Profil
Curtis Leitner represents companies and individuals in complex commercial disputes, employment litigation, and white-collar criminal and regulatory enforcement matters. Curtis regularly appears in federal and state courts in New York, as well as arbitrations. Beyond litigation, he advises companies and their management on thorny legal questions and strategy. His clients include broker-dealers, financial services companies, insurance companies and brokers, professional services firms, data companies, restaurant chains, and company executives.
Curtis litigates and advises on contract and commercial disputes of all kinds, including matters involving capital raises, insurance broking, commercial leases, partnerships, employment contracts, restrictive covenants, professional services agreements, and a wide range of other subjects. He routinely handles offensive and defensive employment litigation. Curtis has almost two decades of experience advocating for clients and resolving high-stakes disputes at all stages of the litigation process.
Curtis also represents individuals and companies facing government investigations and enforcement proceedings. During his nearly thirteen years at a prior firm, Curtis handled investigations by the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, FINRA, the IRS, the New York County District Attorney’s Office, and various state agencies.
Before entering private practice, Curtis served as a law clerk to Judge Debra Livingston of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and Judge Freda Wolfson of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.
Kluczowe Praktyki
Doświadczenie
- Representing asset manager in U.C.C. dispute regarding the preservation and disposition of insurance policies held by a foreign bank as collateral.
- Represented professional services firm and incoming executives in dispute with their former employer over the scope and validity of restrictive covenants and penalty provisions.°
- Represented managing general agent in commission dispute with fronting insurance company.°
- Represented a mortgage data company in connection with a lawsuit alleging violations of Daniel’s Law for disclosing names, and addresses, and phone numbers of public employees.°
- Represented a broker-dealer in an arbitration seeking an investment banking fee for raising over $150,000 for a private equity fund. The panel granted a multimillion-dollar award to the client, including 100% of its attorneys’ fees and costs, and rejected the private equity fund’s counterclaims for breach of contract, fraudulent inducement, and breach of fiduciary duty.°
- Represented a global reinsurance broker in brokerage fee disputes in federal court, state court, mediation, and pre-litigation negotiations, and broker negligence claims brought in an arbitration.°
- Defended a national wholesale grocer against claims for breach of a commercial lease and a veil-piercing claim to hold the company liable for a subsidiary’s lease obligations. Negotiated a settlement following document discovery and deposition practice.°
- Represented a broker-dealer in a state court action asserting indemnification rights under an acquisition agreement. Obtained a settlement after the close of document discovery.°
- Represented a broker-dealer, hedge fund analyst, CFO of publicly traded company, and management consultant in various DOJ and SEC investigations into alleged insider trading and securities fraud. The broker-dealer resolved fraud claims on a non-scienter basis and without “bad actor” restrictions. The hedge fund analyst and company CFO gave investigative testimony and the SEC did not bring charges. The management consultant cooperated, testified at the trial of a co-defendant, and received a non-custodial sentence.°
°The above representations were handled by Mr. Leitner prior to his joining Greenberg Traurig, LLP.
Wyróżnienia i aktywność zawodowa
- Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, New York Metro Super Lawyers, 2019-2025
- “Rising Stars,” 2015-2018
- Member, New York Bar Association, 2008-Present
Wykształcenie i uprawnienia do wykonywania zawodu
- J.D., magna cum laude, Harvard Law School
- B.A., summa cum laude, Dartmouth College
- U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, 2007-2008
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 2008-2009
- New York