2011 Super Lawyers Pro Bono Award
Attorney Profile

Gary P. Naftalis

Gary Naftalis

Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
1177 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036

New York

New York (NY)

Contact Contact Gary P. Naftalis
T: 212-715-9253
F: 212-715-9238

Visit: www.kramerlevin.com
Practice Areas: Business Litigation (40%), Criminal Defense: White Collar (40%), Securities Litigation (20%)

Business Litigation

Criminal Defense: White Collar

Securities Litigation

Law School: Columbia Law School

Profile

One of the nation’s leading trial lawyers, Mr. Naftalis is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He has for some 30 years represented individuals and corporations in all phases of complex bet-the-company civil, criminal, and regulatory matters, including those involving allegations of insider trading, market manipulation, accounting irregularities, stock options backdating and other financial fraud. Mr. Naftalis also has served as counsel to audit and special committees of a number of major public companies in connection with regulatory issues.

Mr. Naftalis was named recently as one of the 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America by The National Law Journal, as one of the 10 Leading Trial Lawyers in the United States by Legal 500 and as one of the Top 10 Lawyers in New York (Top Point Getter 2008) by Super Lawyers. He has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America since 1993 in three categories – Bet-the-Company Litigation, White Collar Criminal Defense and Commercial Litigation. He was also cited as one of America’s leading lawyers by Lawdragon 500, as one of America’s leading trial lawyers by Chambers Global, and as a leading white collar defense and commercial litigator by Chambers USA and by Benchmark/Institutional Investor.

Mr. Naftalis’ recent representations include his successful defense of Michael Eisner, the CEO of The Walt Disney Company, in the shareholders derivative lawsuit relating to the hiring and termination of Michael Ovitz. After a 37 day trial in the Delaware Court of Chancery, Mr. Eisner and the other Disney Directors prevailed on all counts. The Disney case was chosen as one of the top defense wins of 2005 by The National Law Journal.

Selected To

New York Super Lawyers 2011 - Metro Edition
New York Super Lawyers 2010 - Metro
New York Super Lawyers 2009 - Metro
New York Super Lawyers 2008 - Metro
New York Super Lawyers 2007 - Metro
New York Super Lawyers 2006 - Metro

Certifications and Credentials

Articles about Gary Naftalis appearing in Super Lawyers

The Ultimate Lawyer-Statesman
How Gary Naftalis beat Perry Mason, defended Michael Eisner, and sank a shot at Madison Square Garden

About Gary Naftalis

Admitted: 1967, New York

Professional Webpage: www.kramerlevin.com/gnaftalis/

Honors and Awards:

  • Mr.Maftalis was awarded the Benemerenti Medal by Pope Benedict XVI, the Robert M. Morgenthau Award for the Legal Profession by the Police Athletic League, the George A. Katz Torch of Learning Award by The American Friends of the Hebrew University and the Law & Society Award by the New York Lawyers for the Public Interest.

Bar/Professional Activity:

  • Professional Affiliations: American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow; The Grand Jury Project, Member, Appointed by Chief Judge Kaye of the New York Court of Appeals, 1999; Departmental Disciplinary Committee for the First Judicial Department, Member, 1980-1986.
  • Court Admissions: U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Court of Appeals, Second, Third and District of Columbia Circuits; U.S. District Courts, Southern District of New York, Eastern District of New York, Eastern District of Michigan
  • Bar Admissions: New York
  • Clerkships: Honorable William B. Herlands, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York

Scholarly Lectures and Writings:

  • Mr. Naftalis has been a lecturer at Columbia Law School and was a member of the faculty of Harvard Law School. Mr. Naftalis is the author or co-author of numerous books and articles, including the leading work on the grand jury system: The Grand Jury: An Institution on Trial (with Judge Marvin E. Frankel) and Sentencing: Helping the Judges Do Their Jobs (also with Judge Frankel).
  • Lecturer in Law, Columbia Law School, 1976-1988

Educational Background:

  • A.B., Phi Beta Kappa Rutgers University
  • M.A. Brown University
  • LL.B. Columbia Law School; Editor, Columbia Law Review.
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