chapter 11 cases filed in SDNY Bankruptcy Court; the victory paved the way for our client’s successful restructuring and emergence from Chapter 11
  • A complete victory for Patriot Coal in connection with significant litigation related to its reorganization under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code
  • Advise to the special committee of independent directors of several hedge funds regarding insider trading and misvaluation charges brought by DOJ and SEC as well as in litigation and wind-down issues
  • A U.S. real estate investment and development company in an arbitration proceeding in New York against a former partner arising from the partner’s expulsion from the company
  • Amaranth LLC, a hedge fund accused of commodity market manipulation, in multiple regulatory enforcement proceedings and civil commodity manipulation actions; the accusations were eventually dismissed with prejudice
  • Arbitration of contract disputes among members of a Delaware LLC
  • Several different financial institutions in complex derivative valuation disputes with Lehman Brothers
  • J.P. Morgan & Co. in connection with lender liability issues in federal civil litigation
  • E*TRADE and three of its executives in a variety of regulatory investigations and securities and derivative litigations in connection with its announcements regarding losses stemming from exposure to second-lien mortgages and mortgage-backed securities; in a major victory, the client and individual defendants were absolved from any wrongdoing and were only required to contribute a small fraction of the overall cost of the settlement
  • Banco Santander and several of its employees in a series of purported class action litigations relating to Santander’s $1.9 billion acquisition of Sovereign Bancorp

Recognition

Ms. Starr is recognized for her work in the legal industry:

  • Benchmark Litigation – “Star”: New York; “Top 250 Women in Litigation”

Of Note

Memberships
  • Board Member, Global Advisory Board, Women in Law Empowerment Forum
  • Director and Vice Chairman, Fund for Modern Courts
  • Director and 1st Vice Chair, MFY Legal Services
  • Steering Committee, Kate Stoneman Project
  • Board Member and Chair of Audit Commitee, St. Hilda’s & St. Hugh’s School

Professional History

  • Partner, 2001-present
  • Associate, 1994-2001
  • Law Clerk, Hon. Thomas P. Griesa, U.S. District Court, S.D. New York, 1993-1994

Practice Focus

Bar Admissions

  • State of New York
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, E.D. New York
  • U.S. District Court, S.D. New York

Education

  • B.A., Yale University, 1990
    • excellent graduate honor
    • summa cum laude
  • J.D., New York University School of Law, 1993
    • Senior Production Editor, Annual Survey of American Law