Daniel L. Cantor

Partner

Daniel L. Cantor is a partner in O’Melveny’s New York office and a member of the Securities Litigation Practice.  Dan has a broad range of experience representing entities of all sizes, as well as individuals, in general commercial litigation, including contract disputes, federal securities and common law fraud actions, regulatory investigations, corporate governance disputes, insurance and reinsurance coverage disputes, and employment matters.  In particular, Dan has extensive experience representing financial institutions in securities litigation, securities sales practice disputes, lender liability disputes, investment banking disputes, hiring/raiding disputes, and employment disputes.  He has appeared in state and federal courts and before various dispute resolution organizations.

Dan’s recent successes include scoring two directed verdicts in securities arbitrations for a leading broker-dealer that faced suitability claims and allegations of offering poor investment advice; winning summary judgment in favor of a major financial institution’s asset management affiliate in an action concerning the proper pricing of corporate bonds sold in privately negotiated transactions between institutions investors; and, obtaining dismissal of an industry-wide class action challenging the cash sweep programs of major broker-dealers.  He also trains associates and counsel on the fundamentals of securities litigation.

Illustrative Professional Experience

• Representing a leading securities firm and its employees (including a retail broker and an equity research analyst) in two litigations and an arbitration asserting federal and state securities law claims arising out of the sale of FCC wireless licenses 
• Defending a major bank in multiple litigations seeking more than US$1 billion in damages for alleged breaches of financing agreements relating to the failed Fontainebleau Las Vegas casino project
• Representing a leading international financial institution in two separate actions seeking treble damages under the Antiterrorism Act for engaging in transactions alleged to be tied to international terrorism
• Representing a major bank in the Tribune Company bankruptcy case in Delaware in connection with allegations that a multi-billion dollar leveraged buyout constituted a fraudulent conveyance
• Representing a broker-dealer and its employees in litigations brought by public employee retirement/pension funds
• Representing an investment bank in litigation brought by an investment management firm, claiming that our client misappropriated confidential and proprietary information and otherwise tortiously interfered with a potential US$800 million “life settlement” transaction
• Representing an investment bank in multiple disputes involving fees for investment banking and advisory services
• Representing a top broker-dealer in federal and state litigations arising out of a former employee’s alleged participation in a Ponzi scheme created by a hedge fund
• Representing two founders/managers of private equity and CLO funds in a corporate governance dispute with other founders/managers
• Representing former senior executive of a leading mutual fund complex in several nationwide class actions involving trading and sales practices in the mutual fund industry
• Representing several major national broker-dealers and their employees in various litigations and arbitrations brought by customers alleging securities fraud and/or sales practice violations
• Representing a leading national broker-dealer in several securities arbitrations brought by competitors alleging “raiding” and other improper hiring practices
• Representing financial investors named as co-defendants with an issuer in a securities fraud litigation
• Advising private equity firms and their employees in corporate governance matters, including advice as to duties of directors and controlling shareholders
• Representing an equity research analyst from a leading financial institution in a regulatory investigation over the content of certain research reports
• Representing the asset management affiliate of a leading financial institution in a contract dispute with another asset manager
• Representing the manager of a hedge fund in a dispute with his former employer arising out of his move to a competing firm
• Representing a private equity firm in a series of litigations involving a portfolio company arising out of the unwinding of an investment
• Representing a nationally known sports and entertainment company in a contract dispute with a former licensor
• Representing a major reinsurance pool and several of its member companies in a dispute over reinsurance coverage for a billion dollar insurance settlement between a leading insurance company and an asbestos manufacturer

Professional Activities

Admitted to Practice,  US District Court, Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; US Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
Member,  Association of the Bar of the City of New York; American Bar Association (Litigation and Business Law sections); Federal Bar Council