A partner in the Litigation Department and deputy chair of the M&A Litigation Practice Group, Geoffrey Chepiga represents clients in a variety of litigation and regulatory matters, including securities fraud cases, mergers and acquisitions litigation and DOJ and SEC investigations.
Geoff has been named to the Lawdragon’s “500 Leading Litigators in America” since 2022, and has been named a Benchmark Litigation “Litigation Star” since 2022. Geoff has also been recognized by The Legal 500 US as a Leading Lawyer in the M&A Litigation: Defense category and a Recommended Lawyer in the Securities Litigation: Defense category.
Geoff’s significant representations include:
- LVMH in its merger dispute with Tiffany, Inc.
- Chevron in shareholder challenges to its merger agreements with Hess, Noble Energy, PDC Energy and Renewable Energy Group.
- World Wrestling Entertainment in shareholder litigation over its agreement with Endeavor Group Holdings to merge WWE with UFC to form a new publicly listed company.
- The founders of a private equity firm in a derivative action in the Delaware Court of Chancery alleging breaches of fiduciary duty in connection with its conversion from a public partnership to a C-corporation pursuant to a tax receivable agreement.
- CDK Global in the denial of a preliminary injunction motion seeking to halt the $8.3 billion merger between CDK Global and Brookfield.
- PayPal in a securities class action regarding the company’s regulatory compliance.
- SAC Capital (now Point72 Asset Management) and Steven A. Cohen in civil litigations and regulatory proceedings, arising out of claims of insider trading.
- Former Directors of Aetna in the dismissal of a putative class action brought by shareholders alleging disclosure-related claims related to its acquisition by CVS.
- The Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Pattern Energy Group Inc., a California-based independent power company, in connection with several litigations brought by shareholders concerning its $6.1 billion merger agreement with Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB).
- Former Directors and Officers of Bioverativ Inc. in Delaware Chancery litigation concerning the sale of Bioverativ to Sanofi for $11.6 billion.
- Independent Directors of Empire Resorts in shareholder litigation asserting breach of fiduciary duty claims relating to a take-private acquisition of Empire.
- Former Director of a large mining company in an action brought by the SEC in the Southern District of New York alleging misstatements, omissions and accounting violations relating to the accounting treatment of a project in Africa.
- Several other acquirers and targets in M&A and securities litigation, including WWE, Ariad Pharmaceuticals, Restaurant Brands International, CSRA, Inc., Taylor Morrison and UCP, Inc., among others.
- JPMorgan in the dismissal of a suit brought in the Southern District of New York by an investor who opted out of the $275 million class action settlement
Geoff also maintains a significant pro bono practice. Among other cases, he represented a class of individuals with mental disabilities residing in so-called adult homes in New York City. The class sued the state of New York, claiming that these homes violated the “integration mandate” of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). After ten years of litigation, the parties reached a landmark settlement to end the state’s decades-long discrimination.
Geoff serves on several non-profit boards, including the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice, the Mt. Sinai Medical Legal Partnership, the French American Foundation, the Quogue Library, and the New York Lawyers for the Public Interest Pro Bono Advisory Council (PBAC).
Geoff was named to the French-American Foundation’s 2019 U.S. class of Young Leaders. Created in 1981, the Young Leaders program is a prestigious two-year transatlantic leadership program that brings together a group of 40 French and American rising stars under 40, from an array of sectors to forge bonds and help address global challenges.
Geoff is also the co-author of “Ownership or Use? Civilian Property Interests in International Humanitarian Law,” which appeared in the 49th volume of Harvard International Law Journal in 2008.
