A partner in the Litigation Department, Susanna serves as co-chair of the Securities Litigation and Enforcement Group. The Group has been named Securities Litigation Department of the Year by The American Lawyer, The New York Law Journal, Benchmark Litigation, Law360 and U.S. News and World Report. The American Lawyer called the practice “big, powerful and swaggering,” noting that “no other firm matched the number and magnitude of headline making securities litigation.” Susanna has extensive experience handling a broad range of matters, with particular emphasis defending financial institutions and corporations in complex securities and commercial matters in federal and state courts across the country. She also regularly represents clients, including financial institutions and other public companies, before the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Department of Justice and numerous other federal and state regulatory authorities.
Susanna has been recognized by numerous publications and directories, including Law360, Chambers USA, The Legal 500, Crain’s and Benchmark Litigation. Most recently, Susanna was again named a 2020 Law360 Banking MVP, a recognition that she also received in 2018. In 2019, she was named to Crain’s Notable Women in Law and Benchmark Litigation included Susanna in its list of Top 250 Women in Litigation every year beginning in 2017.
Susanna's current and recent representations include:
- Citigroup in multiple matters, including:
o its Second Circuit victory allowing corporations to enter into federal regulatory consent judgments without
admitting wrongdoing;
o its subprime and credit crisis-related litigations and regulatory matters;
o its auction rate securities litigation and regulatory matters;
o its failed investment litigations and regulatory matters;
o the civil litigations arising out of the activities of former Salomon Smith Barney research analyst Jack
Grubman (in connection with his coverage of WorldCom, Global Crossing and other issuers);
o its two arbitral victories defeating multi-billion-dollar claims brought by the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority
(ADIA), arising out of its $7.5 billion investment in Citigroup; and
o its $97 million settlement, pursuant to a non-prosecution agreement, arising out of a DOJ money-laundering
investigation;
- Morgan Stanley, in various matters, including in connection with a series of antitrust litigations concerning the treasuries market;
- Fresenius Kabi AG, a German healthcare company, at a trial in Delaware Chancery Court in which Fresenius successfully terminated its proposed $4.3 billion merger with Akorn Pharmaceuticals Inc., a U.S.-based generic drug manufacturer, on grounds of a “material adverse change” in Akorn’s business after Fresenius learned of Akorn’s alleged violations of U.S. Food and Drug Administration standards on data-integrity requirements;
- Viking Global Investors LP, a successful hedge fund, in a dispute in Delaware Chancery Court;
- Virtu Financial, in litigation arising out of Virtu Financial’s $1.4 billion acquisition of Knight Capital Group, including the successful resolution of a preliminary injunction challenging the transaction under Section 202 of the Delaware Corporation Law;
- Ericsson in securities class actions in the Southern District of New York;
- Cumulus Media Inc., the nation’s second largest radio company, successfully at trial in connection with its plan to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy;
- An underwriter syndicate in securities class actions in federal and state court in connection with the IPO of Altice USA;
- A U.S. financial institution, in multiple antitrust investigations being conducted by authorities in the U.S. and Europe;
- A U.S. financial institution, in a federal grand jury investigation of its global compliance with Bank Secrecy Act/anti-money laundering requirements; and
- A bank in connection with sales practices and incentive compensation related issues.
Susanna served as articles editor of the Columbia Law Review and was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. She is an adjunct lecturer in law at Columbia Law School and currently teaches a course in trial practice. Susanna was named a Law360 Banking MVP in 2018, and in 2010 she was selected to Law360’s list of 10 Securities Lawyers Under 50 to watch. Susanna was ranked by Chambers USA 2018 in the Litigation: Securities (NY) category and was named a “Litigation Star (US)” and “Local Litigation Star (NY)” by Benchmark Litigation. In 2018, she was also recognized by Lawdragon in its list of 31 “Legends” and she was included in its list of “500 Leading Lawyers.” Susanna was recommended by The Legal 500 US 2018 in the “Securities Litigation: Defense” category. She was also recognized in the 2019 edition of Best Lawyers for her work in commercial litigation. In 2017, she was named to Benchmark Litigation’s Top 250 Women in Litigation and in 2016, Susanna was recognized by Law360 as one of “The 25 Most Influential Women in Securities Law.”
Updated June 2021
