David Mader is a partner in Quinn Emanuel’s New York office, where he represents investment companies and professionals, financial firms, and other data-centric businesses in complex commercial disputes. He litigates high-stakes disputes between sophisticated counterparties regarding contract performance, corporate and fund governance, and the use of proprietary information. David is known for his ability to master the intricacies of his clients’ business and to present them clearly and persuasively in court. He also advises clients facing critical legal decisions outside of litigation, helping them weigh their legal options alongside their broader strategic goals. In addition to his trial and advisory work, David has substantial appellate experience and has handled significant appeals involving discovery, jurisdiction, and regulatory issues.
Prior to joining the firm, David served as a law clerk to then-Chief Judge Dennis Jacobs of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and to Judge T.S. Ellis III of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. He received a Bachelor of Arts, with first class honours, from McGill University, and a J.D., with high honors, from the University of Texas, where he was an articles editor of the Law Review.
- Represented the Official Creditors Committee of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. in litigation against Citibank arising from the early termination of nearly 30,000 derivatives transactions. Following years of discovery and a 42-day trial, the case ended in a settlement that returned $1.74 billion to Lehman’s creditors.
- Represented Occidental Petroleum in arbitration involving a dispute over the construction and operation of a natural gas treatment plant. Secured a $75 million award and defeated a $60 million counterclaim.
- Represented subsidiaries of Shell Oil Co. in successful appellate litigation concerning jurisdictional and regulatory issues arising from exploratory offshore drilling on the Alaskan Outer Continental Shelf.
- Argued a precedent-setting case before the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit regarding the scope of discovery available under 42 U.S.C. § 1782.
- Representing a senior investment professional in connection with a contested separation from a private investment firm, including the negotiation of exit terms and resolution of disputed economic interests.
- Representing a major institutional investor in a dispute with a fund manager over alleged breaches of fiduciary duty and mismanagement of fund assets.
- Representing a major investment advisory firm in litigation concerning the breach of an account management agreement and related business interference issues.
- Representing an investment fund in a dispute with an investor regarding compliance with the governing limited partnership agreement.
- Represented a data-focused technology company in a breach of license dispute involving the alleged misuse of data by a licensee.
- Represented a major healthcare data provider in a trade secret misappropriation case involving the alleged misuse of trade secret data compilations by a competitor.
- Represented numerous institutional investors in litigation against major financial institutions concerning alleged misrepresentations in the sale of residential mortgage-backed securities.
- The University of Texas School of Law
(J.D., with High Honors, 2007)- Chancellors
- Order of the Coif
- Texas Law Review:
- Articles Editor
- McGill University
(B.A., History, Honours, 2004)
- The State Bar of New York
- United States Court of Appeals:
- Second Circuit
- Seventh Circuit
- United States District Court:
- Southern District of New York
- Law Clerk to the Hon. Dennis Jacobs:
- United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 2008-2009
- Law Clerk to the Hon. T.S. Ellis III:
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, 2007-2008